Actors That Left TV Shows On Bad Terms
No matter the genre, a TV series can sink or swim based on the talent in its cast. Whether headlined by a major star or an up-and-coming breakout actor, or even an ensemble of lesser-known names, a show's success can't be achieved without them, and that makes the loss of an actor painful whenever it occurs. More often than not, when an actor walks away from a hit show, it's because they've gotten a measure of fame and want to find bigger, better work, or because they simply want to move on. But not every actor who parts ways with a show does so on such friendly terms.
Audiences may not realize it at the time when their favorite character is written out of the show, assuming the change was for some shocking dramatic twist, but the truth is it's sometimes about the drama behind the scenes. Maybe these actors were involved in a feud with their co-stars, struggled with creative differences with producers, or were even clashing with corporate powers over a contract dispute. Whatever the case may be, there are a number of actors who've walked away — by their own choice or not — and left their show on bad terms.
Thomas Gibson on Criminal Minds
Not your ordinary cop drama, "Criminal Minds" follows a special FBI task force called the Behavioral Analysis Unit that uses advanced profiling techniques to track the most dangerous serial killers across the country. Thomas Gibson starred in the series as FBI Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner for 12 seasons, but in 2016 found his character written out of the show, and it wasn't because producers wanted to shake up the status quo. This time, it was because Gibson was causing serious problems behind the scenes.
As reported by Variety, Gibson was fired after an internal investigation revealed details of an alleged physical altercation between Gibson and a studio executive. According to the report, Gibson had kicked one of the show's producers during an on-set fight, and the network acted swiftly to boot the actor from the series. "Thomas Gibson has been dismissed from 'Criminal Minds,' " said a joint statement released by ABC Studios and CBS TV Studios.
Unfortunately, this wasn't his first violent incident, as Gibson was also involved in a scuffle with an assistant director in 2010. As for Hotch, the FBI agent quietly disappeared from the show, despite being knee-deep in some major ongoing storylines. At first, it's said he's on special assignment, and later it's revealed that he's been moved into witness protection to keep him and his son safe from a dangerous stalker.
Terry Farrell on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The "Star Trek" franchise's history of killing off beloved characters is a long one, from Spock in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" to Lieutenant Hemmer in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." In the late '90s, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" ditched Lt. Dax in a shocking cliffhanger that ended the show's sixth season. And while talk for years was that actress Terry Farrell had requested out of the show to focus on other projects — such as her role in the Ted Danson sitcom "Becker" — that's not quite the full story.
As revealed in the 2019 documentary "What We Left Behind," Farrell claims she'd initially asked for a pay increase, but was rebuffed. Rather than work with her on a solution, however, producers pushed back in the worst way possible. "I was told by one of our producers that I was really lucky to be there and I really should sign the next contract," Farrell said. "Because if I weren't there on the set I'd be [working] at K-Mart. That was the last straw for me."
Worse yet, Farrell claims she would have been happy to return in a recurring role that required less screen time, or even for future cameo appearances. But perhaps out of spite for not accepting their offer and continuing with the series, they opted to kill off her character instead.
Chadwick Boseman on All My Children
It's not surprising if you didn't realize that the late "Black Panther" actor Chadwick Boseman's career started with a recurring role on the daytime soap opera "All My Children." But it's true — in his first on-screen role, Boseman played Reggie Porter, a gang member who shows up at the Front Street Clinic and takes a hostage when he fears the cops are coming for him. He only held the role for a year, though, and was replaced by another actor after a conflict with the show's producers on how his character was written.
Feeling that Reggie was full of negative racial stereotypes, Boseman took a major risk in voicing his displeasure, considering it was just his first acting gig. "I remember going home and thinking, 'Do I say something to them about this? Do I just do it?' And I couldn't just do it. I had to voice my opinions," Boseman told The Wrap. Unfortunately, the producers weren't willing to make the changes he wanted, and the newcomer was fired. Ironically, it was his future "Black Panther" co-star Michael B. Jordan who snagged the role after him.
"The good thing about it was, it changed it a little bit for [Michael]," Boseman said."They took my suggestions, or some of them, and passed them on."
Gina Carano on The Mandalorian
It's not uncommon for actors to take on a role in the "Star Wars" franchise, and then swiftly leave it behind when the job is done, from Denis Lawson to John Boyega. In 2021, though, one "Star Wars" actress got the heave-ho by producers after a public scandal that forced the studio to make a bold decision.
