For many fans it is Jesse Lee Soffer will always be Jay Halstead, but his new one FBI: International character, Wes Mitchell, has his own story to tell.

“On (Chicago) P.D., Halstead had a lot of baggage by the end of the 10 seasons,” the 40-year-old Soffer said exclusively We weekly of his former detective character. “There is someone (who) has been through a lot of traumatic things.”

When it comes to his International character, Soffer said he is “totally new” with a “different behavior” and a “different attitude.”

The actor teased that Wes is “having a lot of fun, which is fun” for him to play and something that will be “fun for the fans” to watch.

Soffer played at Halstead from 2014 to 2022 before announcing his departure Chicago police during season 10. The NBC star made his directorial debut on PD later that season in 2023 and has since worked behind the camera on another episode of the series.

“PD is an ensemble — Jason (Beghe)‘ is definitely the lead actor and the strong patriarch of that show,” Soffer shared Variety of his departure in February 2023, referring to his former costar Beghe, who plays Sergeant Hank Voight. “I definitely think I’m ready to star in a show and have my own show. I would put my whole heart and soul into it.”

Us confirmed in June that Soffer was joining the FBI: International cast for season 4 after that Luke Kleintank announced his departure in April last year. Soffer’s Wes will take over as supervising special agent starting with the premiere on Tuesday, October 15.

Related: ‘FBI: International’ Adds Jay Hayden for Season 4: Everything to Know

Jim Spellman/Getty Images FBI: International will look different when Season 4 premieres now that Jesse Lee Soffer is at the helm. Luke Kleintank surprised fans in April when he announced that season 3 would be his last as Fly Team leader Scott Forrester. “This decision is motivated by my unwavering commitment to my family, (…)

Although Soffer promised that Wes is a “totally new character,” he’ll be working with “close friends” from within Dick Wolf universe of this project. (Soffer was a “good friend” of International’s showrunner Matt Olmstead which Olmstead previously worked on PD)

“Obviously I love Wolf films and they are close to my heart,” Soffer said Us of signing up for the series in Budapest, and noticing a “little job that can’t go unnoticed” is travel.

Soffer, who spoke to Us from Portugal, noted that being the lead in a show “definitely scratched the itch” he had when he left P.D., that was an ensemble.

“To get this opportunity, I was like, ‘Oh no, this wasn’t on my radar at all, but OK, let’s do it,’” he recalled of accepting the gig. “(There was) no way to predict it. No way to know.”

Now that he’s in the role, Soffer says he just rolled with it and had a “really incredible (and) wonderful experience.”

The actor acknowledged that there are some “language barriers” when working abroad, which is why he is trying to learn Hungarian “bits and pieces.” While Soffer may have some issues with living in Europe, he has fully embraced the food.

“I don’t know if this is a perk or a threat to my job, but I’ve eaten more croissants in the past month than in my entire life,” he said, laughing. “I think I’m going to have to stop at some point because it’s going to catch up!”

When it comes to what fans can expect from his new character, Soffer teased that Wes is a Los Angeles cop who “had a rougher upbringing.”

He teased: “(Wes) had quite a big coming of age story at some point in his teenage years, which made him who he is today.”

FBI: International Season 4 premieres on CBS Tuesday, October 15 at 9:00 PM ET.