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11 Actors Who Were Fired, Quit, Or Flat-Out Left Massively Popular TV Shows And Why They Ultimately Returned

Joseph Longo
·7-min read

Just because a beloved actor leaves a hit TV show doesn't mean they're gone forever. Here are 11 famous celebs who eventually returned to shows they once starred on, and the reasons for their comebacks are both deeply personal and truly fascinating:

1.Natasha Rothwell on The White Lotus

A person stands indoors, wearing a patterned jacket over a dark shirt, with a concerned expression
A person stands indoors, wearing a patterned jacket over a dark shirt, with a concerned expression

Natasha starred in Season 1 of The White Lotus as Belinda, the spa manager in Hawaii. She didn't appear in Season 2, but she was the first cast member announced for the third season, which is set in Thailand. Natasha told the Hollywood Reporter last year that her return was series creator Mike White's idea. He'd reached out to her while finishing Season 2.

Person in a floral blouse speaks with a thoughtful expression, wearing beaded bracelets and earrings
Person in a floral blouse speaks with a thoughtful expression, wearing beaded bracelets and earrings

"I told him I'd follow him anywhere, and I meant it. I didn't know where the shoot or the storyline were, it was just a yes," she said.

A person seated at a dining table, wearing a floral-patterned shirt, appears to be engaged in conversation
A person seated at a dining table, wearing a floral-patterned shirt, appears to be engaged in conversation

2.Steve Carell on The Office

A surprised man in an office setting, wearing a dark pinstripe suit and patterned tie, stands near a wooden door and a modern lamp
A surprised man in an office setting, wearing a dark pinstripe suit and patterned tie, stands near a wooden door and a modern lamp

Steve Carell starred in the first seven seasons of The Office, leaving the show ahead of Season 8 to pursue other career opportunities. He returned for a guest appearance in the series finale at the end of Season 9.

Person in a busy airport hallway, pointing, wearing a trench coat and suit; people are seated or walking in the background
Person in a busy airport hallway, pointing, wearing a trench coat and suit; people are seated or walking in the background

"It was time for other characters to step to the forefront and other storylines to be pursued. I think it was the right. The timing was right," he said on the Office Ladies podcast, hosted by his co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. In a separate episode of the podcast, Jenna said, "Steve was reluctant" to return for the finale, noting he felt his character's story "had really ended." However, he was convinced to return by series creator Greg Daniels.

A man in a suit stands indoors, looking contemplative, as if entering a room. Background shows chairs and a staircase
A man in a suit stands indoors, looking contemplative, as if entering a room. Background shows chairs and a staircase

3.Christopher Abbott on Girls

A person with a puzzled expression sits at a table, wearing a plaid shirt and cardigan, in a dimly lit room
A person with a puzzled expression sits at a table, wearing a plaid shirt and cardigan, in a dimly lit room

Christopher Abbott starred as Marnie (Allison Williams)'s college boyfriend, Charlie, in the first two seasons of Girls. He left the show because he couldn't relate to his character.

A man in a casual shirt speaks to a woman who is turned away, indoor setting
A man in a casual shirt speaks to a woman who is turned away, indoor setting

He returned for one episode in Season 5, where Charlie and Marnie run into each other and learn of the different directions their lives have taken. The idea for his return came from series creators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner. "It attacked the idea of, in New York especially, after years, people change. People go through weird shifts. It was fun to poke fun at that," Chris told Vanity Fair in 2019 of his return.

Person with short hair and beard wearing a denim jacket, standing outdoors, talking to another person with hair in a bun. Graffiti visible in background
Person with short hair and beard wearing a denim jacket, standing outdoors, talking to another person with hair in a bun. Graffiti visible in background

4.Damon Wayans Jr. on New Girl

A person sitting on a couch, wearing a sleeveless shirt with the number 38, gesturing with one hand, indoors
A person sitting on a couch, wearing a sleeveless shirt with the number 38, gesturing with one hand, indoors

Damon Wayans Jr. starred in the New Girl pilot but left the show before Season 1 aired because he was already committed to starring in another TV show, Happy Endings, which got picked up for a second season at ABC. When Happy Endings finished its three-season run, Damon returned to New Girl.

