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9 of Chicago P.D.'s Biggest Guest Stars and Their Memorable Storylines
From a Twilight star to Law & Order talent, P.D. continues to impress with its dynamite guest star lineup.
NBC's Chicago P.D. has become a beloved cornerstone of the One Chicago universe, captivating audiences with its gritty storytelling, high-stakes drama, and, of course, its dynamite guest stars.
P.D.'s guest stars always deliver electrifying performances that give the Intelligence Unit a reason to sweat. From established stars to breakout talent, for 12 seasons and counting, Chicago P.D. has brought in actors who elevate the intensity and unpredictability of the series. Whether they're playing morally ambiguous informants, hardened members of the CPD, or the very criminal the Intelligence Unit is tracking down; the series has mastered the art of casting guest stars who instantly raise the stakes. Chicago P.D. effortlessly weaves these guest appearances into the larger narrative, and Chi-Hards never tire of seeing new faces enter the squad room.
RELATED: Chicago Fire's Most Memorable Guest Stars Who Stole the Show at Firehouse 51
Dick Wolf's track record of recruiting dynamite guest stars, honed across decades of television, ensures that guest roles aren't just cameos but pivotal moments in the show. Check out some of Chicago P.D.'s biggest guest stars, below.
Robin Weigert as Erica Gradishar
Season 1
During her Chicago P.D. guest appearance, Weigert played Reica Gradishar, an officer who worked within Internal Affairs and ruled with an iron thumb. She was assigned to monitor Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) after he was released from prison and got his badge back at the very start of the series. Erica didn't take it easy on Voight, watching him like a hawk, but failed to gather concrete evidence that he'd been acting out of protocol. Because of this, Erica was transferred from the Intelligence Unit elsewhere, telling Voight his actions would catch up to him someday.
Weigert gained widespread recognition for portraying the gruff yet complex Calamity Jane on the Western series Deadwood. In film, she delivered poignant performances in 2013's Concussion, Bombshell (2019), and 2022's Smile. Weigert's television work is equally noteworthy, with memorable appearances in Sons of Anarchy, Law & Order: SVU, Big Little Lies, and American Horror Story.
Clancy Brown as Eddie Little
Season 3
Brown has been killing it within the entertainment industry since the '80s, appearing in iconic films like 1994's The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers (1997), and Promising Young Woman (2020), to scratch the iceberg of his film portfolio. On television, Clancy can be spotted in Billions as Waylon "Jock" Jeffcoat and in Dexter: New Blood as Kurt Caldwell. Since 2024, Clacy has starred in the crime drama The Penguin as Sal Maroni.
Brown had P.D. fans pointed at the screen excitedly after guest starring in several Season 3 episodes as Eddie Little, a violent criminal who first crossed paths with Voight after the Intelligence Unit leader landed in prison before the start of the series. It was Eddie who helped Voight concoct a plan to get out of the slammer, also protecting the cop while he was in custody. Voight later visited Eddie in jail to get his help on a violent offender, leading Eddie to become a criminal informant.
Richard Thomas as Adam Ames
Season 3, Episode 15 ("A Night Owl")
Boasting a multi-decade career, Thomas is an Emmy-winning actor best known for his role as John-Boy Walton in the drama The Waltons, but he has a bursting portfolio of television, film, and stage credits. On Chicago P.D., Thomas took on the guest role of Adam Ames in an action-packed Season 3 episode.
RELATED: Chicago Med's Most Unforgettable Guest Stars Who Shook Things Up at Gaffney
In "A Night Owl," Ames was a college professor who was found to be philandering with several felons before he fell in love with an ex-convicted con artist with a twisted agenda. After Ames helped transport several loads of drugs into Canada for his partner, the Intelligence Unit tracked him down and arrested him.
Billy Burke as Jake McCoy
Season 4, Episode 6 ("Some Friend")
Burke guest starred in Season 4 of Chicago P.D. as Jake McCoy, an old friend of the late Intelligence Member Detective Alvin Olinsky (Elias Koteas). After reuniting with his friend, Olinsky soon learned that Jake had accidentally murdered a woman and was evading suspicion. His actions eventually caught up to him, with Olinsky assisting in his former friend's arrest.
