Chicago Med's Season 9 Cast Shake-Up Explained: Who's Leaving the Show?
Actors have been leaving the show in droves.
Dick Wolf's Chicago One franchise ranks among the most popular procedurals currently on the air, but even shows of this caliber have not been immune to WGA and SAG-AFTRA delays. As a result, all of them had to put off their new seasons until 2024. It seems that Chicago Med might be the most unfortunate among these shows, as not only was its production put on hold, but the series also lost a significant number of actors before the Season 9 premiere.
It's a well-known fact that many long-running shows tend to lose their key cast members over time, as actors lose interest in reprising the same roles time and time again, opting instead to explore other opportunities. But even given this context, Chicago Med's pre-season nine cast shakeup still comes across as one of the most drastic the industry has seen in recent years.
Actors Jumping Ship en Masse
Even before Season 8 came to an end, several key characters were written out of the show, as the actors playing them only agreed to participate in the season on condition that their characters would be given the closure they deserved. For instance, long-time favorite Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee) left the hospital to establish a mobile clinic with his wife, Dr. April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta).
However, they were not the only ones to abruptly exit the show, as Dr. Dylan Scott (Guy Lockard), Dr. Pamela Blake (Sarah Rafferty), and Dr. Vanessa Taylor (Asjha Cooper) all left before Season 9's premier.
Tee was not the sole original cast member to depart from the show in Season 8. The much-loved Nick Gehlfuss, who portrayed Dr. Will Halstead, also chose to move on after playing the same role for nearly a decade. The actor was simply exhausted, and continuing to work on Chicago Med for even one more season seemed like a bridge too far for him.
It should be said, though, that it's been confirmed that fan-favorite actors such as Oliver Platt, Marlyne Barrett, Dominic Rains, Steven Weber, and Sasha Roiz are all going to be returning for Season 9. This news brightens the show's prospects somewhat, as at least some familiar faces will remain in the cast.