Jesse Lee Soffer: How the FBI Differs: International’s Wes and Halstead

For many fans, Jesse Lee Soffer he will always be Jay Halstead, but his new one FBI: International The character, Wes Mitchell, has his own story to tell.

“On (Chicago) PS, Halstead had a lot of baggage at the end of 10 seasons,” Soffer, 40, said exclusively. Us Weekly of his old detective character. “There’s somebody (who’s) been through a lot of traumatic things.”

When it comes to yours international Soffer said he’s “brand new” with a “different demeanor” and a “different attitude.”

The actor said Wes is “really enjoying it, it’s fun” for him to play and something that will be “fun for the fans” to see.

Soffer played at Halstead from 2014 to 2022, before announcing his departure Chicago P.D during season 10. The NBC star made his directorial debut in P.S later that season in 2023 and has since worked behind the camera on one more episode of the series.

“P.S is a set – Jason (Beghe)He’s definitely the star and the strong patriarch of this show,” Soffer said variety of his departure in February 2023, referencing his former co-star Beghe, who plays Sergeant Hank Voight. “I definitely think I’m ready to be the star of a show and have my own show. I would put my whole heart and soul into it.”

we confirmed in June that Soffer was joining the FBI: International cast for season 4 later Luke Kleintank he announced his departure the previous April. Soffer’s Wes will take over as Supervisory Special Agent in Charge starting on Tuesday, October 15th.

Related: ‘FBI: International’ adds Jay Hayden for season 4: Everything to know

Jim Spellman/Getty Images FBI: International will look different when Season 4 premieres now that Jesse Lee Soffer is at the helm. Luke Kleintank shocked fans in April when he announced that Season 3 would be his last as Fly Team leader Scott Forrester. “This decision is driven by my unwavering commitment to my family, (…)

While Soffer promised that Wes is a “brand new character,” he’s working with “close friends” within the Dick Wolf universe in this project. (Soffer has been a “good friend” of International’s showrunner Matt Olmstead for years as Olmstead previously worked P.S)

“Obviously, I love the Wolf movies and they are near and dear to my heart,” Soffer said we of signing up for the Budapest-based series, noting that a “little job perk that can’t go unnoticed” is getting to travel.

Soffer, with whom I was talking we of the setting in Portugal, noted that becoming the star of a show has “definitely scratched the itch” he had when he left. PS, which was a set.

“Getting this opportunity was like, ‘Oh no, that wasn’t on my radar at all, but okay, let’s do it,'” he recalled of taking the gig. “There was no way to predict it. There’s no way to know.”

Now that he’s in the role, Soffer said he just “ran with it” and had a “really amazing (and) incredible experience.”

The actor admitted that there are some “language barriers” working abroad, which is why he’s been trying to learn “bits and pieces” of Hungarian. While Soffer may have some issues with living in Europe, he has fully embraced the food.

“I don’t know if this is so much an advantage, or an occupational hazard, but I’ve eaten more croissants in the last month than I have in my entire life,” he said with a laugh. “I think I’ll have to stop at some point because it’s going to catch up to me!”

When it comes to what fans can expect from his new character, Soffer said that Wes is a Los Angeles cop who “had a tougher upbringing.”

He teased, “(Wes) had a pretty big coming-of-age story sometime in his teenage years that made him who he is today.”

FBI: International Season 4 premieres on CBS on Tuesday, October 15 at 9pm ET.