One Chicago Podcast

Episode: Jason Beghe (Hank Voight on Chicago P.D.)
Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Brian Lucci (Luch), former Chicago cop turned producer
Guest: Jason Beghe (Sergeant Hank Voight), actor and executive producer
Podcast Theme:
The One Chicago Podcast delivers an authentic, behind-the-scenes look into the making of Dick Wolf’s Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D., featuring candid and revealing conversations with the actors, writers, crew, and real first responders who bring the shows to life.

Episode Overview

This debut episode centers on Chicago P.D.’s heart and soul, Jason Beghe, and his journey as Sergeant Hank Voight—one of television’s most complex cop characters. Host Brian Lucci, a cop-turned-producer and technical advisor, shares personal anecdotes and in-depth stories with Beghe, revealing the evolution of their partnership and the show’s commitment to emotional truth, authenticity, and ensemble excellence. The episode also features a segment with production designer Greg Van Horn (“Merlin”), highlighting the meticulous artistry behind Chicago P.D.’s iconic sets.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Origins of Chicago P.D. and Jason Beghe's Role

• Early Days:
  Jason and John Seda joined Chicago Fire for just three episodes, stayed for 15, and were then approached about a new cop show by producer John Roman—without even a script yet.
  • "[John Siddha and I] had come in ... to do three episodes and we'd done like 15 or something. Cause they liked us." (05:53)
• Shooting the Pilot:
  The original pilot was a grueling 23-day shoot with ambitious scenes, including helicopters—a far cry from the usual TV schedule.
  • "We spent money. ... I remember ... it was 23 days in a row. Saturday, Sunday, everything." (06:43)
• Pre-Show Jitters vs. Confidence:
  Jason recalls John Seda being nervous, superstitiously knocking wood for luck; Jason was confident:
  • "'No, we're gonna get picked up.' I always felt like it was gonna be fine, right? I didn't think...13 years, but I thought we were gonna do something." (07:19)

2. Luch and Beghe: Creative Partnership and Building Voight

• Luch's Unique Background:
  Brian's journey from legendary Chicago cop to technical advisor surprised industry veterans.
  • "You had more to do with helping me create the soul of this guy." – Jason Beghe (10:48)
• Key Scene from the Pilot – "More Gravy":
  A tense sequence where Luch pushed Jason for more realism and emotion, leading to a now-classic Voight moment:
  • "I pulled the gun. I see the dude, I'm coming, and I just come and I boom. And I keep walking." – Jason Beghe (12:02)
  • "That no matter what, you weren't going to be mad at me if I tell you the truth." – Brian Lucci (12:12)
• On Mutual Truth and Vulnerability:
  • "There's nothing more compelling than the truth." – Jason Beghe (12:45)
  • "Vulnerability is beautiful." – Brian Lucci (13:35)
• Family Atmosphere and High Expectations:
  A culture where everyone pushes for honest performances, holds each other accountable, and supports guest actors:
  • "We're here to make a movie. And you held us to such a high standard, knowing every word and all of that, but knowing what the scene is about and where we're going..." – Brian Lucci (13:54)
  • "Show up interested, not interesting." – Jason Beghe (14:30)

3. The Character of Hank Voight: Shades of Gray

• Complex Morality:
  Voight isn't a "bad guy"—he's driven by loyalty, paternal guilt, and the complexity of making tough choices in gray situations.
  • "Voight's doing the right thing for Voight. He's got his own integrity...it's not black and white. It's always gray." – Jason Beghe (16:20)
  • "I just want to be." – Jason Beghe (17:13)
• Loyalty and Protectiveness:
  Parallels between real cop culture and Voight’s on-screen squad loyalty.
  • "You tell me the truth so I can lie for you." – Brian Lucci (18:47)
  • "I will fight for anybody on my group, unless they're harming..." – Jason Beghe (19:29)
  • "It is a family." – Jason Beghe (19:28)
• Translating Real Experiences:
  Brian and Jason draw from real-time police stories, emotional parallels, and the authenticity of on-the-job camaraderie.

