What Is Yaya DaCosta From Chicago Med Doing Today?
Former "America's Next Top Model" star Yaya DaCosta was a fixture on "Chicago Med" for six seasons before she took a chance on herself. DaCosta portrayed the role of April Sexton, a nurse who helped run the emergency room at Chicago Medical Center. Despite fierce competition from her densely packed and talented "Chicago Med" cast –- including Nick Gehlfuss and Torrey DeVitto — DaCosta's April was one of the most interesting, beloved characters on the long-running medical procedural. Unfortunately, DaCosta (and DeVitto) departed "Chicago Med" after Season 6 with fans wondering what would be next for the budding actor.
DaCosta returned in a recurring capacity for Season 8. Co-showrunner Diane Frolov revealed that she and Andrew Schneider inquired if DaCosta would return to help wrap up her character's previous relationship with Dr. Ethan Choi, played by Brian Tee. "We never really got to finish it. We really wanted to, so we reached out to see if she would come back for this," said Frolov. "They're not sure where the other one stand, so they're gonna tread softly on that." Of course, fans know that April and Ethan ended the first half of the season with one of the most visually stunning TV weddings of all time.
This adorable episode marked the last time "Chicago Med" fans saw DaCosta in the iconic role, but she's since transitioned into another great character.
Yaya DaCosta stars on 'The Lincoln Lawyer'
Yaya DaCosta's career has continued to progress in a positive direction since she said goodbye to "Chicago Med." The model-turned-actor has booked several big jobs, including her starring role in Fox's "Our Kind of People." Ahead of the premiere, DaCosta revealed that her limited screen time on "Chicago Med" contributed to her decision to shoot for a leading role. Unfortunately, the Fox production, which premiered in the fall of 2021, was canceled before it was renewed for a second season. But DaCosta eventually landed an even better gig. The next year DaCosta joined the cast of "The Lincoln Lawyer" ahead of its second season.
DaCosta plays the role of Prosecutor Andrea Freeman, the legal foe of the show's central character, Mickey Haller, portrayed by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. Multiple aspects of the character attracted DaCosta to the role — including her past desire to become a lawyer, according to Tudum by Netflix. DaCosta also appreciated the ability to express different parts of herself without judgment. "When I read the scripts and I got a feel for Andrea's personality, I was like, "Oh my goodness, this woman is fierce," said DaCosta. "This woman is allowing me to tap into a place that I really haven't given myself permission to go to, because we live in a world where women are oftentimes condemned for being too confident, too smart, and too strong."
"The Lincoln Lawyer" has since been renewed for a third season.
Would Yaya want to return to Chicago Med?
Yaya DaCosta could return to "Chicago Med" if her character, April Sexton, gets one major upgrade: an M.D. behind her name. While DaCosta's character eventually earned the title of Nurse Practitioner, she'd liked to see her emerge as a full-on doctor. "I always thought April was going to finish her schooling and become a doctor," DaCosta told TV Insider in 2023. "They introduced her little brother, Noah [Roland Buck III], who she actually helped put through school, and he became a doctor. So yeah, I think the idea was always that we would kind of tap into some woman's empowerment and now that he was all set, go back to her fulfilling her dream, and I guess just as time went on, everyone was comfortable seeing her as a nurse,
In the meantime, DaCosta has poured some of her energy into other fulfilling work. In May 2023, DaCosta attended a birth worker immersion program in Colombia to assist expectant mothers through their deliveries amid the global maternity health crisis. "I've done multiple 'doula trainings; but in my 14 years of doing this work 'on the side,' whenever I feel the need to sharpen my skills in, I return to [Instagram user @sumistouch] trainings," wrote DaCosta on Instagram. "Her revolutionary spirit, her clear channel, her commitment to tradition, and her honoring of the innate power of the birthing person, resonate deeply with the part of my soul that has carried this wisdom for lifetimes."