A ‘Chicago P.D.’ Lifer, LaRoyce Hawkins Is Proud of Atwater’s Evolution

If you’ve been a fan of Chicago P.D. over the course of the last 12 seasons, someone who has consistently stood out is the 6-foot-2 mostly quiet and unassuming (until he’s not) Officer Kevin Atwater, played by LaRoyce Hawkins.

Atwater, maybe more so than any cop in the Intelligence Unit, struggles with seeing how decimated some communities are in a big city such as Chicago. He struggles with the injustices within the legal system or even facing the dangers of dealing with law enforcement other than himself, because of the color of his skin. Through the years, it sometimes seems like Atwater has seen too much, although he rarely acts out his rage or aggravation on others, especially the innocent. Most times, he seems to hold what’s eating at him in and let those wounds bury themselves, which also may not be the best route for a cop dealing with the stresses of his profession or life.

But for Hawkins, who plays Atwater, longtime viewers may be shocked to learn that the actor’s background into entertainment is more of a lighthearted affair that prepared him for the darkness of Chicago P.D. The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Hawkins in the city he loves and calls home to talk about his long journey with Chicago P.D., how a fictional police sergeant helped the actor to grow in his profession and in life, why some of his friends from the old neighborhood kicked him off the block and how to get surrogate-adopted by a white family in Red Wing, Minnesota.

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How has Kevin Atwater evolved over the 12 seasons of playing him on Chicago P.D., as one of the few remaining original cast members?

I’m proud of the evolution of Atwater. I say that to say that I’m proud of myself, for being able to lock-in at this level. Every season we do our best — and when I say “we,” I mean me and Atwater — to get better, to not just improve, but ask, how do we make more impact?

I’m proud of what I’ve learned. One of the things that I struggled with, historically, that I’m finally starting to grow into, is the art of imperfection. For a long time until now, I was the only Black character on our show and there was this unique struggle with responsibility that I felt to be perfect for my culture; to be perfect for other cultures; to recognize Black light in a way that it would be respected and reflected. I think with that came this interesting sense of self-righteousness that, to be honest with you, I had to outgrow. There was a time and place for that; I didn’t understand how else to approach the situation back then. I was a young storyteller who felt like I had the world on my shoulders. Now, I’ve grown into this pocket where I appreciate my imperfections, I embrace my mistakes and I give myself more grace than I used to, which now I think is not just extremely more redeemable but relatable.

I’m not sure how long I could have gone with that former approach. I’m grateful that I’ve picked up the notion to really embrace my imperfections, not be afraid to get a little dirty, to trust myself to be myself. And that’s something I’ve learned just from watching my cast. Sarge (Jason Beghe as Sergeant Hank Voight), in particular, is a great example of an authentic vulnerability. You don’t get that without understanding first that you have to be scared, and it’s okay to be scared before you can call it courage.

Did being a native from the Chicago-area and communities contribute in part to that added pressure you placed on yourself during your early run on the show?

I think that had almost everything to do with it, to be honest with you. Because I wasn’t just the only Black character, I felt like I was the only person from the neighborhood. That does elevate the pressure a little bit. The opportunity came with its own amount of nostalgia and pride. I will never forget the first time I heard “action,” and how nervous I got.  I ain’t never been nervous, once I’ve made up my mind that I was entertaining. Stand up was my first love; so, I ain’t scared of nothing, But I got extremely nervous then because in that moment I realized like, “Wow, I have to create a character people want to see week after week who they are going to invest in, and they want to see win or lose.” Whichever direction it goes, there’s an engagement you are responsible for, and you don’t realize that until you get there.

I grew up watching TV and being a big fan of the characters television gave us. You don’t understand the pressure those people feel every day going to work knowing they are about to put something on wax that’s going to last forever. Whatever the moment is decided within that take, if you’re not prepared for it, it might be something you’re not that proud of.

Then eventually at a certain point, I became a father. And you want the work that you do on screen to be something that your family can be proud of, that your son can watch, respect and appreciate, whatever that legacy that unfolds. I trust my instrument so much more than I did once upon time. I can only hope it reflects in the work.

How does your love for comedy help with the seriousness of portraying Atwater, and the darkness that Chicago P.D. can dive into on any given Wednesday?

