Nina Dobrev Left The Vampire Diaries
Nina Dobrev walked away from The Vampire Diaries after six seasons despite playing the show’s central character. She eventually returned for the finale, but otherwise stuck to her decision to move beyond Elena Gilbert.
Mischa Barton Left The O.C.
Marissa Cooper was one of The O.C.’s biggest characters when Mischa Barton left after Season 3. Her exit was decidedly permanent, and the series had to navigate its final season without one of the faces that had helped make it a phenomenon.
Shelley Long Left Cheers
Leaving one of television’s biggest comedies looked incredibly risky when Shelley Long departed Cheers after five seasons. She pursued film work instead, while the sitcom successfully reinvented itself and continued for another six years.
David Caruso Left NYPD Blue
David Caruso became one of television’s breakout stars when NYPD Blue premiered, then famously left early in its second season. His movie ambitions did not immediately work out, but he eventually landed another huge television hit with CSI: Miami.
Lauren Cohan Left The Walking Dead
Lauren Cohan stepped away from The Walking Dead during its ninth season while pursuing other opportunities. She eventually returned, but only after spending significant time away and later moved Maggie into the spinoff Dead City.
Rick Moranis Walked Away From Hollywood
Rick Moranis was everywhere in the 1980s and early 1990s, from Ghostbusters to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. After his wife died, he gradually stepped away from live-action acting to focus on raising his children, making one of Hollywood’s most famous exits from a thriving career.
