Marina Squerciati

Marina Squerciati is an actress best known for starring as Officer Kim Burgess on NBC's Chicago P.D. since the show's premiere in 2014 — a role she has inhabited for over eleven seasons, making her one of the longest-tenured cast members in the entire Dick Wolf One Chicago franchise. Her portrayal of Burgess — the rookie patrol officer who evolves into a seasoned Intelligence Unit detective navigating trauma, motherhood, and the moral complexities of policing — has earned Marina a devoted fanbase and critical recognition as one of network television's most compelling dramatic actresses. Her crossover appearances on Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago Justice have made her face synonymous with the One Chicago universe that dominates NBC's Wednesday night lineup and has become one of the most successful television franchises in broadcasting history.

Northwestern and Broadway

Before Chicago P.D. made her a household name, Marina Squerciati built her career through the kind of rigorous theatrical training and stage work that separates craft-driven actors from celebrities who happen to appear on television. She graduated from Northwestern University's prestigious theater program — the same institution that produced David Schwimmer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Stephen Colbert, and Zach Braff — with a foundation in classical technique, voice, movement, and the disciplined ensemble approach that Northwestern is known for. Marina made her Broadway debut in To Be or Not to Be under Tony Award-winning director Casey Nicholaw, establishing herself on the New York stage before transitioning to screen work. Her off-Broadway performance as Judy Holliday in Just in Time earned her the Agnes Moorehead Award — a prestigious honor recognizing outstanding achievement by a female performer in theater — and demonstrated the kind of transformative character work that goes far beyond the procedural drama format for which she is now most widely known.

Television Career Beyond Chicago P.D.

Marina Squerciati's screen credits beyond Chicago P.D. reveal an actress of remarkable range who has been trusted by some of television's most demanding showrunners. She appeared on Gossip Girl during its peak cultural influence; The Americans, the critically acclaimed FX Cold War spy thriller that is widely regarded as one of the greatest television dramas of the 2010s; The Good Wife, the CBS legal drama known for its sophisticated writing and demanding ensemble performances; Blue Bloods, the long-running CBS family police drama; and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the Dick Wolf procedural that has launched and validated more acting careers than perhaps any other franchise in television history. Each guest appearance and recurring role in Marina's filmography demonstrates the same qualities that made her indispensable to the Chicago P.D. ensemble: emotional precision, physical groundedness, and an ability to inhabit complex moral territory without ever losing the audience's empathy.

Chicago as Creative Home

What distinguishes Marina Squerciati from many actors who achieve television fame is her continued connection to Chicago itself. While many actors use Chicago-based productions as stepping stones to Los Angeles, Marina has embraced the city as her creative home, raising her family here and becoming one of the most visible celebrity advocates for Chicago's arts and cultural community. Her presence in the city — at charity events, local theaters, and the neighborhoods where Chicago P.D. films on location — has made her not just a television star but a genuine Chicago cultural figure in the tradition of the city's actor-citizens who give back to the community that supports their work.

Photographing Marina

Marina came to me in 2018, right as she was signing with The Gersh Agency. She needed fresh images for the press releases going out with that announcement, and she wanted to update her IMDb profile at the same time. She was staying in the West Loop, a short walk from my studio, so we shot there. I built the set around a look I've admired for most of my career: the stripped-back, deconstructed studio feel Annie Leibovitz brought to her Vanity Fair portraits. Leibovitz is one of my biggest influences, and this was a deliberate nod to her. What I remember most, though, is the conversation. She had just had a baby and my second daughter was about a year old, so two working parents spent a good part of the session comparing notes on sleep deprivation, the Chicago restaurant scene, and what it takes to turn a New Yorker into a Chicagoan. The images ran with the Gersh announcement, and the photo on her IMDb page today is still one of mine. Dick Wolf's Chicago crews are a tight-knit group, and over the years she has sent a handful of her colleagues my way for Chicago actor headshots. She could not have been more gracious, and I've followed her work closely ever since.

The Portrait

This cinematic portrait by photographer Michael Schacht — warm studio light in cream tones capturing a quiet confidence and thoughtful expression — reflects the same grounded presence that has made Marina Squerciati one of Chicago's most recognizable faces on screen for over a decade. The image was created at Michael Schacht's 312 Elements studio, a portrait designed to honor an actress whose career embodies the depth, discipline, and emotional intelligence that define the best of Chicago's entertainment community.