Chicago P.D.’s Tracy Spiridakos Opens Up About Her ‘Light-Hearted And Fun’ New Show, And It Honestly Sounds Like The Ending Upton Deserved

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Tracy Spiridakos will be back on television in 2026, but in a new role! While she’s known for playing Detective Hailey Upton in the One Chicago universe, she’ll now be the star of Anna Pigeon on USA Network. This time, she’ll play a park ranger in rural Washington. Although her character will have a difficult past, Spiridakos suggests the show will be more upbeat, which feels like the kind of ending her Chicago P.D. character deserved.

Upton faced some difficult times during the last few seasons of Chicago P.D. (which you can currently watch on Peacock). After her husband’s sudden exit from the show (played by Jesse Lee Soffer), she started relying on her somewhat untrustworthy sergeant for support. Although Upton was able to leave the unit on her own terms in the Season 12 finale, many fans felt she never fully recovered her happiness after Season 10.

Tracy Spiridakos described her character, Anna Pigeon, as being much more upbeat and cheerful, as she explained in an interview with Deadline.

I immediately connected with the character of Anna after reading the first episode. While she shares some qualities with Upton, she’s also distinctly different. The show has a much lighter and more playful tone than I expected, which I really enjoyed. I was particularly drawn to Anna’s strength, her wit, and the overall cast, and I was thrilled to join the project.

On top of everything Upton went through after leaving Chicago, the preview for the Anna Pigeon series includes a line about starting over and liking new places. Given that Upton seemed willing to continue working in law enforcement, why is it so hard to believe she could find peace and a fresh start in the wilderness of Washington state?

Anna isn’t without her struggles. The creator, Spiridakos, explains that her new character is grappling with grief and trying to rediscover herself after a significant loss, essentially rebuilding her identity. The show, Anna Pigeon, will blend mystery with moments of humor and lightness.

I’m so excited about this show! Each week, we’ll be tackling a new crime or mystery, but it’s not just about solving it. The characters are really relatable and go through genuine emotional ups and downs. Plus, we don’t take things too seriously – there’s a lot of humor, playful banter between us, and even Anna pokes fun at herself! We really want the audience to feel like they’re joining us on a fun, exciting adventure.

This new series sounds like a great next step for Spiridakos after her role on Chicago P.D., though her character’s life in Washington D.C. is different from the path her One Chicago character took. The show even introduced her character, Anna Pigeon, to a newfound love for horses! It’s amusing to hear the actress mention Anna’s complicated relationship with a character named Jesse, especially since she previously shared so much screen time with Jesse Lee Soffer as Detective Halstead on One Chicago. You can watch a preview of the series here:

The USA Network series is inspired by Nevada Barr’s books, and it’s yet to be determined how closely the show will follow the original stories or forge its own path. Tracy Spiridakos, who plays the lead role, has expressed a desire to continue with the character for a long time, suggesting that Anna Pigeon might, like Will Trent, capture the essence of the books while exploring fresh cases within the show’s format.

USA Network hasn’t set a release date for Anna Pigeon yet, but it’s expected to arrive in 2026. While you wait, you can rewatch Tracy Spiridakos’ work on Chicago P.D., which is available on Peacock. If you prefer, you can skip some of the show’s sadder storylines for her character!

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2026-01-28 05:10