He plays Sergeant Hank Voight—the tough, no-nonsense leader of Chicago P.D. But off-screen, actor Jason Beghe was allegedly involved in behavior so volatile, it nearly blew up the entire show.
In 2017, shocking reports emerged that NBC had quietly launched an internal investigation into multiple complaints about Beghe’s conduct on set. The details? Alarming.
According to several insiders, Beghe was frequently aggressive with cast and crew, dropping f-bombs and yelling at colleagues in a way that crossed professional boundaries. What made it more disturbing was that many described the behavior as consistent—not isolated. “It wasn’t just having a bad day,” one crew member later revealed. “It was an environment where people felt unsafe.”
NBC confirmed the investigation did happen, though they tried to keep the findings out of the public eye. By the time the truth leaked, the damage had already been done. At least one long-time crew member allegedly quit because of the hostile atmosphere.
So why didn’t it become a full-blown scandal at the time? Because Beghe issued a carefully worded apology, saying he recognized his “anger issues” and had started anger management therapy. Many viewed it as a PR move, but those close to the production said his behavior did begin to shift—at least publicly.
Still, the timing raised eyebrows. Around the same period, co-stars Sophia Bush and Jon Seda abruptly left the franchise, sparking rumors they, too, had clashed with Beghe. While neither publicly confirmed any tension, the departures were too sudden—and too close to the investigation—to ignore.
Sophia Bush later gave a cryptic interview suggesting she had endured a “toxic” environment on a major TV show. Fans immediately connected the dots. “I won’t name names,” she said, “but when the people in power protect toxic behavior, it tells you everything you need to know.”
Even more surprising, NBC never suspended Beghe, nor did they write him off the show. Instead, Chicago P.D. continued airing as if nothing had happened, and Voight remained the face of the series.
Behind the scenes, however, showrunners reportedly restructured filming procedures to minimize conflicts and keep Beghe in check. According to one source, there were even days when scenes were rescheduled to avoid tension between certain cast members.
Fans were never told the full truth. On screen, Beghe continued to play the antihero—tough, gruff, unpredictable. Off screen, he was the center of one of the biggest behind-the-scenes controversies in One Chicago history.
Now, years later, many fans still ask: Why was so much covered up? Was it ratings? Contracts? Or was Voight simply too iconic to lose?
Whatever the reason, Jason Beghe’s off-screen drama shook the foundation of Chicago P.D.—and left a scar the show never officially addressed.
