Buzz
Taking on a legendary role can propel an actor to stardom. However, even the most adored stars sometimes prefer not to remain in a character indefinitely, despite fans' hopes. In reality, several actors have approached writers to end their characters' storylines for various reasons. Here are ten such instances.
10. Isaac Hayes (Chef)—South Park
South Park is renowned for its satirical take on virtually everything. It stands as a true equal-opportunity offender, sparing no one from its humor.
Soul artist Isaac Hayes provided the voice for Jerome McElroy, known as “Chef,” in the animated series. For nearly a decade, Hayes embraced South Park's irreverent humor as the writers lampooned everyone—liberals, conservatives, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Mormons, and more. However, he decided to step away when the show targeted Scientology, crossing a personal boundary.
“Satire has its place in the world, but there comes a point where it crosses the line into intolerance and bigotry against the religious beliefs of others. As someone who has been a civil rights advocate for over four decades, I cannot endorse a show that mocks those beliefs and practices,” Hayes, a Scientologist, stated in 2006.
Chef, his character, was killed off in a brutal manner during the season 10 premiere, which subtly ridiculed his personal beliefs.
9. Tom Payne (Jesus)—The Walking Dead
AMC’s The Walking Dead, set in a chaotic, lawless world, boasts one of the highest on-screen death tolls in television history. Its mantra, 'No one is safe,' ensures characters frequently meet violent ends. While many deaths are driven by the plot, some actors, like Jeffrey DeMunn and Tom Payne, have personally requested their characters' exits.
DeMunn chose to leave and requested the demise of his character, Dale Horvath, in the second season after his friend and producer Frank Darabont was dismissed from The Walking Dead.
Tom Payne’s character, Paul 'Jesus' Rovia, was written out of the series midway through season nine. Payne believed the show had too many surviving main characters and offered his character’s death to restore the series' original 'no one is safe' ethos.
8. McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Blake)—M*A*S*H
Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, portrayed by McLean Stevenson, was one of the most cherished characters in M*A*S*H. His tragic demise in a plane crash at the conclusion of season three left fans heartbroken.
McLean Stevenson was responsible for the character’s death. Feeling overshadowed by Alan Alda’s Hawkeye, Stevenson desired to pursue opportunities where he could take on leading roles rather than remain a supporting actor. The writers honored his request by killing off Lt. Col. Blake.
Stevenson later starred as the lead in a few unsuccessful sitcoms. Sadly, he never achieved the level of success he had hoped for.
Reflecting on his greatest regret, Stevenson confessed, “I mistakenly believed that everyone in America adored McLean Stevenson. That wasn’t true. What they truly loved was Henry Blake.”
7. Jessalyn Gilsig (Siggy)—Vikings
Siggy, as the wife of Jarl Haraldson, held the highest position of power among women in Kattegat. However, her status crumbled when her husband was slain in a duel by the ambitious Ragnar Lothbrok, who assumed his role.
Her story is a captivating journey of a woman brought down by forces beyond her control, striving to reclaim her former glory. Siggy transitioned from being Ragnar’s lover to his servant, facing every obstacle life threw at her with remarkable dignity.
Fans who initially disliked Siggy began to fervently support her, hoping to witness her triumphant return. Unfortunately, this hope was dashed when Siggy tragically drowned while rescuing Ragnar’s children from a frozen lake.
The decision seemed harsh by the showrunners until the truth emerged. Jessalyn Gilsig, the Canadian actress portraying Siggy, struggled with the extended stays in Ireland required for filming. Her family in Canada needed her presence, but the demanding production schedule made it impossible. As a result, she requested Siggy’s exit from the series.
6. Raymond Cruz (Tuco Salamanca)—Breaking Bad
Raymond Cruz brought to life the volatile and unhinged drug lord Tuco Salamanca in Breaking Bad.
Although Tuco was positioned as the primary antagonist for season two, his story ended abruptly early in the season. This was due to Raymond Cruz’s intense dislike for the character. Despite his iconic portrayal, Cruz found playing Tuco Salamanca emotionally exhausting and believed he couldn’t sustain the performance for an entire season.
In an interview, Cruz explained, “I begged them to kill me off. Honestly, I dreaded returning to the role. It’s incredibly demanding. They wanted me for eight more episodes, but I refused. I agreed to one final episode and insisted they end my character. They were shocked, saying, ‘We’ve never had an actor ask to be killed off.’ I replied, ‘You don’t get it. This role is grueling.’”
