Chicago PD alum to lead the new Anna Pigeon series, details explored

Tracy Spiridakos remains widely popular for her role in Chicago PD, despite leaving the show after its eleventh season. Chicago PD, the police procedural drama on NBC, premiered in 2014 and has been running for twelve seasons, with a thirteenth season set to return in October 2025.

Spiridakos played the role of Hailey Upton from seasons four to eleven, and as Deadline reports, she is set to star as the lead in the upcoming USA Network show, Anna Pigeon, which is set to be released in 2026.

Chicago PD alum is starring as the lead in Anna Pigeon

In Chicago PD, Tracy Spiridakos played the role of Detective Hailey Upton. She was introduced as a recurring character in season four and was then written into the show in a main role in season five. She then remained a part of the main cast till season eleven, which ran from January to May 2025, after which she left the show.

Hailey Upton was born in 1983 and grew up in a troubled household in Greektown, where her father's violent behavior left her traumatized. A robbery at her family’s diner when she was ten introduced her to law enforcement and intrigued her to become a police officer. Driven by her past, she rose through the ranks, eventually earning a detective badge for her undercover work.

She later joined the Intelligence Unit, where she partnered with and later married Detective Jay Halstead, though their relationship ended in divorce. After a near-death mission rescuing Voight from a serial killer, Upton chose to leave the force and seek new career opportunities.

Spiridakos's reason for leaving the Chicago PD is quite similar in certain ways to Upton's reason for leaving the Intelligence Unit. Both left for other career opportunities. As Spiridakos spoke to Deadline about the reason behind her exit, saying,

“I love this group of people, everybody from cast and crew, producers, everybody. This was a really hard decision to make. I’ve been on the show for 7½ years. So, I was curious about what else was out there and wanted to switch it up. That was kind of it, but it was hard. It was very bittersweet and emotional.”

Her role as the titular character in Anna Pigeon is Spiridakos's first major role after leaving the Chicago PD. Not much is known about Anna Pigeon, but according to Deadline, the description of the show reads as:

"Anna Pigeon (Spiridakos) is a former city slicker who became a park ranger after a devastating loss changed the trajectory of her life forever. While Anna tries to outrun her demons, her focus turns to solving crimes that have taken place within national park grounds, no matter who or what gets in her way."

The show is based on the novels by Nevada Barr and directed by Lea Thompson. Morwyn Brebner serves as showrunner and executive producer. Other executive producers include Todd Berger, Tom Cox, Jordy Randall, Brett Burlock, Julie Di Cresce, Peter Emerson, Gordon Gilbertson, Sonia Hosko, and Lea Thompson. The show is produced collaboratively by Cineflix Studios, December Films, and Seven24 Films.

A specific release date for Anna Pigeon is yet to be revealed, but the show is set to be released on USA Network in 2026. Chicago PD is streaming on Peacock, and a new season arrives on 1st October 2025.

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