‘Chicago P.D.’: LaRoyce Hawkins Says Atwater Has to ‘Get Out of His Own Way’

LaRoyce Hawkins as Kevin Atwater — 'Chicago P.D.'
Preview
Lori Allen/NBC

The biggest challenge for Officer Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) in the next Chicago P.D. episode highlighting his character is himself.

In the February 21 “Split Second,” a string of jewelry store robberies shakes his confidence. “I think he’s most challenged just by really trying to get out of his own way. Atwater has a tendency to want to take full accountability for everything. Whether it’s his private endeavors with his building, his family, his team, he has a knack for just wanting to take it all,” Hawkins tells TV Insider. “And I think this episode, he struggles with that. So the challenge would be Atwater getting out of his own way and allowing himself the grace to be able to grow and let go.”

The good news: He has Intelligence to back him up. “He is going to be leaning on everybody, and you’ll see pops where everybody is doing their best to help out, specifically Ruzek [Patrick John Flueger] and Voight [Jason Beghe] have very special moments with him,” Hawkins previews. “But the whole team is in the pocket and it is a big team effort that he’s able to figure things out toward the end.”

He also says there are some great scenes coming up for Atwater with Burgess (Marina Squerciati) and Upton (Tracy Spiridakos). “The moments felt good to us, so I can only imagine that if they feel good to us, they’ll feel good to you,” he adds.

This next episode also brings back Erik LaRay Harvey as Atwater’s father, Lew, and the two are still working on their relationship. “It’s going pretty well,” says Hawkins. “I don’t even think Atwater expected it to grow into the positive space that it leans into. And even in this episode you can tell that there’s still room for more growth, but they’re definitely better than they were the last time we saw ’em.”

Let’s just hope that continues!

Chicago P.D., Wednesdays, 10/9c, NBC