In the role of Cara Dune, former MMA fighter Gina Carano was part of the cast of the Disney+ original series "The Mandalorian" in its first two seasons, supporting Pedro Pascal in the title role. Even if she wasn't one of the show's standouts, she was a major part of the story and fans embraced her, which made it all the more surprising when Disney axed her from the show. Their hand was forced when Carano — an unabashed ultra-conservative right-winger — made controversial social media posts mocking those who wore masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic and claiming that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
Despite those comments, which prompted the viral hashtag #FireGinaCarano, it was her remarks comparing the plight of a modern-day Republican to victims of the Holocaust that were credited with putting her on the outs with the studio. Denying that she'd been outright fired, Disney claimed she was simply not under contract anymore, and they didn't want her back, saying, "Her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable."
Ruby Rose on Batwoman
Over the last 30 years, nearly a half dozen actors played Bruce Wayne in live-action TV and movie projects. The role of his female counterpart Batwoman saw a recast on a much shorter timeline after Ruby Rose exited the starring role of the eponymously titled "Batwoman." When the network initially announced her departure, Rose released a statement saying it was a tough but mutual decision between her and the studio based on her discomfort with the series. But more information came to light that made it clear that she and the studio were trying to cover up a serious behind-the-scenes beef.
In 2021, a year after leaving her own show, Rose said that rather than quit like she'd first said, she'd really been fired. According to Rose, the studio used bullying tactics to get her back to work after an on-set accident left her injured, threatening to fire the entire cast and crew if she didn't get back to work. She also claimed that the network continued filming after the outbreak of COVID-19, while other shows shut down production.
In response, Warner Bros. challenged Rose's statement, calling her allegations "revisionist history" and cited "multiple complaints" about her poor conduct on the set as the reason for her dismissal. While Rose had plenty of evidence to back up her claims, the studio chose to handle the issue quietly, simply recasting the role and moving forward without her.
Christopher Eccleston on Doctor Who
By 2005 there hadn't been a "Doctor Who" TV series in almost 20 years, so it was big news when the BBC announced a relaunch, and even bigger news that it would star actor Christopher Eccleston. But the most intriguing surprise came when, just days after the premiere episode of the revived series aired, word leaked out that Eccleston had quit the show. Thankfully, he'd already filmed the entire first season of 10 episodes, but audiences had only seen one before learning they'd have to say goodbye.
The official reason given in the announcement that followed the leaked news was that Eccleston couldn't handle the grueling schedule of a weekly series, but the truth was very different. In fact, the comments from the BBC were never authorized by the actor, who later pointed the blame at the BBC, whose treatment of the cast and crew, he claimed, was abhorrent enough to prompt him to leave the new series before it even got off the ground.
To Eccleston's credit, he's kept tight-lipped about the specifics and tried not to cause a stir. And for that consideration, the actor was practically blackballed by the BBC. "I gave them a hit show and I left with dignity and then they put me on a blacklist," he told The Guardian in 2018. "I was abandoned, vilified in the tabloid press." He's repeatedly sworn he'd never return to the role for the BBC, but later played the Doctor for a series of audio dramas from Big Finish.
Daniel Dae Kim & Grace Park on Hawaii Five-0
It's not uncommon for long-running cast members of a popular prime-time drama to negotiate a higher salary when their contracts are up for renewal. After all, a show needs its biggest stars, and if a show is a hit they have serious leverage. When it comes to the case of Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park, though, there was a much more troubling reason for the dispute over their contracts that ultimately saw both walk away from the show, and it involved claims of pay disparity due to racial discrimination.
As reported by Variety in 2017, Park and Kim had simply been looking to be paid the same rate as their fellow co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan. It was said that the offers out to Kim and Park — both Korean-Americans — were around 10-15% lower than their white co-stars, yet all four shared star billing in the series. Considering that the series was set in Hawaii, and both of their characters were natives of the island, it could be argued that Kim and Park were even more important to the DNA of the series.
For his part, Kim was disappointed that the studio opted to let them go rather than end discriminative pay practices, but still believed there was hope. "I encourage us all to look beyond the disappointment of this moment to the bigger picture," the actor said in a statement. "The path to equality is rarely easy. But I hope you can be excited for the future."
Kevin Spacey on House of Cards
Netflix began producing original content in 2011 with the release of "House of Cards." It was a political thriller that not only dazzled critics and audiences but arguably changed the shape of television forever, setting a precedent for original streaming dramas. It also owes much of its success and genre-influencing legacy to its all-star cast led by Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright Penn, and Mahershala Ali.
