Jesse Lee Soffer

Jesse Lee Soffer stars as Jay Halstead, a brash young detective in the NBC drama “Chicago P.D.”

Soffer’s acting career began at age 6 when he landed a Kix cereal commercial. It was just weeks after the Ossining, N.Y. native expressed interest in the craft. At age 8, Soffer made his feature-film debut opposite John Goodman and Cathy Moriarty in “Matinee.” Soon after, he was cast as Susan Sarandon and Sam Shepard’s son in the family drama “Safe Passage” and as Bobby in both “The Brady Bunch Movie” and “A Very Brady Sequel.”

Continuing the pattern of working with Oscar-caliber and other A-list talent, the young actor starred as a runaway-turned-sleuth in the TV movie “From the Mixed-Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler” opposite the legendary Lauren Bacall. Additionally, Soffer worked with acclaimed director Richard Shepard in AMC’s longform presentation “The Royale.” In 1998 Soffer was cast as a series regular on the Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen ABC sitcom “Two of a Kind.” When the series ended, Soffer returned to the East Coast and took a role on the CBS serial “Guiding Light.”

After four months on the show, Soffer decided to focus on his studies and put himself through the Gunnery Boarding School in Connecticut. Upon graduation, Soffer realized that he still yearned to act and, once again, began to actively pursue a career in front of the camera.

Within months, Soffer landed a major contract role on the daytime drama “As the World Turns.” His portrayal of troubled youth Will Munson earned him three consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations for outstanding younger actor in a drama series in 2006, 2007 and 2008, as well as a Soap Opera Digest Award nomination for outstanding younger lead actor in 2005.

Soffer made his return to the big screen in Davis Guggenheim’s independent feature film, “Gracie,” playing the son of Elizabeth Shue and Dermot Mulroney. Soffer also appeared in the film “In Time” as well as in guest roles in the TV series “CSI: Miami,” “The Mentalist” and “Rizzoli & Isles.” He also had a co-starring role in the Fox series “The Mob Doctor.”