Sophia Bush Reveals Caveat She Gave ‘Chicago P.D.’ Execs Before Exit

Sophia Bush has broken her silence in the wake of her departure from NBC’s crime series “Chicago P.D.” The actress has revealed that she gave the execs of the show a caveat before she decided to officially leave the show.

The “One Tree Hill” alum did an interview for Refinery 29’s UnStyled podcast this Monday, and she did not hold back on the things that went on behind the camera of the series. At the start of the interview, Bush clarified that she was actually very happy with her casting for she show since it was her “dream job.” However, she disclosed that she knew way back in the series’ sophomore run that she wanted to step away from it.

Bush then went on to reveal the moment that led her to finally decide on departing the show. “A year later, when I sat my bosses down — it was in the summer between season 3 and 4 — and I said, ‘Here’s where we are. Here’s everything you’re aware of. Here’s how I’m coming to you today. If something really drastic doesn’t change, I’m leaving at the end of the year’ — because I understand how the business works and how women are treated.”

Bush added that she informed the execs of her desire to leave the series not just two weeks prior her official decision, but 23 episodes prior. “I’m giving you that much time. So there will be no conversation in which I was hysterical, emotional, in which I was being a quote irrational female or whatever you want to put on it.”

Chad Michael Murray’s ex admitted during the interview that it felt “liberating” to finally get to openly talk about the issue. She also confessed that the one thing that held her back from exiting the series was her co-stars and the staff of the show. Unfortunately, she just couldn’t stay and continue doing something she didn’t want to do for them.

“I was just so unhappy and it was my dream job and I was miserable and I had to go,” Bush said before noting that it was hard for her to see the reactions of the fans when it was announced that season 4 was her last. The actress did not really reveal the specifics on what caused her departure, but she somehow hinted about it when she said, “I had to respect myself in a situation where I didn’t feel respected.”

After the finale of the show’s fourth run aired in May, Bush responded to a fan on Instagram who asked why she left after doing well portraying Detective Erin Lindsay. The actress wrote that she exited the show “because I wanted to. End of story,” as first reported by People.