Person in a conversation, wearing a casual black shirt, background out of focus
Person in a conversation, wearing a casual black shirt, background out of focus

"There weren't as many rooms when they shot the pilot," Damond told the New York Times in 2013 of returning to New Girl. "It was weird not knowing where stuff was."

A man in a red sweater and a woman in a black dress converse with a third person on a rooftop, with a city skyline in the background
A man in a red sweater and a woman in a black dress converse with a third person on a rooftop, with a city skyline in the background

5.Patrick J. Adams on Suits

A person in a business suit standing in an office, looking to the side with a neutral expression
A person in a business suit standing in an office, looking to the side with a neutral expression

Patrick J. Adams starred in the first seven seasons of Suits but left to focus on his personal life. He appeared again in the show's ninth and final season.

Person in a suit sitting in a chair, appearing surprised, with decorative items in the background
Person in a suit sitting in a chair, appearing surprised, with decorative items in the background

"I was in a zone of living a pretty unexamined life, was pretty miserable, was pretty depressed, and I didn't have the tools to deal with that depression beyond just spending money and drinking too much, and not really knowing how to talk about it," Patrick said last of his departure while appearing on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's podcast. As for why he returned, he told Entertainment Tonight in 2019 that wanted to "do one last trip around the world."

Two men in suits are having a conversation in a modern office with a city view
Two men in suits are having a conversation in a modern office with a city view

6.Sarah Silverman on Saturday Night Live

Person with long hair in a black blazer speaking while seated at a desk
Person with long hair in a black blazer speaking while seated at a desk

Sarah Silverman starred on SNL for one season, from 1993 to 1994. Though she wasn't back for the next season, she returned to host an episode in 2014. She also participated in the show's 40th and 50th anniversaries. The latter occurred earlier this month.

Two women in school uniforms are standing indoors, one smiling with a backpack. Posters are visible in the background
Two women in school uniforms are standing indoors, one smiling with a backpack. Posters are visible in the background

"I don't think I was ahead of my time. I may have been, shortly after, when I kind of realized stuff, after I had failed that experience. I think coming out of that and going back into stand-up and just going back to square one was what really took me to where I was meant to be. But that experience was so important," Sarah told GQ in January of her year on the show.

A person stands on a stage with a band in the background, wearing a checkered suit jacket and a loosely tied necktie, gesturing expressively
A person stands on a stage with a band in the background, wearing a checkered suit jacket and a loosely tied necktie, gesturing expressively

7.Nina Dobrev on The Vampire Diaries

A person with long dark hair looks pensively at another person, who is out of focus in the foreground
A person with long dark hair looks pensively at another person, who is out of focus in the foreground

Nina Dobrev starred in the first six seasons of The Vampire Diaries before announcing she'd leave the show after her six-year contract expired. She went on to guest appear in the following and final two seasons, including the series finale.

Two women walking outdoors in a park, both wearing casual outfits with open jackets. They appear serious and focused, looking ahead
Two women walking outdoors in a park, both wearing casual outfits with open jackets. They appear serious and focused, looking ahead

"That was the plan from the get-go," she told Harper's Bazaar in 2017 of exiting after Season 6. "If anything, the fact that [leaving] terrified me drove me even more. I needed to feel that fear of 'Oh, my God, what if I never get a job again?' That just made me want to work five times as hard to make sure that didn't happen."

Person smiling broadly while running outdoors, wearing a checkered shirt
Person smiling broadly while running outdoors, wearing a checkered shirt

8.Robert Downey Jr. on Saturday Night Live

Two men sit at a news desk in suits, one wearing a bow tie. A world map is on the wall behind them
Two men sit at a news desk in suits, one wearing a bow tie. A world map is on the wall behind them

Robert Downey Jr. starred for one season on SNL from 1985 to 1986. A decade later, he returned to host in 1996.

