From Rescue: HI-Surf to Chicago PD: Shawn Hatosy is Slaying It As A Crooked Public Servant

It’s not uncommon to see the same actor playing several different roles at the same time, especially on TV shows.

Shawn Hatosy has a role on Rescue: HI-Surf but is also a recurring face on Chicago PD. Both roles portray Hatosy as an entitled white male in charge who’s not afraid to bend the rules to get his way.

It’s not the first time Hatosy has taken on roles that depict him negatively. He’s one of those actors who is great at playing a jerky bad guy. However, he also has numerous memorable characteristics as an okay guy.

Hatosy fans from the ’90s might remember him from his early days when he took on awkward teen roles to expand his filmography.

He had several small supporting roles, racking up time with big names like Brittany Murphy (Double Jeopardy) and James Russo (No Way Home).

In & Out (1997) is my first introduction, starting my celebrity crush that has continued until today. Ahead of its time and focusing on a gay male teacher (Kevin Kline) who didn’t know he was gay, In & Out had some of the top talent of the ’90s.

Still a newcomer on the acting scene, Hatosy played a small-town high school kid adjusting to discovering his male high school coach and teacher was gay.

It was weird seeing Tom Selleck pre-Blue Bloods and missing his sexy trademark mustache (a bit of TV trivia for you — Blue Bloods isn’t the first time Selleck worked with Gregory Jbara, who plays Garrett.)

A few years later, teens got a deeper taste of Hatosy’s talents when he starred in the underappreciated teen film The Faculty. Who wouldn’t love a movie about aliens that take over a town, starting with the high school teachers?

Especially when the movie involves teen crush icons like Elijah Wood (Yellowjackets or Lord of the Rings), Usher, Josh Hartnett, Clea DuVall, and Jordana Brewster (Fast & Furious franchise).

His first lead was a rebellious teen sent to boarding school by his working-class father (Outside Providence).

I cried ugly tears when he died in Anywhere but Here, where he played Benny, Natalie Portman’s best friend and cousin.

The first time I hated him was when he played the pompous, entitled, rich white boy turned emergency room hostage in John Q. His harsh performance matched Denzel Washington’s brilliant desperation as a father trying to get his young son a new heart.

One of the most traumatizing films was the true story Alpha Dog, starring Justin Timberlake (a musician from my hometown) and Emile Hirsch (Girl Next Door).

Shawn played Elvis, a demented killer who escalated a kidnapping into the tragic death of a young teenager.

He scored his first recurring series role in Southland, where he played a successful LA police detective, Sammy Bryant. The series featured a young Kevin Alejandro (Manny Perez from Fire Country).

And who could forget him as Andrew ‘Pope’ Cody on Animal Kingdom?

As a member of the criminal mastermind family who banks on living a lavish lifestyle, Pope is the embodiment of entitled crooked cockiness.

Hatosy’s two newest roles continue his trademark tradition of playing an “ick” — you insert the preferred consonant prefix (d and p work).

It was a delight with the 2024 fall season return to see Hatosy portray the role of Deputy Chief Charlie Ried in Chicago PD.

From the start, he seemed untrustworthy and up to something.

His recent offer to protect the Intelligence Unit after their latest scandal only upped his ‘sus factor. A man like that doesn’t offer such a large favor without getting something in return.

So what will he want for his help?

Along with playing a police chief, Shawn simultaneously played the role of Hawai’i politician Councilman Clayton Emerson, the next Honolulu mayor in Rescue: HI-Surf.

Instantly proving he’s the type of politician who’s not afraid to use his power to his advantage, Emerson bribed Sonny (Robbie Magasiva) to get his son, Kainalu (Alex Aiono), assigned to the North Shore beaches, despite him not earning the spot.

Throughout Rescue: HI-Surf Season 1, we’ve seen Hatosy throw around his political position to get his way, especially for his kid.

How far would he push his political corruption if he reached mayor status? And would he try his luck with Emily when (if) she becomes in charge after Sonny retires? Will she let him get away with it like Sonny?

Given Shawn’s reputation for playing a convincing jerk face, we have to wonder if he’ll continue choosing roles that lend him an air of pompous abuse of authority.

Do we enjoy it when actors find their niche and stick to it?

Or do we prefer actors who explore different character avenues for a well-rounded filmography of work?

What has been your favorite role of Shawn Hatosy’s to this point?

Leave us your thoughts in the comments.