Cook's first time collaborating with a CI takes a chaotic turn when Ruby abandons the case to escape with Damone. While the duo is eventually found and arrested, Cook has clearly been affected by the close call. "Name Image Likeness" ends with the officer listening to the voicemail from her mother and deciding to call her back.
ScreenRant interviews Toya Turner about Cook's case, her relationship with Torres, and what to expect from Chicago P.D.'s upcoming season finale.
Turner's Favorite Moment In Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 19 Came As A Surprise
"I was just like, 'No, I don't want to do this. It's not making sense.'"
What were your initial thoughts on Cook's storyline when you read the script for that episode?
Toya Turner: Not to say that I thought it was a perfect episode, but I thought it was really, really good. I was like, "Oh, she's doing this for the first time." I saw Cook growing, her arc growing. When I read the script, there were two things that I was kind of iffy about. I was like, "Oh no. Me and Ruz have to be in a relationship. That's like my brother!" We have to act like we're together, which they ended up changing it a little bit for us, and I thought that was great.
There's a scene with Voight where I kind of challenge him. I was like, "Oh, maybe it's just because me and Jason, personally, we don't have that." So I was just like, "No, I don't want to do this. It's not making sense." And Gwen talked to me about it, and it ended up being one of my favorite moments, actually, when I saw the director's cut. It made me excited about the episode.
Cook calls her mom at the end of the episode. Will season 12 dive any deeper into that relationship?
Toya Turner: No, I think it's teeing up for future stories in the next season, but not this one.
Is there anything you're hoping for from that storyline?
Toya Turner: I don't want it to get tied up with a bow too soon. I've been going after her since I was five. That was the time that I really, really wanted to connect with her. I feel like I should just make her work for it a little bit more.
It doesn't have to be five seasons from now, but I feel like there should be at least five episodes before I'm like, "Okay, you know what? Sure. Let's have dinner. Sure, let's hang out. Let me meet the rest of the family." But yeah, I do want to explore that side of the family more. I really do. There's the grandfather, and I think it'd be really fun.
How do you think Cook's experience with her first CI will influence her work and personal life going forward?
Toya Turner: I honestly don't know. It didn't really go great. [Laughs] So maybe it'll help me be less personal with my CI. Maybe it'll just make me be more by the books, state the facts. That's what I think. Between the undercover thing and the CI thing, she's just two for 0 right now. She's not doing too great in that regard. She's not doing great. [Laughs]
Cook And Torres Will Grow Closer In Chicago P.D. Season 12
"Whatever chemistry you're all seeing, I'm telling you, it's because we're just locked in."
Are you learning new things about Cook as she faces these new obstacles?
Toya Turner: Oh, yeah. I'm finding out a lot about her. I do a lot of work on the scripts, but I'm finding a lot more with just the things that me and the director do, the fine little tweaks we do. We discussed so much that helped define who she was and find her confidence and get more settled. And not just the character, but me personally.
Does Cook have a relationship you'd like to see develop more?
Toya Turner: I got closer with Voight, and I think you'll the relationship that I have with Torres will become warmer after this episode. I feel like we're becoming closer than what we were.
I was going to ask about that. Closer friendly or closer romantically?
Toya Turner: Y'all are tripping! [Laughs] That is so funny. Just closer friendly right now. Closer friendly. That's it. I don't know where Gwen is going with our dynamic. I don't want to speak for her, but I feel like she didn't bring Kiana Cook on to be someone's love interest.
But that doesn't mean it won't happen later on, whether that's someone new coming on or someone who's already on the show. Whatever chemistry you're all seeing, I'm telling you, it's because we're just locked in. That's all. That's my boo.
Is there anything you can tease about the season 12 finale?
Toya Turner: I just feel like there's a wedding [laughs], and I was invited, and I got a lot of BTS footage, and it's going to be a pretty epic happy moment. So yeah, it's going to be a good time. You all are going to love that.
