Sophia Bush Left ‘Chicago P.D.’ Because ‘I Wanted To’

Sophia Bush hasn’t been open about her decision to leave Chicago PD, but she finally opened up a little more in a new interview Monday.

The 35-year-old Bush told Refinery29‘s UnStyled podcast that playing Detective Erin Lindsey was her dream job, but her interest in the character began to wane after season two. She would go on to play the character for two more seasons of PD, and made appearances in Chicago Fire and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

“I don’t have to give everyone the specific break down of exactly why I left until I’m ready to do that,” Bush told Refinery29. “But, the overarching theme for me, was that I landed my dream job. I landed this job that, since I was 20 years old and trying to become an actor, I said I wanted. And aspects of it, don’t get me wrong, were wonderful. But, I realized by the end of the second season I couldn’t do that job anymore.”

Bush said she has “no personal life drama” and doesn’t really feel the need to explain her decision to fans.

“Like, all of your theories about my life are always wrong. And P.S., you generally find out I’m single, like, a year after I am,” the former One Tree Hill actress told Refinery29. “I’ve been doing me for a year, and you all are just pissed? I don’t care if you’re pissed; it’s not your life. You know? So, in a way, you sort of have to laugh. But also, it is tough to read thousands and thousands of comments of people; them just being, like, ‘You have no respect for us and you didn’t tell us,’ and it’s like, you know what? I had to respect myself in a situation where I didn’t feel respected.”

She continued, “It was my dream job and I had to go. I was miserable.”

These were Bush’s first comments on her PD exit since October, when she told a fan on Instagram she “left because I wanted to. End of story.”

In November, it was rumored that Bush left in part because of co-star Jason Beghe’s behind-the-scenes conduct. He reportedly used “highly aggressive and sexually suggestive language” and has been “intimidating” towards the cast and crew. He was also reprimanded for anger issues in the past.

Bush said the PD cast and crew became like family, but “I knew just how miserable I was going to work everyday.”

Erin Lindsey was the second character Bush played for an extended period of time. She previously tarred as Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill from 2003 to 2012. In October, she signed on for a 20th Century Fox TV pilot, although it’s not clear if it will be a drama or sitcom.

Photo credit: NBC