Hollywood Actresses Who Were Fired Mid-Season From Hit Shows

The high-pressure environment of television production often leads to significant cast changes, even on the most successful series. While many actresses choose to leave their roles to pursue new opportunities, others are dismissed by networks and studios due to creative differences, personal conduct, or budget constraints. These sudden departures frequently occur mid-season, forcing writers to find creative ways to explain the absence of prominent characters. This list highlights several Hollywood actresses who were famously fired from hit shows during active production cycles.

Selma Blair

Selma Blair was a core cast member of the sitcom ‘Anger Management’ until her sudden departure in 2013. Reports indicated that a heated dispute with the show’s star, Charlie Sheen, led to her termination during the second season. Blair had reportedly complained about Sheen’s work ethic and punctuality, prompting him to issue an ultimatum to the producers regarding her employment. The studio subsequently fired her, and her character, Dr. Kate Wales, was written out of the show immediately.

Suzanne Somers

Suzanne Somers became a breakout star on the hit comedy ‘Three’s Company’ for her portrayal of Chrissy Snow. During the fifth season in 1980, she demanded a significant salary increase and a percentage of the show’s profits, leading to a massive standoff with the network. In response, ABC severely reduced her screen time to brief, isolated segments filmed on a separate stage from the rest of the cast. Her contract was ultimately terminated before the season concluded, and the show continued with a rotating cast of new characters.

Mackenzie Phillips

Mackenzie Phillips was twice fired from the long-running sitcom ‘One Day at a Time’ due to ongoing personal struggles. Her first termination occurred in 1980 during the fifth season after her substance abuse issues began to interfere with the daily production schedule. Although she was eventually allowed to return to the series in 1982, her issues resurfaced, leading to a final dismissal in 1983. The actress later admitted that her behavior had made it impossible for the writers to continue her character’s storyline in a meaningful way.

Nicollette Sheridan

Nicollette Sheridan portrayed the provocative Edie Britt on the ABC hit ‘Desperate Housewives’ for five seasons. In 2009, she was abruptly fired from the production, and her character was killed off mid-season in a dramatic car accident and electrocution. Sheridan later filed a high-profile lawsuit against the show’s creator, Marc Cherry, alleging wrongful termination and battery. The legal battle lasted for years, with the studio maintaining that the decision to remove her character was entirely a creative choice.

Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez joined the cast of ‘Lost’ during its second season as the tough survivor Ana Lucia Cortez. Her time on the series came to an abrupt end in 2006 when her character was fatally shot alongside another cast member. While producers claimed the death was pre-planned, many industry insiders linked the exit to her legal troubles in Hawaii during filming. Rodriguez had been arrested for a DUI shortly before the episode was produced, fueling widespread speculation that she had been fired.

Taylor Momsen

Taylor Momsen played Jenny Humphrey on the teen drama ‘Gossip Girl’ from its debut until her departure in the fourth season. Her role was progressively reduced due to her focused pursuit of a music career and reports of unreliable behavior on set. In 2010, the producers placed her on an indefinite hiatus, which effectively served as a mid-season termination from her regular role. Aside from a brief appearance in the series finale, she did not return to the show as a series regular.

Kim Delaney

Kim Delaney was cast as a lead in the first season of the procedural drama ‘CSI: Miami’ in 2002. After appearing in only ten episodes, she was fired from the series because producers felt her character lacked chemistry with lead actor David Caruso. The studio released a statement explaining that the character of Megan Donner was not working within the dynamic of the investigative team. Her departure was a significant surprise to viewers, as she had been featured prominently in the show’s early marketing campaigns.

Lisa Bonet

Lisa Bonet was a staple of ‘The Cosby Show’ until her relationship with the production soured during the late 1980s. After starring in the spin-off ‘A Different World’ and briefly returning to the parent series, she was fired in April 1991. Bill Cosby reportedly cited “creative differences” as the reason for her dismissal during the show’s seventh season. Bonet did not return for the eighth and final season, marking the end of her long tenure with the Huxtable family.

A. J. Cook

A.J. Cook was unexpectedly fired from the procedural hit ‘Criminal Minds’ at the beginning of its sixth season in 2010. The network cited creative and financial reasons for the decision, which sparked a massive backlash from the show’s dedicated fan base. Cook appeared in the first two episodes of the season to wrap up her character’s storyline before being written off. Due to an overwhelming public outcry and a petition signed by thousands of viewers, the studio eventually rehired her as a series regular the following season.

Paget Brewster

Paget Brewster portrayed Special Agent Emily Prentiss on ‘Criminal Minds’ until she was let go alongside co-star A.J. Cook in 2010. The decision was made by network executives as a cost-cutting measure and an attempt to refresh the cast dynamic during the sixth season. Brewster appeared in eighteen episodes of the season before her character staged her own death to go into hiding. Like her colleague, she was eventually invited back to the series due to intense fan demand and returned as a series regular for multiple subsequent seasons.

Brett Butler

Brett Butler was the lead actress and creative force behind the popular 1990s sitcom ‘Grace Under Fire’. Her tenure on the show was plagued by personal struggles and reports of a volatile working environment, which led to multiple production delays. In early 1998, during the filming of the fifth season, ABC officially fired Butler and halted production on the series entirely. The show was canceled immediately following her dismissal, leaving several episodes of the final season unaired.

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph was a principal cast member on the sitcom ‘Moesha’ for five seasons, playing the title character’s stepmother, Dee Mitchell. She was unexpectedly fired from the production in 2000, which resulted in her character being written off as moving to Jamaica for a new job. Ralph later stated that her dismissal was a result of a fractured relationship with the show’s producers and star Brandy Norwood. Her sudden absence shifted the show’s family dynamic and remained a point of contention among viewers until the series concluded.

Tell us which of these mid-season exits surprised you the most in the comments.