After five incredible seasons, though, Spacey was unceremoniously fired from his leading role, and it was anything but an amicable split. In one of the most publicized Hollywood scandals of the day, Spacey was levied with accusations of sexual misconduct on the set, which snowballed when other alleged victims of his abuse came out of the woodwork. A clear pattern of bad behavior going back decades — including sexual harassment and even assault — was alleged, and an internal investigation led to his swift firing from the series.
Since his exit, Spacey has remained defiant, even as he was removed from other projects, including his infamous erasure from the film "All the Money in the World."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Sophia Bush on Chicago P.D.
Since it launched in 2014, One Chicago has become one of the most successful TV franchises going, with three hit shows each nearing or exceeding the 10-season mark. Launching in 2012 with "Chicago Fire," it was followed by the police procedural "Chicago P.D.," whose main cast included Sophia Bush as Detective Erin Lindsay. Then best known for her role as Brooke Davis on "One Tree Hill," she was a pillar of "P.D.," playing a stalwart cop who'd do anything to catch the crooks. What she wouldn't do, however, was put up with drama on the set.
"I programmed myself to tolerate the intolerable," the actress said during an appearance on the podcast, "Armchair Expert." She described how the production pushed its cast and crew to extremes, often having them work outdoors in subzero temperatures, and "a constant barrage of abusive behavior."
Ahead of filming her fourth and final season of the series, Bush had attempted to raise her concerns, telling producers she wouldn't continue on the series if things didn't change. In the end, nothing did, and Bush walked away, claiming it was for the good of her own personal health. "Part of the big break for me in saying, 'No. I don't necessarily know what it is, but I know that what's happening is not good for me and everything has to change.' That was a big cutoff point when I quit my job."
David Caruso on NYPD Blue
There was no hotter cop drama in the early '90s than "NYPD Blue," which pushed the boundaries of acceptable television with its harsh language and gritty tone. Leading the first season was David Caruso as Detective John Kelly and Dennis Franz as his partner Andy Sipowicz. The show made them both household names, but it was Caruso who may have let the fame go to his head. As has been recounted over the years, the actor was famously hard to deal with on set.
Producers were reluctantly willing to put up with his antics behind the scenes, though, because they loved his work in front of the camera, and because the show was such a runaway success. But after the end of the first season in 1994, Caruso did the unthinkable, asking to be released from his contract so he could pursue a movie career. The studio refused, and Caruso set out to make life difficult for everyone in the show's second year according to creator Steven Bochco. "His plan was to alienate the writers, producers, and his fellow castmates in hopes that we would dump him from the show," Bochco wrote in his memoir "Truth is a Total Defense" (via the Hollywood Reporter).
Following a back-and-forth feud between producers and Caruso and his agent, the studio relented and Caruso walked. Unfortunately, he never found success on film and went back to TV in 2005, where he led "CSI: Miami" for 10 seasons.
Katherine Heigl on Grey's Anatomy
There are quite a few actors from "Grey's Anatomy" who left the series on bad terms, but one of the most unusual was Katherine Heigl, who played Dr. Izzie Stevens for the show's first six seasons. She was one of the big breakout stars and a major reason the show was a hit, but that didn't mean she was a happy camper. In 2022, she spoke with SiriusXM host Bevy Smith (via Insider) and talked about the madness of making "Grey's Anatomy" and the toll it took on her.
"If I could have found a way to work within it, that could have also worked for me," she said. "But I only saw it as this one thing: I was up here at a level of intensity that was not healthy for me. And I just kind of fled in a panic." As Heigl described it, the production was rife with difficult working conditions — including 17-hour days that she called "cruel and mean" in a 2009 chat with David Letterman. Eventually, the show took its toll on her mental health. "I was vibrating at a level that I was gonna get sick and, you know, I did get mentally sick," she said.
Melanie Lynskey on Two and a Half Men
Hollywood bad boy Charlie Sheen got his own sitcom in 2003, the surprisingly popular "Two and a Half Men." But the star was kicked to the curb after Season 8 following a series of very public and messy controversies, and a major falling out with the show's creator, Chuck Lorre. However, Sheen is not who we're here to talk about — his co-star Melanie Lynskey also departed the series under less-than-ideal circumstances.
Lynskey stars in the first two seasons as Rose, a neighbor of Sheen's character who becomes dangerously obsessed with him. She was a series regular, but according to the actress, she wasn't happy with her part on the show, frustrated by being promised a bigger part that never came. The problem was that her contract didn't allow her the room to do anything else, and her meager appearances became frustrating.
"I had a conversation with Chuck Lorre where I told him I wanted to leave," she told Vulture. Despite promises that things would change, they never did, and Lynskey renegotiated her deal to make her character a much smaller part of the show, with the option to pursue other roles.