4. Emotional Stakes and Personal Impact

• Taking the Character Home:
  Jason reflects on whether playing Voight seeps into his real life, especially during the demanding early seasons.
  • "For the first couple of years...I'm bringing him home a lot more because I'm just like...Plus, I'm working." – Jason Beghe (26:34)
• Coping with Pain and Growth:
  Jason shares about working through back injuries, listening to pain, and the importance of embracing discomfort—both in life and performance.
  • "I just sat there and I listened to the pain, and I'm glad that it talked to me." – Brian Lucci (28:21)
  • "There's no bad feelings. Some of them are real uncomfortable. But they're mine." – Jason Beghe (28:30)
• Relentless Pursuit of Truth in Scenes:
  Persistent questioning and collaboration (“Is there more?”), even if it challenges directors or slows down production.
  • "Sometimes it drives, like, the AD or whoever crazy because...I don't think we're hitting it right." – Brian Lucci (29:12)

5. Authenticity: Training, Tactics, and Technical Accuracy

• "Heartbeat" of the Show:
  Brian’s cop instincts ensure that actors handle weapons, tactics, and terminology correctly, contributing to the show’s believability.
  • "You are the heartbeat of our show...because you keep it true. And not just the technical stuff. It's the heart and emotion." – Jason Beghe (31:26)
• Ensemble Training:
  Cast members consult Brian regularly—by habit now—for tactical realism. Even directors are sometimes pushed back for the sake of accuracy.
  • "Our writers work very, very hard to get it as right as they can on the police end." – Brian Lucci (29:35)
  • "Sarge wouldn't run to the back. Serge got the front. So then I go talk to the director..." – Brian Lucci (30:07)
• Teaching Real Fear and Emotion in Scenes:
  Brian’s creative training exercises (e.g., hiding and “killing” actors unexpectedly during rehearsals) help actors experience adrenaline and fear authentically.
  • "He comes down in the basement, and he's moving along...I jump out and I kill him...That's what it feels like. You're scared. You're out of breath. You're trying to control it..." – Brian Lucci (33:22)

6. Evolution of Leadership—Jason as Executive Producer

• Responsibility and Collaborative Leadership:
  Jason’s promotion to executive producer formalized what he already felt: responsibility for the show’s vision.
  • "I always felt responsible. NBC wanted me to do a different show, and Dick...threw a fit, and here I am...But I also think of it as, let me show them they made the right decision." – Jason Beghe (34:18)
• Best Ideas Win:
  He fosters a culture where input is encouraged—from anyone, regardless of position.
  • "Just because I'm saying it, doesn't mean it's right. This is just an idea." – Jason Beghe (35:25)
  • "I want to hear what. What do you think?" – Jason Beghe (35:37)

7. Most Impactful Storylines and Emotional Scenes

• Cases That Stick:
  Certain storylines—kidnapped children, overdoses, suicides—hit the cast and crew deeply.
  • "They kill me. Remember the truck opening up with the girls or the overdose or the suicide cop." – Brian Lucci (36:22)
• Production Design Magic:
  Production Designer Greg Van Horn (“Merlin”)’s attention to detail enhances emotional impact—especially in scenes like the Michaela storyline.
  • "I walked into this set, and the details...It was phenomenal." – Jason Beghe (36:41)

8. Chicago as a Character & Cast’s Personal Journeys

• Beghe's Family Ties to Chicago:
  Sharing personal stories, Jason reveals his family’s deep Chicago roots, lending a sense of homecoming to his work.
  • "My parents grew up here. They both went to U High…my father was the district attorney of Chicago, became governor then senator of Illinois..." – Jason Beghe (37:54)
  • "I put my dad with my siblings in the ground next to my mother ... then grabbed my bag because I had to jump onto a flight to go shoot my first day on Chicago Fire." – Jason Beghe (39:25)