5. Josh Charles (Will Gardner)—The Good Wife
For five seasons, fans of The Good Wife cheered for Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and Will Gardner (Josh Charles), only to witness Gardner’s shocking death in a courtroom during the season five finale, shot by a disgruntled client.
This twist, however, wasn’t a result of the writers emulating George R.R. Martin’s style. The Good Wife centered on Alicia Florrick and her personal relationships rather than an ensemble cast, making character deaths rare. Will Gardner’s departure was solely due to Josh Charles choosing not to renew his contract.
Charles had been signing one-year contracts with CBS, renewing them four times. Eventually, he felt it was time to move on and explore new opportunities. Despite efforts by his co-star Julianna Margulies to change his mind, he remained firm in his decision.
Margulies shared in an Entertainment Weekly interview, “I called Josh and laid on the guilt thick. Knowing he was about to get married and start a family, I said, ‘Josh, think about it—15 episodes. That’s guaranteed income. Do you realize how costly raising a child in New York City is?’ I even brought up the baby angle, which was pretty shameless, honestly.”
4. Kal Penn (Dr. Lawrence Kutner)—House, MD
Dr. Lawrence Kutner made a significant impact during his two-season stint on House, M.D., serving as part of the diagnostic team aiding the unconventional yet genius Dr. Gregory House.
In a shocking turn of events, Dr. Kutner took his own life in the fifth season. Dr. House was convinced that Kutner’s suicide was illogical under the circumstances and suspected foul play, believing his talented colleague had been murdered. Kutner had never shown signs of depression or mental health issues, and his life seemed to be on an upward trajectory when he died by a self-inflicted gunshot. Despite House’s doubts, the death was officially ruled a suicide, as the gun was registered to Kutner and bore his fingerprints, with no evidence of external involvement.
House’s instincts were partially correct. Kutner’s suicide was abrupt and unforeseen, but it wasn’t the result of an in-show antagonist. The real reason was Kal Penn, the actor portraying Kutner, who requested his character’s death after securing a position on Barack Obama’s staff at the White House in 2009. To facilitate Penn’s transition from House, M.D. to his new role, Kutner’s storyline had to end abruptly.
3. Chyler Leigh (Lexie Grey)—Grey’s Anatomy
Chyler Leigh gained fame as Dr. Alexandra 'Lexie' Grey, the half-sister of Meredith Grey, the central character of Grey’s Anatomy.
Lexie Grey joined the staff at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, the fictional setting of Grey’s Anatomy, after discovering from her father that she had an older half-sister she never knew existed.
Initially, Meredith’s reluctance to connect discouraged Lexie’s hopes of forming a sisterly bond. However, over time, Meredith grew closer to her, and the two developed a strong relationship.
After five years on the medical drama, Lexie Grey met her tragic end in a plane crash alongside her on-again, off-again love interest, Mark Sloan. Though they struggled to stay together in life, their story concluded with a poignant reunion in death. In their memory, Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital was renamed Sloan Grey Memorial Hospital.
Leigh requested her character’s exit to prioritize spending more time with her family.
2. John Francis Daley (Dr. Lance Sweets)—Bones
Over six seasons on Bones, Dr. Sweets became a beloved character and a reliable source of humor. Initially introduced to counsel Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) and Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), he eventually won them over despite their early skepticism. His sudden death in Season 10 shocked fans, but it wasn’t driven by the storyline—it was due to actor John Francis Daley’s personal decision.
Daley wanted to transition from acting to directing. When he received an opportunity to direct National Lampoon’s Vacation, he felt killing off his character would provide a fitting conclusion. The showrunners agreed, leading to Dr. Sweets’ untimely demise.
1. Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley)—Downton Abbey
With a global audience exceeding 120 million, Downton Abbey is hailed as one of the most successful British television series ever. Despite its immense popularity, Dan Stevens chose to leave the show, fearing typecasting. His request to kill off Matthew Crawley left fans of the period drama heartbroken, as they had grown deeply attached to the character.
Matthew Crawley’s journey on the period drama concluded tragically in the third season finale when he died in a car accident, leaving fans devastated. However, Dan Stevens felt it was time to move on from the role, eager to explore new creative opportunities.
