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Marina Squerciati's Fascinating Connection to P.D. Guest Star Elizabeth Rodriguez
Rodriguez played Detective Juarez, who shadowed Burgess during her ride-along detective exam in Season 12, Episode 6's "Pawns."
It's been a longtime coming, but Chicago P.D.'s Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) is officially a detective.
She was promoted by Deputy Chief Reid (Shawn Hatosy) at the end of Season 12, Episode 6's "Pawns." Though, her elevation in the Intelligence Unit may come with some strings attached down the line, with Voight (Jason Beghe) warning her that "nothing's ever free".
However, Burgess nearly didn't return to Intelligence after she was advised by Suarez — played by guest star Elizabeth Rodriguez — to take a step back and work on another team to learn more about the politics and red tape of the CPD.
Who is Suarez on Chicago P.D.?
Suarez was assigned by Reid to shadow Burgess during the ride-along section of her detective exam, serving as a pseudo mentor and advisor. Fans likely recognize Rodriguez from Orange Is the New Black, East New York, and Power. However, this was the second time Squerciati worked with the actress after the two were co-stars in a 2006 Manhattan Theater Club production.
"I was Elizabeth's Rodriguez's understudy for one of my first jobs. On Broadway... a play by Nilo Cruz called Beauty the Father. It had Pedro Pascal in it and Oscar Isaac," she tells NBC Insider. "We were all a very tight unit. It was really great. And so when I found out it was her [cast in Chicago P.D.] I was like, oh my gosh. And I texted her! I was like, 'it's been a minute.'"
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She continues, "It was almost like, you know, I was her understudy then, and now she's like the boss and I'm trying to be trained by her. It was a beautiful actor moment, and friendship moment, it was really cool... I was hanging out with a sister for a week."
In "Pawns," Burgess covered for Juarez after the senior officer made a bad call during a suspect chase, which resulted in Burgess having to fight the perp 1-on-1. In exchange, jaded by years in the police department, Juarez gave her an honest assessment of her skills. She felt Burgess had been too protected by Voight and needed time away from Intelligence to truly grow as a detective. However, Reid pulled rank and disregarded Suarez's advise for a yet-to-be-determined reason.
Squerciati explains that Burgess likely looks at Juarez as a cautionary title, and learned "I don't want to become under someone's thumb," while also "realizing how much I owe Voight."
The actress continues, "That's the reason I can be the detective and officer that I am and was. It's that Voight protects me from all the politics, and Suarez hasn't been allowed that luxury. And I don't want to be that. She's a great detective, I just don't want to be under someone's thumb. And unfortunately, by the end of the episode, I still am. So kind of an interesting turn."
