Why did Alvin Olinsky leave Chicago PD?
CHICAGO PD fans can't wait for season 9 to kick off in the fall of 2021.
But one person who will always be missed from the hit cop series is Alvin Olinsky.
Why did Alvin Olinsky leave Chicago PD?
Beloved cop Alvin Olinsky was killed off in season 5 (2018), much to the shock of fans.
He was murdered in jail by a fellow inmate as awaited trial for a murder his buddy Hank Voight committed.
Chicago PD showrunner Rick Eid revealed that the writers decided to write Olinsky off the show - actor Elias Koteas did not choose to leave.
They felt that the death of Olinsky was an appropriate ending to the season-long storyline between Voight (Jason Beghe) and Denny Woods (recurring guest star Mykelti Williamson), which had seen Olinsky caught in the middle.
Speaking to TVLine Rick said:“It was a decision that evolved organically from the ongoing storyline between Voight and Woods.
“The writers and I kept coming back to this idea that Voight’s decision to kill Bingham should cost him something.
"Over time, we landed on the notion that Olinsky should be the person to pay for Voight’s sin because Voight admired and loved him so much.”
Rick also revealed how Elias reacted to the news of his being written off the show, and how hard it was for them to say goodbye.
“Elias is a terrific actor and a good person. He’s also been an important part of the show since the very beginning,” he continued. “So this part of the process was really challenging.
“But Elias handled the news like a true professional and remained committed to the show and his character until the final shot. We will miss him dearly.”
What is Elias Koteas doing now?
Elias has continued to act since leaving Chicago PD back in 2018.
Since his run on the his NBC show came to an end he has starred in Amazon's Goliath.
He is also set to star in the 2021 film The Baker.
When is Chicago PD back on TV?
Chicago PD season 9 will premiere on September 22, 2021.
The show will then continue every Wednesday night on NBC at 10pm ET/PT.
You can it's sister shows Chicago Med at 8pm ET/PT and Chicago Fire at 9pm.