Chicago P.D.'s Marina Squerciati Says Burzek Is in a Weird Place After Burgess' Brush with Death

After being left for dead at the end of Chicago P.D.'s Season 8, and barely making it through the Season 9 premiere, Marina Squerciati's character Kim Burgess has a tough road ahead. She may have made it out of the hospital, but what she went through at the hands of Roy last season will leave scars.

If she returns to Intelligence, can she handle the pressure? Will a desk job be a better fit? And how is she going to deal with her captor/almost murderer still being free? Burgess has no idea that he's actually dead and buried following the actions of Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiradakos) and Hank (Jason Beghe).

Ahead of Wednesday's new episode -- "Rage" --Squerciati addressed Burgess' upcoming journey with TV Guide, including some promotional photos from this week that show her character most definitely out of the hospital and with a new look. And, yes, we asked about Burgess and Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger), too.

Let's, let's talk a little bit about some of the psychological repercussions that Kim's going to be facing this season. I can't imagine that the pain of nearly dying, and the kidnapping is going to go away quickly.
Marina Squerciati: It's hard because it's not going to go away quickly, but it is a procedural [TV show], right? In the latest episodes we filmed, we really are focusing on the other characters. …But what I  think is happening for [Kim Burgess] is that she's putting on a good face and whether she thinks she's fine or whether she actually is fine, I think will be tested because I do think Roy being out there is still incredibly triggering for her and scary and that's what's going to break her, ultimately.

Yes, being "out there" – in quotes. Upton and Hank know Roy is dead, and we saw Upton struggling with that in the season premiere -- keeping that secret. I can't imagine that's going to make for smooth sailing in Upton and Burgess' relationship.
Squerciati: Yeah, I mean, if there's a lie in your relationship... it's not based on truth. You've built the foundation on a lie. So, that can't be great for the friendship.

If your character knew that Roy was dead, do you think that would bring her peace at all, or do you think that that would just create a whole other can of worms situation?
Squerciati: It's funny, sometimes we talk about the sort of the moral line of who's on what side and it's generally me, Halstead, and Atwater on the sort of more moral line. And then, [Upton] and [Ruzek] on the other side, like more towards Voight. So, I think it would give her great peace to know that Roy was dead, but I don't know how she'd feel as a law-abiding citizen and as a cop as a rule follower, unlike the two I just mentioned. I don't know what she would do.

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Ruzek was a total mess when Kim was in the hospital. How did her near-death sort of change their relationship, or did it?
Squerciati: You know, I couldn't -- as Kim and as Marina -- I could not give you a slug line for what the relationship is. …Ruzek is sleeping on [Kim's] couch right now, so they're not like a couple, but they act like a couple. But they love each other, but they're not in love with each other right now. So, I don't know. But I just love the weirdness of it. Like what a cool place to explore.

Is there going to be some more Makayla stuff with Kim, family stuff between the two of you because that's a nice relationship to see on screen?
Squerciati: Well, the storylines always change. I was told in the beginning of the season that there would be a sort of test with the adoption. I don't know if that's going to come to pass, but I don't think everything is settled in that sort of arena. Everything could change, but I think that there might be some thunderstorms ahead.

There are some photos available for this week's episode, "Rage," and Kim Burgess is looking a little different. She's no longer in a hospital bed and she appears to be sporting some serious cat-eye. What can you tell us about what's going on?
Squerciati: Yeah, it's a bit of a different look after nine years. I don't think we've ever done this for Burgess. Those pictures are not just her getting out of the hospital looking like that. She's going undercover, and it's pretty great, both for me as an actor and Burgess. She sort of taps into an undercover role that she's never been given on the team -- like, if you've noticed, I never do undercover buys. I've gone undercover as a soccer mom before. I have not been given the gritty ones, and so I thought as an actress -- Burgess and Marina -- I thought was really interesting that this is the first time that I got one. Like what dangerous and scary place that Burgess must be in that she's now given this ability to do this undercover character that is on the edge, you know?

Does that open up your season that a little bit more to be able to do different things than you've done in the past?
Squerciati: I hope so. I feel like the writers are going to be like, "Oh, okay, she could do some undercover [work]." I don't know.

Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.