Chicago P.D. Producer Shares Heartfelt Tribute Honoring Anne Heche's Legacy
Chicago P.D. producer Brian Luce salutes the late Anne Heche, spotlighting the grit and preparation she brought to Deputy Superintendent Katherine Brennan — a remembrance that has moved fans.
Every so often, someone behind the scenes remembers an actor in a way that snaps you right back to why they mattered. That just happened with Anne Heche, thanks to a thoughtful nod from a Chicago P.D. producer who worked with her during her run on the show.
Brian Luce on how Anne Heche did the work
Producer Brian Luce recently talked to NBC Insider about Heche and the way she prepared to play Deputy Superintendent Katherine Brennan on Chicago P.D. She was only on the series for 11 episodes, but he says she treated the job like a true lead, not a quick arc.
Luce spent his own career in law enforcement as a patrol officer and undercover, so he admits the high-level brass perspective wasn’t his lane. Heche knew that too, which is why she sought out the real thing: she connected with Chicago’s actual Chief of Detectives, who happens to be a woman, to understand how that office thinks and operates. She came back with a sharper take on the character and, according to Luce, earned respect from people inside the city’s law enforcement circles.
He also described Chicago as that rare 'big little city' where word travels fast across police, fire, and medical communities, and said the folks he has known for 27 years in local law enforcement respond to authenticity and hard work. In other words: Heche took the role seriously, and the people who would know noticed. Fans did too, if the reaction to his tribute is any indication.
- Role: Deputy Superintendent Katherine Brennan on Chicago P.D.
- Run: 11 episodes
- Prep: Met with Chicago’s Chief of Detectives (a woman) to get the job’s perspective right
- Luce’s view: Called her a generous, dedicated presence who earned respect from real officers
- City context: Chicago’s tight-knit police, fire, and medical communities pay attention to who does the homework
A loss that still stings
Heche died after a car crash in August 2022, and her Chicago P.D. family felt it. Former cast member Jesse Lee Soffer shared photos of the two of them on Instagram around that time, likely from her last day on set, along with a message that still hits:
'I haven’t really known what to say. I just want to pay my respects. Anne was such a kind person. Always generous. Always funny. I’m so sorry for her family. I hope they know how many people she really touched. I think these pics were from her last day on set with us.'
Short run or not, it’s clear Heche made her mark on that show. Luce’s memories, and the way fans responded to them, are a reminder of just how quickly a committed performance can resonate — both on screen and off.