‘Chicago PD’ Star Patrick John Flueger on Facing Loss in Season 12

[This story contains spoilers from the Oc. 2 episode of Chicago PD , “Blood Bleeds Blue.”]

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On a recent bright Chicago afternoon, while sitting on the porch of his home in Chicago, Patrick John Flueger is having a bit of a different struggle than the typical one he would face as all-in Intelligence Unit Officer Adam Ruzek on NBC’s mega primetime hit Chicago PD.

The fictional police detective on the veteran cop show has faced countless guns shoved in his face, near-death fights and even being shot close-ranged by a kid. But he may have met his met match today, as he tries to figure out what is driving his cats insane on his porch. With some true detective work, Flueger quickly discovers that pigeons are trying to claim squatter rights a bit too close higher up, angering the furry felines.

This battle between cats and pigeons helped to take the edge off before discussing what may have been one of the most emotionally challenging and charged Chicago PD episodes for Flueger’s Ruzek.

With a scene picking right up from the ending of last week’s season 12 premiere, Wednesday’s episode “Blood Bleeds Blue” found Ruzek pent down behind a car besieged by bullets, and staring at his dead partner, Officer Emily Martel (Victoria Cartagena), who has been shot in the head. Just moments prior, they were laughing and talking about life on the job in their squad car. It’s clear that Ruzek sees that Martel is gone, but he hasn’t mentally processed it. He is still clinging to the chance that reality isn’t real.

The episode then progressed into a high-octant pursuit of Martel’s killer. Joining Ruzek and the Intelligence Unit is new officer Kiana Cook (played by Tory Turner). Cook proves to be a resourceful and tough cop who can keep up with the enraged Ruzek, who is still in shock. The stakes get even higher when it’s then revealed that the man who shot Martel, Roy Darrow, also shot his ex-wife, kidnapped his toddler son and his hunting down his older son, Nate.

The Hollywood Reporter spoke with Flueger about his long tenure with Chicago PD , the rigors of shooting Wednesday’s episode, the introduction of an exciting new cast member and the changes he has seen in his character — and perhaps, in himself — over his PD years.

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To say  the least, Adam Ruzek has experienced a lot in 12 seasons on Chicago PD.

My gosh, this is season 12. I’ve had a student’s career. Twelve years, it’s crazy! LaRoyce [Hawkins, who plays Det. Kevin Atwater] and I were just talking about that the other day, how this was like first grade through 12; it’s crazy we’ve been here for that long. When I think about it as an arc, from beginning to end as a period of time in my life, it went by too fast. But when I think about specific moments, when he and I talk to each other about stories or relive moments we’ve had together, then it feels both short and epically long all at the same time.

Adam Ruzek has survived being shot at and being close to death; now he’s witnessed his partner, who he has developed a close rapport with, shot dead before his eyes. I know you screen tested for Captain America in 2011, but do you see Adam as some type of superhero based on how much he has endured during your tenure on the show?

( Laughs ) Well first of all, let’s be honest with each other: Chris Evans is Captain America. He was Captain America before we even tested for the role. He just crushed that role; so, I don’t even know why I was in there. But I will also say I think that Adam Ruzek is a much more interesting character to play, because he’s kind of a wild card. He’s just a try hard. Brian Luce, one of the producers on our show, and he was a cop for 21 years. When we started, he was our tech guy. He was the dude who made sure we were doing it right, who reinforced the reality of things. He’s the heartbeat of the show, and one of the best dudes I’ve ever met. When I met him, I was like, “Well, I’m just going be Brian Luce.” And that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 12 years, just trying to be as much like Luce as possible every time they say Action.

With all the rapid mental and physical hits Ruzek has taken in such a short period of time, what is holding him together on this job? It was only last season we saw him fight hard to rehabilitate himself to be fit for duty after being shot by a child.

I think his girl [Det. Kim Burgess played by Marina Squerciati]. I think it’s an institution to him too, because his dad was a cop. In my head, his grandfather was a cop. We haven’t addressed that in the storyline, but the police force in Chicago, in New York and L.A. to a certain degree, is like an institution. It’s a familial thing. So I think that’s what keeps him going; he doesn’t know anything different. It’s what he’s going to do. And now he does have his fiancée, who I think he is just obsessed with, and his daughter. I think he wants to do right by them, but I also think he gets off on the adrenaline!

