TV Series that Halted or Needed a Recast Due to an Actor’s Criminal Charges

Productions don’t exist in a vacuum. When a principal performer faces criminal charges, networks and studios sometimes pause schedules, re-edit episodes, or replace actors entirely to protect an ongoing show. That can mean shelving completed material, issuing public statements, and reworking storylines—often on tight deadlines with large casts and crews waiting for direction.

Below are notable TV series that either halted temporarily or moved forward with recasts after a cast member was charged with a crime. For each show, you’ll find straightforward details about what the series is, who makes and stars in it, and how the legal case affected production and casting.

‘Rick and Morty’ (2013–present)

‘Rick and Morty’ is Adult Swim’s animated sci-fi comedy from creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, following Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith across chaotic multiverse adventures with an ensemble including Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer, and Sarah Chalke. After felony domestic-violence charges against Roiland became public in 2023, Adult Swim ended its association with him and confirmed the series would continue with the lead roles recast.

Production proceeded under executive producer Dan Harmon and showrunner Scott Marder, with Season 7 introducing Ian Cardoni as Rick and Harry Belden as Morty. The rest of the voice cast and crew remained in place, and the series maintained its existing production pipeline while updating credits and ADR to reflect the new leads.

‘Solar Opposites’ (2020–present)

‘Solar Opposites’ is a Hulu animated sitcom co-created by Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan about a stranded Shlorpian family—Korvo, Terry, Yumyulack, and Jesse—voiced by Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, and Mary Mack, among others. After felony domestic-violence charges against Roiland surfaced in 2023, Hulu and the show’s producers cut ties with him and confirmed the series would continue.

Dan Stevens took over as Korvo beginning in Season 4, while McMahan and showrunner Josh Bycel continued to lead the writers’ room. Episodes were recorded and mixed with the updated casting, and promotional materials, credits, and press notes reflected the recast while the rest of the ensemble and crew returned.

‘Empire’ (2015–2020)

‘Empire’ is Fox’s music-industry drama created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson as the heads of the Lyon family, with Jussie Smollett portraying Jamal Lyon for five seasons. In 2019, after Smollett was arrested and charged in connection with filing a false police report, producers removed his character from the final two episodes of Season 5 as the show continued.

Fox later stated that Smollett would not return, and the writers structured Season 6 without Jamal, adjusting storylines around the remaining ensemble including Bryshere Y. Gray, Trai Byers, and Grace Byers. Daniels and Strong remained executive producers through the series finale, and production schedules proceeded with script revisions and edit adjustments tied to the cast change.

‘When Calls the Heart’ (2014–present)

‘When Calls the Heart’ is a Hallmark Channel period drama developed by Michael Landon Jr. from Janette Oke’s books, following teacher Elizabeth Thornton in a Canadian frontier town, led by Erin Krakow with a regular ensemble that originally included Lori Loughlin as Abigail Stanton. In 2019, after federal prosecutors charged Loughlin in the college-admissions case, Hallmark cut ties with her and pulled a scheduled episode, placing the series on a short hiatus.

Producers re-edited Season 6 to remove the character while keeping principal storylines for Krakow, Pascale Hutton, Kavan Smith, and others. Hallmark then set new air dates, renewed the show without Loughlin, and continued production in subsequent seasons with the existing crew and creative leadership.

‘Coronation Street’ (1960–present)

‘Coronation Street’ is ITV’s long-running Manchester-set soap opera with a large rotating ensemble and multiple producers across decades, featuring characters from the fictional Weatherfield community. In 2017, actor Bruno Langley, who played Todd Grimshaw, was charged with and later pleaded guilty to sexual assault, and his contract was terminated.

The production brought Todd back in 2020 with Gareth Pierce assuming the role, integrating the character into ongoing arcs with Eileen Grimshaw and other regulars. Filming and broadcast schedules continued, with scripts and credits updated to reflect the recast while the broader cast and crew carried on with established production blocks.

‘Idaten: Tokyo Olympics Story’ (2019)

‘Idaten’ is NHK’s year-long Taiga drama chronicling two eras of Japanese Olympic history, written by Kankurō Kudō and featuring an expansive cast of actors in period and contemporary settings. In 2019, actor Pierre Taki was arrested and charged under Japan’s Narcotics Control Law, prompting NHK to remove his appearance from broadcasts.

NHK recast the role with Hiroki Miyake and re-edited episodes to replace Taki’s scenes while maintaining the show’s planned run. The rest of the ensemble and production team continued on schedule, with updated credits and continuity edits to preserve narrative flow across the season.

Have another example I should add? Share your thoughts in the comments.