EXCLUSIVE: NBC’s three Chicago series will have their leads in place when they return in the fall as Chicago Med‘s S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt, Chicago Fire‘s Taylor Kinney and Miranda Rae Mayo as well as Chicago P.D.’s Jason Beghe are all locked in to continue on their shows.
Med’s Merkerson and Platt and Fire‘s Kinney and Mayo have signed new deals to continue on their shows, sources said. Like last year, negotiations with the quartet started after the three Chicago series, produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, were renewed for next season. (The pickup came in early this time, in March). Also like last year, Kinney was the last of the group to close a new pact.
Beghe will return to P.D. under his current contract. As Deadline reported last year, he has more time on his existing deal.
Kinney, Beghe, Merkerson and Platt have been headlining their Chicago series as original cast members from Day 1. Kinney is headed into his 15th season on Fire, Beghe into his 14th season on P.D. and Merkerson and Platt into their 12th season on Med.
Emmy winner Merkerson is in a league of her own; she has been in the Dick Wolf universe for 29 seasons (610 episodes) and counting; before Chicago Med, she was on Law & Order for 17 seasons as the series’ longest-running cast member.
More than a decade in, One Chicago continues to dominate Wednesday nights. The three shows also pioneered the integrated franchise universe, staging highly rated crossovers. The most recent March 4 event boosted each of the three series to season highs in total viewers, with social video views up 75% vs. the 2025 crossover.
In addition to linear, One Chicago is a strong performer on streaming, with the three shows a regular presence in Peacock’s Top 10 in-season.
Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. chronicle the professional and personal lives of Chicago first responders.
Med, which airs at 8 PM. Wednesdays, is executive produced by Dick Wolf, Allen MacDonald, Steven Hootstein, Meridith Friedman, Anna Dokoza, Anastasia Puglisi, Rebecca McGill and Peter Jankowski. Fire, which airs at 9 PM, is executive produced by Dick Wolf, Reza Tabrizi, Victor Teran, Matt Whitney, Anastasia Puglisi, Rebecca McGill and Peter Jankowskii. P.D. airs at 10 PM and is executive produced by Dick Wolf, Gwen Sigan, Chad Saxton, Gavin Harris, Jason Beghe, Anastasia Puglisi, Rebecca McGill and Peter Jankowski.
All three series are produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment.
Merkerson is repped by CAA, manager Bob McGowan and attorney Roger Haber; Platt by WME; Kinney by Principal Entertainment LA; Mayo by The Rosenzweig Group and Kopeikin Law; and Beghe by Paul Hastings.