I’ve always thought about it like he’s an adrenaline junkie. And when the shooting happens and he’s flipping out, it’s like he kind of likes it.

So, he sees Martel is dead. How is Adam processing her death? They were just talking about things they’ve seen on the job and laughing with each other.

It wasn’t written, but we always do a call out for 12 years now. It’s: “Atwater, you good?”, “Kim, you good?” We always do this call out, and in 12 years, I don’t know about everybody else’s storyline, but for me it’s the first time that I said, “Martel, you good?” and there was no response. You’re right when you were asking about him thinking he’s a superhero. I think he actually thinks that, as crazy as things get, nothing is going to really go wrong, “we’ve done it before, we’ll do it again.” And I think that when it doesn’t work out that way, it’s a shocker for him.

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At least while we were filming the episode, I played it like I couldn’t get a grasp on it, like, how did this not work out this time? I couldn’t get a grasp on the fact that bullets fly and sometimes your friends die, within the confines of a network TV show. But I think that was the first time in 12 years that I’ve called out and nobody responded. And I think that was the whole episode for me. She just never said anything back.

You mentioned Brian Luce being a mentor to you in preparing your Ruzek. Did you talk to any other police officers to prepare for this episode?

Oh, my goodness! They’ve all got stories … They’ve all got stories. Talking to these cats and the idea of waking up and doing what they do every day is pretty wild. ( Pauses ) I get struck by it.

Can you talk about the Intelligence Unit’s relationship with the new character that was introduced Wednesday night, Officer Kiana Cook (played by Toya Turner)?

Kiana Cook! She’s such a good actor, and I feel like we basically hazed her. Like, for two episodes that she gets introduced in, we beat the crud out of her. It was hot — the first episode she was in was like 90 degrees — and we were running and so much was happening. And then, the following episode, where she comes back, they wrote that it was raining the whole time; so, we brought out all of these water towers to just piss rain on her the whole time. But she is crushing it! I’m so excited about it! I just think people are going to love her. She’s got this toughness. Her dad is a police officer; she grew up with, I think, five brothers, so, she came to play. And I’m really excited for what she brings to the table.

What are some of your thoughts about the trajectory of Adam Ruzek over all these years?

Not to toot my own horn, but I think my character has grown and changed the most out of any other character. He was just kind of an enthusiastic kid whose dad was a cop and he came in like, “yeah!” Over the years he’s been shot, he’s been beaten up a couple of times, and he’s been a pleasure to play. Patrick Flueger has grown up a lot since we started this show; I hope he has. And Adam Ruzek has grown up kind of adjacent to me growing up. And it’s been cool. I think it helped me grow up, being this guy, sometimes.

You guys get into some heavy …

Let me help you out, some heavy shit ( laughs ).

Yes, thank you. On set, who helps the most in lightening things up a bit?

The funny thing is that, with all the darkness, we goof around the whole time. Everyone is so serious, but at the same time, we goof around. Every set says, “we’re a family, we’re a family.” I’ll tell you what: we are a family! Our crew works so hard; they’re there for such long hours that, if we didn’t goof around, I don’t know how it would be survivable.

I don’t know if it’s one specific person. LaRoyce Hawkins is a funny cat. But even Jason [Beghe] , as serious as you think he might be, is a goofball. Nobody takes themselves too seriously on our set, not 12 years in.

So, do you see yourself staying with the show until it runs its course?

( Laughs ) Now, what am I supposed to say to that? As long as they will have me, I guess I’m here. Could you imagine if I was like, “No, I’m quitting!”

The thing about our show, as an actor, it sure feels like every few years it does something just different enough that you get reengaged . Or there’s a new cast member like Toya, where you’re like “Ah! I’m so excited about her!” Or Ben Aguilar coming in [as Officer Dante Torres]. The writers, the directors, the producers just do these things that make you feel like you are reengaged . And I don’t think that happens all the time. I mean 12 years into it, I feel like “Oh, we started again, we’re trying something new.” I feel very blessed and happy to be where I am.

Chicago PD airs new episodes Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC, streaming on Peacock.

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