9. The Art of Set Design (Production Designer Greg "Merlin" Van Horn)

• Making the 21st District Real:
  Greg Van Horn discusses how the set was designed for fluid movement, authentic detail, and lived-in realism:
  • "It was visioned as…like a ballet, as a dance. People were gonna move from one place to another..." – Greg Van Horn (40:59)
• Real Props and Easter Eggs:
  Details include real police maps, FBI Most Wanted lists, old payphones—and items with personal history, like Olensky’s hat.
  • "Anything that looks real in here, that's copy related is real. We've got watch calendars, we've got FBI most wanted..." – Greg Van Horn (42:22)
• Thinking Outside the Box:
  When fake props don’t do the trick, Merlin improvises with real-world solutions—like shopping at H Mart for mushrooms to create realistic body scenes.
  • "So I went, have you ever been to H Mart? It's a Korean grocery store. I went to 3 H marts all around Chicago and bought every single mushroom…" – Greg Van Horn (43:02)
  • "Sometimes when you're on the phone and you're in a public place, and I'm like, so can that body fit in a 55 gallon drum…people are just looking at you like, oh, shit, that guy." – Greg Van Horn (44:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Building Voight’s Soul:

  • "You had more to do with helping me create the soul of this guy." – Jason Beghe (10:48)

• On Emotional Truth:

  • "There's nothing more compelling than the truth." – Jason Beghe (12:45)
  • "Show up interested, not interesting." – Jason Beghe (14:30)

• On Morality and Characters:

  • "It's not black and white. It's always gray. There's shades of gray." – Jason Beghe (16:20)

• On Leadership and Culture:

  • "I will fight for anybody on my group, unless they're harming. And then it still breaks my heart." – Jason Beghe (19:29)
  • "It is a family." – Jason Beghe (19:28)
  • "I want to hear what. What do you think?" – Jason Beghe (35:37)

• On Bringing Work Home:

  • "For the first couple of years...I'm bringing him home a lot more because I'm just like...Plus, I'm working." – Jason Beghe (26:34)
  • "There's no bad feelings. Some of them are real uncomfortable. But they're mine." – Jason Beghe (28:30)

• On Authenticity vs. Visuals:

  • "It'll look great. I don't care how good it'll look. We don't do it." – Brian Lucci (30:35)

• On Set Design Detail:

  • "This map of Chicago we felt was like, has been there since the place opened. Even to the point where we aged it down, dusted it, because it's a focal point." – Greg Van Horn (42:22)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:15–07:19]: The origins of Chicago Fire & P.D., first dinner with producer John Roman, early confidence about renewal.
• [09:36–12:11]: First scene collaborations, “more gravy,” and the making of a Voight-defining sequence.
• [12:45–14:30]: The ethos of truth and vulnerability in acting and ensemble culture.
• [15:53–17:13]: Playing “good guy vs bad guy”; embracing moral ambiguity and “shades of gray.”
• [19:18–21:20]: Loyalty, leadership, and the intersection of real policing with fictional drama.
• [26:34–28:30]: How playing Voight affected Jason personally, and the lessons of both physical and emotional pain.
• [29:35–31:55]: How technical authenticity is safeguarded on set; ensemble self-policing for realism.
• [34:11–36:01]: Jason’s new role as executive producer—responsibility, shared vision, and encouragement of diverse ideas.
• [36:22–37:46]: The investigation stories that hit hardest; shoutout to Greg Van Horn for immersive set design.
• [37:54–39:25]: Jason's personal roots in Chicago—family history, loss, and full circle moments.
• [40:59–44:33]: Tour of the 21st District set with “Merlin”—details, props, and production magic.

Conclusion

This debut episode of the One Chicago Podcast sets the gold standard for franchise-insider access, blending genuine camaraderie, professional respect, and deeply personal storytelling. Jason Beghe and Brian Lucci show that Chicago P.D. is more than a procedural—it’s a family built on authenticity, emotional truth, and a passion for getting “the sausage” made right. Their anecdotes—from set “blood zookas” to tear-streaked curbs and mushroom-propped root cellars—make the city, the squad, and Voight himself feel as real as ever for fans and newcomers alike.