Even Chicago PD’s Director Was Hurt By Those Heavy Upton Scenes – Looper

The end of “Chicago PD” Season 10, Episode 12 contains two particularly heavy scenes for Tracy Spiridakos’ Detective Upton. Not only does she learn that Halstead requested an extension for his overseas trip without her knowledge, but she then she finds out that heinous criminal Sean O’Neal (Jefferson White) is interested in becoming her informant. Suffice to say, that’s a lot of difficult stuff to handle in such a short span.

Surprisingly, even episode director Gia-Rayne Harris was taken aback by how rough things got for Upton. “I was very hurt; I have to be honest,” Harris told TV Insider. “In the outline and the reading of it, I was like, are we kidding? I was deeply disappointed. So I had to get over my own fandom and my own disappointment in men for a second, and I had to refocus as a director.”

Of course, while things may be shockingly difficult for Upton, it’s all for the sake of good character arcs and engaging fictional drama. After all, Spiridakos has made it clear that she doesn’t personally shoulder the burdens of her character when the cameras aren’t rolling, and, in fact, she has next to nothing in common with Upton. “I’m super bubbly and very smiley and happy all the time,” Spiridakos told Michigan Avenue. “When I’m playing her, as soon as they yell ‘cut,’ I’m smiling all over the place, and everyone always makes fun of me.”