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Jason Beghe’s gruff voice sets him apart when he plays troubled police officer Hank Voight in NBC’s “Chicago PD.” movies and TV shows.
Beghe’s hoarse voice was the result of a near-fatal car crash in 1999. He had to be intubated and his vocal cords were injured when he removed the tube. He is also known as a former Scientologist who spoke about the group, producing a two-hour YouTube video describing the dangers of what some call a cult.
The new season of “Chicago PD” airs at 10 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Q. When you have played a character for as long as you have played Hank Voight, do you find that some of their traits merge with yours?
A. Since I started playing Hank Voight, I have found that I have killed a lot more people in my personal life. I slapped a guy at 7-Eleven when he gave me bad change yesterday. I am joking! (laughs) Honestly, after all this time, it becomes like a close personal relationship. And like any good close relationship, I’m sure we learn from each other and influence each other.
Q. Have you ever dreamed as a character?
A. I always dream out of my character. Usually I am an old woman. Sometimes a reptile.
Q. Every decision we make has the potential to change our future. Would you share one that you consider the most important choice?
A. When I got the script and the offer to do a recurring role on “Chicago Fire,” I was in the middle of a lot of personal stuff. Both of my parents had just died and I wasn’t sure if I would take the job. But I finally decided to do it. Interestingly, I left to shoot my first day on “Chicago Fire” of my father’s funeral in Washington DC. The many ways this decision changed my life could fill a book. Suffice to say that I am happy to have made this choice.
Q. You almost died in a car accident over twenty years ago. Often people say that being so close to death changes them, gives them a new respect for life. Does the feeling fade?
A. Technically, I died for a short time when I was in a coma. It was certainly an experience that deeply informed my perception of what life is like. Twenty years later, it’s not something I think about very often. But as you tell me about it, I think I’ve probably changed permanently since then.
Q. Do you have any ideas playing a law enforcement officer?
A. A lot. The most important thing would be that I probably thought of cops as cops. I am now fully and consciously aware that they are each human beings, with busy and unique lives, and that law enforcement is the job they do. So now every time I see a cop, I see someone who is a cop, not just a cop.
Bonus question: What is the most feminine thing about you?
A. My voice. (Laughs)
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