‘Chicago’: Jon Seda, Colin Donnell & Norma Kuhling Exit NBC Drama Franchise

EXCLUSIVE: After seven years on Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Justice, Chicago P.D. star Jon Seda is exiting the popular NBC drama franchise. Also departing are Chicago Med co-stars Colin Donnell and Norma Kuhling. All three are leaving as series regulars. As is always the case with the Dick Wolf TV universe, they could return for guest appearances. All three Chicago series have been renewed for next season.

According to sources, the cast departures stem from creative reasons related to the characters’ story evolution.

Jon Seda

Seda, who plays Detective Antonio Dawson, was one of the original stars of Chicago P.D. He started off as a recurring on the mothership Chicago Fire before he and Jason Beghe were spun off to anchor spinoff Chicago P.D. as the leads. Seda left Chicago P.D. midway through Season 4 to join new legal drama spinoff Chicago Justice. He returned to Chicago P.D. at the beginning of Season 5 as a series regular following the cancellation of Chicago Justice after one season. He has been part of a number of crossovers among the Chicago shows.

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Colin Donnell

I hear the feeling was that Seda’s character on Chicago P.D. had played out, leading to the actor’s departure. But he is very well liked by the producers, and it is possible for him to wind up in another Dick Wolf show down the road.

Donnell has played the series regular character of Dr. Connor Rhodes, a Cardiothoracic- and Trauma Surgery Attending (he began as a Trauma Surgery Fellow) at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center on Chicago Med since the series’ launch in 2015.

He also made guest appearances as the character in a total of four episodes in Chicago P.D. (seasons 3 and 4) and four episodes of Chicago Fire (seasons 4, 6 and 7).

Kuhling first appeared as Dr. Ava Bekker in the season 2 finale of Chicago Med as a recurring. She was upped to a series regular at the start of Season 3.

UPDATE: Donnell confirmed his departure on Twitter, retweeting Deadline’s story.