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Torres is Finally Back — But Is He in Danger After That Steamy Twist?
Chicago P.D.'s Benjamin Levy Aguilar opens up about what's in story for Torres after that passionate, but dangerous, kiss.
It's been a total of four episodes since we last saw Dante Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) last year in Season 10's penultimate episode. But the Intelligence Unit rookie is finally back in Chicago P.D.'s latest, Season 11, Episode 4's "Escape."
"It's been almost a year for me, as an actor, to be back on set. So, I am such a different person, like, in my own life, you know?" Aguilar tells NBC Insider. "It was really exciting to come back. I came back a lot more focused and more at peace with myself just because I've been meditating, like, this whole year and, I like seeing the difference between just me approaching a character differently 'cause of my evolution as a person... So, hopefully, that translates."
After an extended leave to help take care of his ailing mother, Torres doesn't waste any time getting back into the swing of things. He immediately finds himself in the midst of an undercover drug trafficking investigation. Oh, and a dangerous new romance with the drug boss' wife.
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How Torres meets Gloria Perez on Chicago P.D.
After a random car chase and heroin bust leads to Torres and Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) finding ties to major drug trafficker, Rafael Perez, the Intelligence Unit begins an investigation to finally take Rafael down after years of him evading the authorities. Torres volunteers to go undercover as a drug runner, and in the process of being vetted at a club, bumps into Rafael's wife, Gloria Perez (Yara Martinez). The two lock eyes, and there is clearly an instant connection.
"It's one of those people that come into your life and you just — maybe you have to have a second look at them, you know?" Aguilar tells us. "And it's not a physical attraction of any kind. It's like maybe I know you or maybe you're similar to me, and I feel like that's what he feels with Gloria is just this kindred spirit in a way that you stumble upon."
Soon, an undercover Torres is sent on a run with Gloria, and it's discovered that she's been skimming money from her husband. Torres also observes that Rafael is clearly abusive towards Gloria. He uses this knowledge to help turn her into an informant, revealing his identity and appealing to her desperate want for freedom and to escape her current life. But this case is beyond a job for Torres, as he opens up to Gloria about helping his mom out of her own abusive relationship. This marks the beginning of the two developing an emotional bond.
"I didn't know you were a cop, and I'm really good at reading people... you're not like them," Gloria tells him. "You seem like something different."
Aguilar further explained these lines from Gloria.
"She is trying to get out of that life, and they are very similar in many different ways, just as he got out of his life," the actor explains. "And I think there's a lot of complicated relationships that he sees in her, you know? Some sort of protectiveness, you know? And then some sort of mirror that can be very hard to see a reflection right in front of you. So, there's a lot of challenge that she brings to his life which makes him seek more and pull away more."
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Torres and Gloria's kiss
Successfully turned into an informant, Gloria leads the Intelligence Unit to a drug drop that Rafael is supposed to show up at. However, he never shows up, and Gloria's nephew (another runner) ends up dead instead. Following the unsuccessful raid, Torres takes a panicked Gloria to the roof of a parking garage as they try to figure out what happened. But caught up in a twist we saw coming a mile away, the two cross a dangerous line.
"You try to hide it, but you can't. You're just like me," Gloria says, before Torres kisses her. He seems to stop himself, before passionately kissing her again.
Yes, the rookie made out with his informant, who also happens to be the wife of a violent Chicago drug boss.
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"You could die at any moment, and there's this one person that's been with you throughout that time," Aguilar says. "Things just happen... He definitely knows that this isn't right to do. But he's taken in by the moment. I think it's something he was not expecting at all."
Who plays Gloria Perez on Chicago P.D.?
Actress Yara Martinez portrays Gloria. You may recognize the actress from True Detective, Bull, and Jane the Virgin. She's married to producer Joe Lewis.
"Had a blast freezing and laughing while shooting dramaaaa with these beautiful people on #ChicagoPD," she wrote in a caption on Instagram, showing a glimpse of the Chicago P.D. set with Aguilar and fellow guest stars Julio Cedillo (Rafael Perez) and Ethan Romero.
Will Torres be safe on Chicago P.D. Season 11?
While Aguilar has yet to see any scripts for future Torres episodes, it's safe to say that the new romance between Torres and Gloria will not be smooth sailing. And hooking up with a drug boss' wife is a recipe for disaster.
"I could see them just pursuing it because they can't seem to stop. Once there's an attraction like that, it's hard to just let it go," he says. "They're two people that have gone through so much trauma in their lives that it's just these- -these attachments are so strong and these loves are so complicated, and it's so hard to let them go because of fears and deep-rooted human needs, right? So, I definitely see them getting into some trouble."
Originally published Feb 7, 2024.