Person playing an acoustic guitar outdoors on a porch, wearing a denim jacket and shirt
Person playing an acoustic guitar outdoors on a porch, wearing a denim jacket and shirt

"I learned so much in that year about what I wasn't. I was not somebody who was going to come up with a catchphrase. I was not somebody who was going to do impressions. I was somebody who was very ill-suited for rapid-fire sketch comedy," he said on Off Camera with Sam Jones in 2019.

Person in a dark suit and open-collar shirt speaking onstage with band in background
Person in a dark suit and open-collar shirt speaking onstage with band in background

9.Adam Sandler on Saturday Night Live

Person in a dramatic pose, wearing a dark cape with a white shirt, possibly performing or acting
Person in a dramatic pose, wearing a dark cape with a white shirt, possibly performing or acting

The comedian starred on SNL from 1990 to 1995 and became known for his parody songs and characters like Opera Man. However, he was fired alongside Chris Farley and several others in a cast overhaul, telling the Hollywood Reporter in 2022 that new people at the network didn't "like" either of them. There doesn't seem to be much bad blood as Adam has returned to the show several times, including as a host in 2019. He also appeared in the show's 25th, 40th, and 50th anniversaries.

Person in casual attire and backwards cap gestures animatedly inside a room. A fire extinguisher and a chart are visible on the wall behind them
Person in casual attire and backwards cap gestures animatedly inside a room. A fire extinguisher and a chart are visible on the wall behind them

In fact, during Sandler's host monologue in 2019, he directly addressed his firing live on air in a spoof song titled "I Was Fired."

Person on stage performing with a band in the background, wearing a casual jacket and pants
Person on stage performing with a band in the background, wearing a casual jacket and pants

10.T.R. Knight on Grey's Anatomy

Person in medical scrubs appears outdoors, looking pensively into the distance
Person in medical scrubs appears outdoors, looking pensively into the distance

T.R. Knight was part of the original Grey's Anatomy cast, starring in the first five seasons alongside Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Patrick Dempsey, and Katherine Heigl. After feeling his character's storyline had hit a wall, he exited the show. This also came following headline-making workplace struggles a few seasons prior. He returned for a guest appearance in a dream sequence in Season 17.

ABC / Via youtube.com
ABC / Via youtube.com

"[My husband and I] were talking about that idea of closure, and he was saying that sometimes closure's shutting a door, and sometimes it's revisiting a familiar room, and finding what brought you joy. And it just hit me," T.R. told Vanity Fair in 2020 of returning to the show.

Two people sit on rocky beach, gazing contentedly towards the ocean. One leans back, relaxed, while the other sits upright
Two people sit on rocky beach, gazing contentedly towards the ocean. One leans back, relaxed, while the other sits upright

11.Finally, Patrick Dempsey on Grey's Anatomy

A shirtless man stands in a room with books and a lamp in the background
A shirtless man stands in a room with books and a lamp in the background

Patrick was also an OG Grey's star and stuck around full-time through Season 11. In 2016, he told People he left the show because "there was a cost," including long hours and a major time commitment. "It had been long enough. It was time for me to move on with other things and other interests. I probably should have moved on a couple of years earlier. I stayed a bit longer than I should have," he said.

Man with crossed arms, wearing a dark sweater over a collared shirt, standing indoors with a thoughtful expression
Man with crossed arms, wearing a dark sweater over a collared shirt, standing indoors with a thoughtful expression

Like T.R., Patrick returned in a Season 17 dream scene. "I'm so grateful that I did it and happy that the fans really loved it," he told Variety in 2021.

A person stands by the ocean, wearing a light, casual shirt, with waves in the background
A person stands by the ocean, wearing a light, casual shirt, with waves in the background

Which of these actors' exits and returns surprised you the most? And who would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!

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