Jesse Lee Soffer: How Wes and Halstead are different from FBI: International

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

“To (Chicago) PD, “Halstead had a lot of baggage at the end of 10 seasons,” Soffer, 40, said exclusively Us weekly his former detective character. “Here’s someone who’s been through a lot of traumatic things.”

When it comes to his International Soffer said he was “completely new” with a “different demeanor” and “different attitude.”

The actor teased that Wes is “having a lot of fun, which is fun for him” and will be “fun for fans” to watch.

Soffer played at Halstead from 2014 to 2022 before announcing his departure Chicago PD During season 10, the NBC star made his directorial debut P.D later this season in 2023 and has since worked behind the camera on another episode of the series.

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

Us confirmed in June that Soffer was joining FBI: International Cast for season 4 after that Luke Kleintank announced his resignation last April. Wes von Soffer will take over as supervisory special agent starting in the premiere on Tuesday, October 15th.

Related: 'FBI: International' Adds Jay Hayden for Season 4: Everything You Need to Know

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

While Soffer promised that Wes is a “completely new character,” he is working with “close friends” from his own family Dick Wolf universe on this project. (Soffer was a “good buddy” of International’s showrunner Matt Olmstead for years that Olmstead has previously worked on P.D)

“Of course I love Wolf films and they are very close to my heart,” Soffer said Us When he signed up for the Budapest-based series, he noted that a “small job perk that can't go unnoticed” was travel.

Soffer, who spoke to Us from set in Portugal, noted that taking on the lead role in a show “definitely scratched the itch” he felt when he left PD, It was an ensemble.

“To get this opportunity, I thought, 'Oh no, that wasn't on my radar at all, but okay, let's do it,'” he recalled of accepting the gig. “(There was) no way to predict it. No way to know.”

Now that he's taken on the role, Soffer said he just “went with it” and had a “really incredible (and) great experience.”

The actor admitted that there are some “language barriers” when working abroad, which is why he tried to learn “parts” of the Hungarian language. While Soffer may have struggled with life in Europe, he has fully embraced the food.

“I don't know if it's more of a benefit or more of a job hazard, but I've eaten more croissants in the last month than I've eaten in my entire life,” he said with a laugh. “I think at some point I’ll have to stop because it’ll catch up!”

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

He teased, “(Wes) had a pretty big coming-of-age story at some point in his youth that made him who he is today.”

FBI: International Season four premieres on CBS on Tuesday, October 15 at 9 p.m. ET.