As if the challenges faced by Chicago P.D.'s Sgt. Hank Voight (played by Jason Beghe) in rebuilding his Intelligence Unit weren't daunting enough, he's now set to be one man down with the unexpected departure of Patrick John Flueger, who portrays Adam Ruzek. The original cast member is stepping away for "personal" reasons, as Deadline first reported, mirroring a similar 10-month hiatus taken by Taylor Kinney in Chicago Fire. Though the details surrounding Flueger's return are still unknown, including the number of episodes he'll miss and when his final episode will air, his character's absence will undoubtedly be felt on the show.
Meanwhile, Marlyne Barrett, a fellow member of the Wolfverse, is also taking an absence from Chicago Med. Her character, Maggie, has been written out of Season 11 on the NBC medical drama, but the door remains open for her return.
Ruzek's absence from Chicago P.D. is particularly poignant given his recent marriage to Detective Kim Burgess (played by Marina Squerciati) in last season's finale and his role as a family man with adopted daughter Makayla (Ramona Edith Williams) and a father with dementia in a special care facility. It will be intriguing to see how his character is written out amidst such personal drama.
According to Deadline sources, "Flueger's decision to take a break comes amidst a difficult personal time, including an incident of alcohol use on set." The sudden departure has caught the writing team off guard, necessitating modifications to upcoming scripts to reflect his absence.
Ruzek has always been Voight's trusted right-hand man, ready to stand by his sergeant through even the most controversial policing decisions. His absence from the team will undoubtedly be felt, as he is integral to their operations.
Ruzek will be seen in Wednesday night's "The Root Cause" episode of Chicago P.D., where the Intelligence Unit races against time to save a man violently abducted from Torres' (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) own neighborhood. Chicago P.D. airs Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and is available to stream the following day on Peacock.
