Character Departure Quotes

I often talk with other actors about that time when you've just finished a job, because I think you do take on the characteristics of some of the characters you play. Sometimes it can be a great thing and sometimes it's a bit haunting because you're not quite sure how to leave it on set. My dad talks about it as being 'de-personalised.'

Dr. Larry and Viki are the only original characters left on the show.

I won't miss Grissom. It was a complete life for me that's reached its end, and it's reached it in the right way, I think. So I won't miss Grissom. And I hope that the audience won't miss him either.

I must say, I always - from experience, when I watch TV shows and I see characters leave without a proper explanation or leave with not enough time, I get irritated. I like it when there's a clean-cut reason or a defining moment where they have to go. Whether that's death or not, I think that's subjective.

With films, you get to develop a set of characters, and then, at the end of the film, you have to throw them away.

In the old days, when a star left a still-thriving hit show, they'd celebrate by killing him or her off. But 'The Office' dispatched Michael Scott in a crueler and more final way: they made him normal. Since we're talking about Michael Scott, 'normal' might be stretching it, obviously.

It worked well because Don Murray didn't want to be on Knots anymore.

You wouldn't want me to play Frost in a wheelchair, would you? 'Frost' is getting a little long in the tooth. I still enjoy doing it, and it's a great part, but I just think he's got to retire.

Getting out of a character is emotionally taxing. You get used to being a person on camera, and when you move on, the character remains with you for a long time.

It was hard saying goodbye to the character and harder saying goodbye to the actor. When rumours started going around that Rob Lowe might be leaving I got an email from Josh Malina asking if I'd be interested in an actor who was cheaper and not as good looking. I wrote back, "Always", and that was that.

We have a rule: if you're killing off a series regular, you have to tell them first. If you're killing off a person temporarily, you have to warn them before the script comes out.

I left it entirely in the hands of the 'Emmerdale' team and had no input into how Andy would leave. I put my full trust in them to come up with a way for him to leave that was fitting for the character.

I'm still mad at Josh Charles for dying on 'The Good Wife.'

We don't have a problem killing off characters on 'House of Cards.'

I think if you've held onto a character for several years and then you're getting rid of that character, it's going to be traumatic.

Alison Carr on 'Homeland.' She was such great character to play, so clever and full of surprises. I was sad to see her go.

Once the scene is over, I come out of it. I don't carry the character with me for long as many actors do.

There were two things going on: 1) I had already established in my own mind where I wanted to go with the next series, and having James around as a Grey Eminence would have complicated matters. He had had an amazing life and it was time to bid him good-bye.

I thought I had played Ted for the last time when he left Sacred Heart Hospital to be with the love of his life. But the producers of 'Cougar Town' had other ideas.

I never want to overstay my welcome for any character. I would rather people are excited by the ideas a character generates in them rather than feeling bored and wishing he would just go away.

With 'Sons of Anarchy,' I had to leave a couple of times - I got another show, and I had a baby - so they sent me off to rehab. If I hadn't left, they probably would've killed me off by now.

On the last day of every character I've ever played, I lay the clothes out on the floor with the shoes and socks, so that it looks like the character has literally vanished. That's the way you have to leave them.

I think the writers of 'Community' have moved on from my character. I'm pretty sure. I would love to go back on. I had a really good time and I really liked that character, but I don't think it's going to happen.

I don't think I'm going to be back on 'This Is Us.' I think that Uncle Ricky had his moment; he did what he had to do.

Reed Richards in 'Fantastic Four,' to me, was a huge character departure from, like, 'That Awkward Moment' or anything that I'd just done before that.