‘E.R.’ Alum Announces Exit From ‘Chicago P.D.’ in ‘Bittersweet’ Post

ER actor Eriq La Salle is closing the book on another part of his career. The Emmy-nominated actor is retiring from his job as executive producer and director on NBC‘s Chicago P.D. In a bittersweet Instagram post, the actor said Wednesday’s episode was the last he directed. La Salle, 58, joined the show in Season 5, directing 21 episodes between 2016 and 2021. He also directed two episodes of Chicago Med and one episode of Chicago Justice.

“This post is somewhat bittersweet. Tonight’s episode is truly one of the finest hours of television I’ve had the honor of directing and it is also my final episode as I’ve decided to retire as Executive Producer and Director from Chicago PD,” La Salle wrote on Instagram Wednesday, alongside a collection of photos from his time on the series. “It was a very difficult decision because this has been not just an amazing job but truly one of the greatest highlights of my career. Some of my proudest moments in this industry have been during my tenure on this show and being allowed to tell the types of stories we’ve been able to tell.”

La Salle went on to thank the cast, crew, and writers he worked with on the series. “Thank you for your contributions and collaboration,” he wrote. “Thank you most of all for helping me to become a better director and storyteller.” He also thanked fans for their encouragement and support. “Thank you for holding us to higher standards,” he wrote. “To all that have been a part of this awesome journey, I thank you. I miss you already.”

This is not the last we’ve heard from La Salle though. He secured a deal with Chicago franchise producer Dick Wolf‘s Wolf Entertainment and NBCUniversal to develop and create new shows, he wrote. He is also working on the third novel in his crime novel trilogy, which already includes Laws of Depravity and Laws of Wrath. He thanked Wolf and NBC for being “nothing short of incredible and I’m so happy and proud that I will continue to work with them through my development deal.”

During his tenure on Chicago P.D., La Salle became known for tackling controversial stories. That continued in his final episode, which saw Wheelan (Michael Rispoli), a white officer, shoot and kill a Black man, Jeff Dunan (Shawn Tyrone Roundtree Jr.). “The most important thing to me was starting these difficult conversations,” La Salle told Entertainment Weekly. “Not everyone has to agree with the subjects we cover or how we do them — our goal is to spark discussion. When you have so much disparity in communities, like how the African American community is so underrepresented, it’s important to tell stories that really matter to us. I’m proud to have been able to facilitate that with a level of authenticity and realness.”

La Salle is best known for playing Peter Benton on ER, earning three Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. His other on-screen credits include Logan, Under the Dome, and How to Make It In America. He also starred as Darryl Jenks in Coming to America. He declined to reprise his role in Coming 2 America because of his other commitments. Even if there is a Coming to America 3, La Salle told EW he would probably skip it because of other opportunities.