Marina Squerciati on Burgess’ Detective Promotion and Reid, Ruzek Wedding

(Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Chicago police Season 12 Episode 6 “Pawns.”)

The intelligence service finally has a new detective in its ranks Chicago police: Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati)!

Things move smoothly through the written and oral portions of the test for Burgess, but then along comes the ride, with Suarez (Elizabeth Rodriguez), at Chief Reid’s (Shawn Hatosy) request. In the course of the investigation that Burgess leads as part of it, she makes a mistake, but so does Suarez. She insists they split up while they pursue a suspect, which ends with Burgess fighting for her life. Burgess then doesn’t want a favor from Suarez to be returned to intelligence; the other woman thinks she should go somewhere else to learn what it means to play the game, which will make her a better detective – and she can’t do that for Voight (Jason Beghe).

Burgess decides to do just that and return to intelligence within six months, even as Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) suggests simply taking the favor as cover for Suarez; however, he does support her decision. However, Reid throws that out the window and reveals that he decides where detectives are assigned, and he reassigns her to intelligence. She doesn’t really have a choice.

Below, Squerciati talks about that twist in Burgess’ promotion, Burzek’s upcoming wedding and more.

I’m so happy for Detective Burgess – it’s well deserved and long overdue, but how does she feel after that ending and what Reid did? I feel like that takes some of the joy out of it…

Marina Squerciati: Yeah, I think it was a trial by fire. You can try to avoid politics within the CPD, but politics will find you and her. I think it definitely affected it. I don’t think she’s going to go home and tell Makayla that. I think she’ll say, ‘Mommy made it. I am a strong, tough woman and follow your dreams.” But I think in the evening with Adam she says, ‘I didn’t want it that way. I worked so hard for so long.” I think she’s devastated.

Yes, because they had had the conversation in the locker room before and she was determined what she was going to do.

It’s funny, locker room scenes are one of the hardest scenes to shoot because you have to have a sense of decorum because you’re in the office, but you also get to open up in a way that you don’t in the bullpen. . And we filmed a few shots where I was a little more unsure, but I’m glad they went with the ones where I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I knew where my moral compass stood. I liked it.

Does she think Suarez is right and that she can’t get what she needs at Intelligence with Voight right now?

No, I don’t think so. I never say I think she’s right. She says she’s going to, and I’m not going to pull any levers to make that happen. I can pull a lever, but I don’t play politics. I don’t want to do it, so I’m going to do exactly what she says.

What will we see from Detective Burgess in the future? I talked to Gwen Sigan and they all do the same work in intelligence.

I know, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to run anymore. It was brought up that detectives don’t run. I thought, that sounds great, but so far it’s not true. So I don’t know. I have no idea. Other than running a scene, maybe a little more trust and some sort of trust from Voight, I don’t know that anything is going to change.

There’s clearly something going on with Reid and now it looks like Burgess is in the middle of it. What does she think of him as a chef?

I think she’s on her guard. I don’t think she has any idea what’s going on. Moreover, Marina has no idea what is going on. What’s happening? Why am I suddenly in the middle of something? Why does he want me to become a detective (with intelligence)? I have no idea.

Voight points out that nothing is ever free. Is something coming up with Reid? Can she stay away from it?

I mean, I know there are a few scenes where Reid is kind of in Voight’s face, not like a fight, but you owe it to me. But I, Burgess, have not yet seen it come my way. But I’m sure it will.

Are there Burgess and Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) scenes coming? That’s been such a great relationship from the beginning.

No, unfortunately not. I would like to work more with Atwater. We are such good friends, both on and off the show. He’s like the funniest person in the world. I would like more. I would like more. I would like to explore my relationship with Cook, Toya Turnerwhich is fantastic. I explore my relationship with Benny (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) in the next few episodes, so that’s nice. It’s become a kind of mentorship between an older sister and a younger brother, which I like.

What was your favorite scene to film from this episode?

I liked the scene with Suarez in the car where she’s like, it’s rare that Burgess is allowed to keep his mouth shut and I’d like to see a more vocal Burgess.

I know Burgess and Ruzek’s wedding is finally coming this season. What have you heard and what do you hope to see?

We’re filming an episode right now where Mac says she really wants it in Belize, and I’m thinking, I’d love it in Belize. Is that actually true: do we have the budget? Is it possible? I think Gwen needs to work on figuring out what she wants for it tonally, because – the way Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) and Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) married is tonally appropriate for our show and I think we deserve more for that, for Burzek. So I don’t know how they’re going to do it, but I’m excited and I just really want to wear a white dress.

But then you have to consider that with their work that dress will be ruined.

There will definitely be blood. Just like someone’s going to fall out of a building or something, I don’t know.

But I think it’s important to have the family element for Burgess.

Certainly. Yes. I mean, everyone will be there. It would be funny to see Voight there too.

What else awaits Burgess?

Right now we’re doing an episode of Ruzek, and Disco Bob, his father (Jack Coleman), comes back, which will throw a bit of a wrench in our relationship. So that will be interesting.

What is that dynamic like for Burgess?

Don’t know. We’re still filming it now, so I’m still exploring it. I only had two scenes with Disco Bob. And it’s fun, but it’s always complicated with in-laws, so we’ll see.

What is your favorite scene to film this season so far? Is it from this episode?

Yeah, I’d say that car scene. I want to scream more this season. This season I want to get even angrier.

Is there anything else you want to do this season?

I’d like to really get into someone’s face. I feel like I don’t really get into people’s faces. I’m done.

Chicago policeWednesday, 10/9c, NBC