Jesse Lee Soffer is an American actor and director, born on April 23, 1984, in Ossining, New York. He is best known for playing Detective Jay Halstead on NBC’s Chicago P.D. and for his childhood role as Bobby Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie.
Who is Jesse Lee Soffer?
Jesse Lee Soffer is an American actor and television director. He began acting as a child and later became known for playing Will Munson on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, a role that earned him three Daytime Emmy nominations.
Soffer went on to star as Detective Jay Halstead on NBC’s Chicago P.D. from 2014 to 2022, appearing across the show’s Chicago Fire and Chicago Med crossovers as well. After stepping back from the role, he returned to direct several episodes of the series.
In 2024, he joined the cast of CBS’s FBI: International as Supervisory Special Agent Wesley Mitchell. In March 2026, Soffer also returned on screen as Jay Halstead for a special One Chicago crossover event.
Early Life of Jesse Lee Soffer
Jesse Lee Soffer was born on April 23, 1984, in Ossining, New York, to Jill Hindes and Stan Soffer. His father died in 1993, when Soffer was nine years old.
He has two younger half-sisters, Shayne and Jenna Hindes, from his mother’s second marriage. On his father’s side, he has two older half-siblings, Craig and Melissa Soffer.
Soffer spent part of his childhood in Tarrytown, New York, before his family moved to Newtown, Connecticut, when he was ten. He boarded at The Gunnery, graduating in 2003, where he played soccer and earned a spot on the all-star prep school team during his senior season.
He later took classes at New York University.
Jesse Lee Soffer Age
Jesse Lee Soffer is 42 years old as of 2026, born on April 23, 1984. His zodiac sign is Taurus.
In early 2026, he returned to Chicago P.D. for a one-time crossover appearance while continuing his regular role on FBI: International.
Jesse Lee Soffer Ethnicity and Nationality
Jesse Lee Soffer is American, born and raised in New York state before moving to Connecticut as a child. His family background is Jewish American on his father’s side.
He has spent his entire life and career based in the United States, splitting time between New York and Chicago-based productions.
Jesse Lee Soffer Height and Weight
Jesse Lee Soffer stands at approximately 5 feet 8 inches, or 1.73 meters. His exact weight is not publicly confirmed.
He has an athletic build, developed in part through years of playing soccer, basketball, and tennis in his youth, along with rowing on his school’s crew team.
Jesse Lee Soffer Education
Jesse Lee Soffer attended The Gunnery, a private boarding school in Connecticut, graduating in 2003. He played on the school’s soccer team and was named to the all-star team in the prep school category during his senior year.
Following high school, he took classes at New York University.
Jesse Lee Soffer Career
Early Career
Soffer’s acting career began at age six when he landed a role in a Kix cereal commercial. In 1993, at age eight, he made his feature film debut alongside John Goodman and Cathy Moriarty in the comedy Matinee.
The following year, he co-starred as Percival in the drama Safe Passage. In 1995, Soffer took on the role of Bobby Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie, reprising the part a year later in A Very Brady Sequel.
In 1998, he was cast alongside Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen on the ABC sitcom Two of a Kind. He later took a brief role on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light in 1999 before stepping back from television to finish his studies.
Breakthrough Role
In 2004, Soffer returned to television as Will Munson, a troubled young man, on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. He remained on the show until 2008, earning three Daytime Emmy nominations for the role.
After leaving daytime television, Soffer worked steadily in guest roles, including appearances on The Mentalist and CSI: Miami. In 2012, he joined the ensemble cast of Fox’s short-lived drama The Mob Doctor.
He then starred as Travis Alexander in the Lifetime television film Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret in 2013.
Chicago P.D. and Recent Work
In 2013, Soffer debuted as Detective Jay Halstead on Chicago Fire before the character became a series regular on the spinoff Chicago P.D. in 2014. He played the role for nearly a decade, appearing across Chicago Fire and Chicago Med crossover episodes as part of the show’s main cast.
Soffer exited Chicago P.D. as a series regular in 2022, with his character departing to join an Army task force targeting a drug cartel in Bolivia. He has since returned to the show to direct several episodes.
In 2024, he joined CBS’s FBI: International as Special Agent Wesley Mitchell, taking over as the Fly Team leader. In March 2026, Soffer returned on screen as Jay Halstead for a three-part One Chicago crossover event alongside his former co-star Tracy Spiridakos.
Jesse Lee Soffer Awards and Recognition
Soffer received three Daytime Emmy nominations for his role as Will Munson on As the World Turns, with nominations spanning from 2006 to 2008. The nominations recognized his performance in the Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series category.
His long-running role as Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D. also earned him wide recognition within the One Chicago franchise, one of NBC’s most successful drama universes.
Jesse Lee Soffer Girlfriend
Jesse Lee Soffer is reportedly in a relationship with his former Chicago P.D. co-star, Tracy Spiridakos, who played Detective Hailey Upton on the series. The two have been romantically linked since 2025 and have been photographed together on trips to Italy, Portugal, and elsewhere in Europe.
In February 2026, the pair adopted a rescue dog named Cali together.
Before his relationship with Spiridakos, Soffer dated his Chicago P.D. co-star Sophia Bush from 2014 to 2016. He was also in a relationship with Chicago Med actress Torrey DeVitto from 2018 to 2019.
Jesse Lee Soffer Net Worth
Jesse Lee Soffer’s estimated net worth is around $5 million as of 2026. His income comes mainly from his long-running television roles, including Chicago P.D. and FBI: International, along with his work as a director.
Jesse Lee Soffer Social Media
Jesse Lee Soffer is active on Instagram under the handle @jesseleesoffer, where he shares updates on his career and personal life. He also posts on X, formerly Twitter, under the same handle, @jesseleesoffer.
Soffer maintains a TikTok account under the handle @jesseleesofferdm, which he has confirmed is his only official profile on the platform.
The Bottom Line
Jesse Lee Soffer built his career from childhood roles like Bobby Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie to nearly a decade as Detective Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D. His three Daytime Emmy nominations for As the World Turns came between 2006 and 2008, recognizing his early work as Will Munson.
He comes from a close-knit family in New York and Connecticut, having played competitive soccer through his teenage years at The Gunnery. Soffer has also built a reputation as a director, returning to Chicago P.D. behind the camera after his on-screen exit in 2022.
Soffer currently stars on FBI: International and made a special return to Chicago P.D. for the March 2026 One Chicago crossover. We hope you enjoyed reading about Jesse Lee Soffer. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!