While he made his acting debut in 1990 — long before his Chicago P.D. guest appearance — Burke achieved meteoric notoriety after starring as Charlie Swan in the Twilight film franchise, playing the curmudgeonly father of the vampire-loving teenager, Bella Swan. On television, Burke has appeared in Law & Order, Gilmore Girls, Revolution, and Most Dangerous Game, to name a few of his hit projects. Since 2022, Burke has been putting out fires as Vince Leone in Fire Country.
Li Jun Li as Julie Tay
Season 4
After rising to notoriety on Broadway, Li skyrocketed to fame as Iris Chang in the drama series Quantico, later starring in Season 2 of The Exorcist TV series as Rose Cooper. Nowadays, viewers can spot her in the Peacock series Based on a True Story as Michelle or in 2022's period drama Babylon.
On Chicago P.D., Li played Officer Julie Tay, partnering up with Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) during her four-episode storyline. After learning that Tay was transferred to foot beat after refusing to sleep with her superior, Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) took matters into her own hands and helped Julie as much as possible.
Mykelti Williamson as Denny Woods
Season 5
Known worldwide for playing the beloved Bubba in 1994's Oscar-winning flick Forrest Gump, Williamson boasts a prolific film, television, and stage career. Appearing in several television series over the years, Williamson stole the show as the villainous Preston Webb in Season 2 of Law & Order: Organized Crime, Ellstin Limehouse in Justified, and Lt. Philip Gerard in The Fugitive. After Forrest Gump, Williamson went on to star in many must-watch films, like 2016's Fences and 2024's Unstoppable.
In addition to these dynamite projects, Williamson guest-starred throughout Season 4 of Chicago P.D. as Denny Woods, Voight's former partner-turned-corrupt adversary. After being introduced in the Season 4 finale as a twisted contracted auditor assigned to the Intelligence Unit, Woods spent most of Season 5 putting Voight under a microscope — leading to some intense drama in and out of the squad room.
Nicole Ari Parker as Samantha Miller
Season 8
Parker is another powerhouse P.D. guest star, appearing at the top of Season 8 as Samantha Miller, a Deputy Superintendent within the CPD. Miller strongly advocated for police reform, connecting with the Intelligence Unit throughout the season to shine a light on these progressive new protocols.
As if it wasn't apparent from her Fire tenure, Parker is a primetime scene stealer. She delivered unforgettable performances in television series like Soul Food, Time After Time, and Empire, where she played Giselle Barker. Nowadays, Sex and the City fans have fallen in love with Parker as Lisa Todd Wexley in the dramedy reboot And Just Like That... Parker has also appeared in several must-watch films, including Remember the Titans (2000), 2009's Black Dynamite, and Almost Christmas (2016).
Michael Rispoli as Officer Dave Wheelan
Season 8, Episode 8 ("Protect and Serve")
Michael Rispoli is a seasoned film and television actor best known for his roles in Death to Smoochy (2002), Kick-Ass (2010), and 2011's The Rum Diary. He's also appeared in several television series, delivering dynamite guest appearances in Law & Order, The Deuce, and Those Who Kill, to name a few.
After making his way to the One Chicago universe, Rispoli played Dave Wheelan, a racist CPD officer who shot and killed a Black man after pulling him over for speeding. While the shooting elicited a public frenzy calling for his termination, the situation reached a fever pitch after the brother of the victim sought revenge, tracking down Wheelan with a firearm to take him the same way his loved one was. After being cornered and admitting to his racist actions, Wheelan stepped into the line of fire and died.
Michael Gaston as Chief Patrick O'Neal
Season 2 | Season 10
Appearing in several films and television projects throughout the past three decades, many came to know Michael Gaston from his dynamite performances in television series like Jericho, The Mentalist, The Leftovers, and The Man in the High Castle. On Chicago P.D., Gaston played Chief "Patty" O'Neal, a longtime colleague of Voight's who commanded Chicago's Bureau of Organized Crime.
However, in Season 10 of Chicago P.D., the Intelligence Unit caught wind that the Chief's son was an active sex trafficker and that he'd leveraged his father's position to evade suspicion for years. After learning the truth, Patty was horrified, later dying via suicide after trying to shoot and kill both his son and himself, with his son surviving the harrowing ordeal.
