Nicole Ari Parker Joins ‘Chicago P.D.’ Season 8 for Police Reform Storyline

Nicole Ari Parker at the HollyRod Presents 18th Annual DesignCare at the Sugar Ray Leonard's Estate on July 16, 2016 in Pacific Palisades, CA (Credit: Shutterstock)

NBC is flipping the script on its popular police drama Chicago P.D. and adding actress Nicole Ari Parker to the cast.

Parker will have a recurring role in the upcoming season as Deputy Superintendent Samantha Miller, TVLine reported Wednesday. The character will make her debut on the season 8 premiere of the NBC drama.

Parker shared her excitement on Instagram about joining the series and working with her longtime friend Eriq La Salle, who is a director on the show.

“So excited to join this amazing cast, playing this timely role and to be directed by my friend the one & only @EriqLaSalle,” she wrote.

According to NBC’s official description, Miller is “a progressive, ardent proponent of police reform. She wants to help Voight and Intelligence adapt to the new reality, but will not tolerate breaches of the new police guidelines and protocols.”

Parker recently had a recurring role on Empire, although she is most widely known for her five-season run on Showtime’s Soul Food.

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Chicago P.D. ‘s new focus comes amid renewed calls for racial equality in the U.S., following the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Dijon Kizzee and many others.

As previously reported, it was announced earlier this month that Lisseth Chavez would not be returning for season 8 of Chicago P.D., after the show’s creative team decided to move in a different direction. Chavez played rookie Intelligence Unit officer Vanessa Rojas in season 7 of the series. She is now joining DC’s Legends of Tomorrow for the upcoming sixth season of The CW series.

Chicago P.D.‘s seventh season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. Season 8 will debut on Wednesday, Nov. 11, airing at 10/9c on NBC after Chicago Med and Chicago Fire.