What I’ve learned from the show is how to really embrace that darkness. Because that’s the only way you can appreciate the light. And I think it works vice-versa. I think the light I was naturally gifted with is what helps me recognize darkness. I appreciate the skillset from my stand-up background because of the timing. There’s a specific timing that the comedic storyteller has to have in order to pull off whatever he’s doing on stage, and that timing finds itself in a lot of these moments. That is something you can’t teach; you have to experience it and be used to it. So I don’t turn off my comedy brain just because I’m doing drama. I filter what I need, and you hope for the best.

Earlier in episode three of this season, they finally gave Atwater a serious love interest (forensics psychologist Valerie Soto, played by Natalee Linez). Will we see more of this relationship?

[Smiles] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Soto is on her way back! She’s on her way back, and I like what we learned through her character. Atwater, for a long time, has been very good at holding onto things, and I think he has needed help in letting go. You gotta let go of some stuff in order to grow into whatever the next level is. That’s what we learned through her character. I’m grateful for it. As a performer, I thoroughly enjoy working with Natalee Linez, and we can look forward to seeing her again.

Playing a character from Chicago, an African American police officer, and growing up around and in the city most of your life, what has your relationship been like with Chi-town? I know you have your charitable community engagements, but do you ever think about moving on from the town you’re so entrenched in from a personal and career standpoint?

Man, it’s been a great relationship! I can only imagine how [basketball star and Chicago native] Derrick Rose felt coming back home and playing for the Chicago Bulls. I think my relationship to the city is liking to that; obviously, there’s a thin line between actors and athletes as far as the energy we can receive from our respective cities. But that’s how I felt like the hometown hero, having a soft responsibility to lean into the community. That was my whole point of embracing this role and taking this opportunity. I wanted to make sure that the character I played could build a bridge between the Black community and cop culture, because I knew it was necessary and essential at the time. I come from Harvey, Illinois, where the cops ain’t the first group of people you respect. I knew it wouldn’t be the most popular role, or it wasn’t gonna look that shiny at first. But I’m grateful for the time I’ve had to be able to embrace the character and the city. I’ve learned so much about the city, as I’ve moved from Harvey to the downtown area. I’ve been able to jump around in different pockets, from the West Loop to River North. So, yeah, it’s my homebase.

I got booked right off the block. I remember when I moved downtown, the block was like, “You can’t come back, so make sure you’re ready to go down there. ‘Cause you can’t come back, not in the way that you are here now.” So it’s been a very gratifying journey with the city of Chicago. They have embraced me and I’m grateful for that, because it could be the other way around. I’m thankful it’s not.

I’ve spoken to almost every major cast member of Chicago P.D. and in every interview, each one of them brings up your name with high praise.

Really? That’s love, brother!

Is there any particular cast member you gravitate to?

It’s a great relationship. We are all truly like family. And I am here, in Chicago, with family! I can still go to my grandmother’s house and touch my grandparents. I can still go to my old high school and tap into a classroom. It feels like family with my close friends all around all the time. But when I go to work and I look at my white constituents (laughs), I don’t know a group of people who I am closer to, to be honest with you. I learn so much from all of them.

Very recently, my relationship with Sarge has grown, and I love the way we communicate now. He has been teaching me a lot. And he is hard on me too, which I appreciate. I haven’t had that kind of attention — which I think is necessary for a young brother coming up in this type  of game — since Eriq La Salle was with us. When we had Eriq La Salle, he really leaned into me in a way that was necessary.

Me and Patty [Patrick John Flueger who plays Officer Adam Ruzek] have been like brothers since day one. I visit the Fluegers in Red Wing on Thanksgivings and they have adopted me, saying I am their only Black child (laughs), which is dope! Me and [Detective Kim] Burgess [played by Marina Squerciati] experienced parenthood around the same time. My son is only a week older than her daughter, and that’s the connection you can’t pay for.

What does life look like for Atwater in the near future? And what are your next moves?

More than anything, when it comes to this opportunity, for both LaRoyce and Atwater, what is most important is that we get all the gravy off the plate. That we are able to max out the opportunity to its fullest potential, and we take the seed that we planted and allow it to grow into whatever the next assignment is.

To be honest with you, it’s hard to say, But the experience I’ve had on this assignment has been nothing short of amazing! I think the impact we’ve made has been extremely exponential, whether you’re a Black first responder or would-be criminal. I think you’ve been able to see yourself in the stories that surround Atwater, and I’m grateful for that. I think the character, when you look back on it, should be a significant piece of television history. And I owe that to Dick Wolf and the platform of Wolf Entertainment, to be a part of that is nothing short of amazing.

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New episodes of Chicago P.D. air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC