Sophia Bush is well-known for her role as Brooke Davis in *One Tree Hill*. Best friends with Peyton (Hilarie Burton), Brooke discovers her passion for fashion, which heavily influences her career path. She is also one of Lucas’s (Chad Michael Murray) early love interests, though their relationship ultimately doesn’t last. The beloved teen drama ended in 2012, but a reboot is currently in the works, with Bush set to reprise her iconic role.
### Sophia Bush’s Role in *Chicago P.D.*
*One Tree Hill* isn’t the only popular project on Sophia Bush’s resume. She was also a key cast member on *Chicago P.D.*, a hit series within the “Chicago” universe that follows detectives of the Chicago Police Department. The show is still running today with over 10 seasons. However, Bush exited at the end of Season 4 in 2017, a decision that shocked many fans. On Reddit, viewers expressed their dismay, with one fan commenting, “Sophia was the reason I tuned in.”
Bush later opened up about why she left *Chicago P.D.*, revealing that it was not a decision made lightly—especially since she was originally signed for seven seasons. Here’s what you need to know about her departure and what happened to her character, Erin Lindsay.
### Erin Lindsay: Character Overview
Sophia Bush’s character, Erin Lindsay, was part of the original core group on the series. As a detective in the Chicago Police Department’s Intelligence Unit, Lindsay specialized in investigating organized crime. She was involved in high-stakes cases including drug busts and bomb threats, and she helped a teen sex worker named Nadia through her struggles.
Lindsay’s background made her character resonate deeply with Bush. Raised by a mother who struggled with substance abuse, Lindsay dedicated herself to helping others overcome addiction and social injustice. Throughout the first two seasons, Lindsay attempts to help Nadia stay clean from drugs—a storyline that highlights Lindsay’s personal commitment to social causes.
### Character Arc and Departure
By the end of Season 2, Lindsay resigns from the force after slipping into old habits involving alcohol and drug use. Despite ongoing negative influences from her mother, Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe)—who supported her as a teenager—gives her conditions to return to the force. Season 3 focuses on Lindsay regaining Voight’s trust, returning to work, and resisting her mother’s attempts to exploit her.
In Season 4, after facing an Internal Affairs investigation, Voight arranges for Lindsay to be recruited by the FBI. She accepts a job with their narcotics division, marking a new chapter after significant personal and professional turmoil.
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If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, support is available. Visit the [Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)](https://www.samhsa.gov) website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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### Behind the Scenes: Why Sophia Bush Left *Chicago P.D.*
Sophia Bush’s departure coincided with other major changes on *Chicago P.D.*. Alongside her exit, Jon Seda (Senior Detective Antonio Dawson) temporarily left for another “Chicago” project, and showrunner Matt Olmstead, along with two executive producers, departed for other creative pursuits. These shifts marked a new direction for the series.
More than a year after leaving, Bush spoke candidly about her reasons for leaving *Chicago P.D.* during an interview on *Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard*. She revealed,
> “I quit because, what I’ve learned is I’ve been so programmed to be a good girl and to be a workhorse and be a tugboat that I have always prioritized tugging the ship for the crew, for the show, for the group, ahead of my own health.”
Bush detailed the difficult working conditions on set, including filming in freezing temperatures while crew and cast members were ill. She expressed how physically taxing the cold was, making it hard to perform convincingly on camera. Despite voicing her concerns, she felt repeatedly dismissed by production. She also worried about potentially jeopardizing the jobs of the crew if she left but eventually recognized that she was carrying burdens that weren’t hers to bear.
### Issues with Co-Star Behavior
Bush also cited troubling behavior from one of her co-stars, describing it as abusive during the same *Armchair Expert* interview. Sergeant Hank Voight’s actor, Jason Beghe, was under investigation by production for “anger issues, volatile behavior, and offensive comments” on set. Variety reported in 2017 that NBC had received formal complaints and issued written reprimands to Beghe, who subsequently underwent anger management coaching.
When news of the investigation surfaced, Bush said she was advised to choose between speaking out about *Chicago P.D.* or *One Tree Hill*, but not both, stating,
> “My rep said to me, ‘You’re going to have to pick. You can either tell the story about your first boss or you can tell the story about your coworker, but you can’t tell both because then it looks like it’s your fault.’ That was professional advice.”
### Career After *Chicago P.D.*
After leaving *Chicago P.D.*, Sophia Bush appeared in episodic roles on popular shows like *Jane the Virgin* and *This Is Us*. She was also cast in the teen drama *Love, Victor* as Veronica, the new girlfriend of Mia’s father, featuring mostly in the first two seasons.
Medical drama fans know her as Dr. Cass Beckman on *Grey’s Anatomy*. Dr. Beckman, a trauma surgeon at another Seattle hospital, was introduced in Season 21. She becomes romantically involved with Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), including during Teddy and Owen’s experiment with an open marriage and later their separation.
### Film Projects and Voice Work
Bush has also maintained a steady film career. In 2018, she starred alongside Bruce Willis in *Acts of Violence*, a thriller centered on two brothers trying to rescue their future sister-in-law after she is abducted during her bachelorette party.
In 2024, she continued working in the thriller genre with *Junction*, a film examining the opioid epidemic from multiple perspectives. She also took on a psychological horror role in *False Positive*, channeling a creepy best friend vibe.
Additionally, Bush lent her voice to the character Voyd, a new superhero, in the animated blockbuster *Incredibles 2*.
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Sophia Bush’s career has continued to flourish since her time on *Chicago P.D.*, offering fans many ways to see her talent on screen. Whether through television, film, or voice acting, Bush remains a compelling and versatile presence in the entertainment industry.
https://www.looper.com/2016311/sophia-bush-chicago-pd-exit-explained/
