Stars Who Got Out of their Million-Dollar Contracts Early

Left: Star Wars
Reason: Worried About Typecasting
Est. Salary Loss: $20 million*

Harrison Ford was one of the best things about the Star Wars franchise, and he reportedly wanted out because he was worried that his role as Han Solo would lead to him being “typecast.” He was concerned that he would only ever be offered “tough guy, action hero” roles.

Harrison Ford Star Wars @vanityfair / Twitter.com

His Indiana Jones parts showed that he abandoned his fear of typecasting, and he did return to the franchise briefly. He pitched the idea of a guest appearance as Han Solo in The Rise of Skywalker, but he did so only with the promise of not being listed in the credits or previews, making his appearance a total surprise.

Ford has left Star Wars to become one of Hollywood’s biggest icons, starring in hits like Blade Runner. It could’ve gone a different way for Harrison, but the force clearly stayed with him long after he exited the franchise, making him millions.

Left: Grey’s Anatomy
Reason: Wanted to Focus on His Family/Racing
Est. Salary Loss: $400,000 per episode*

Patrick Dempsey talked about his request to leave Grey’s Anatomy in a 2019 interview with People Magazine. Dempsey became famous for his role as the hunky Derek on the show. He reportedly asked to leave because he wanted to focus on his family, as well as his auto-racing career.

Patrick Dempsey Grey's Anatomy @yanisherrr / Twitter.com

Dempsey told People that he “probably should have moved on” a few seasons earlier. He said that there were no hard feelings between him and show creator Shonda Rhimes, and he called the decision “amicable.” Dempsey described his departure from Grey’s as merely the “end of a chapter” in his life.

As for Dempsey’s character, fans were sad to see him go at a point when Derek and Meredith finally seemed happy. Derek’s exit did open up the storyline for more drama though, and that’s what the show is all about.

Left: NCIS
Reason: The Work Was Too Hard
Est. Salary Loss: $100,000 per episode*

Sasha Alexander (who played Caitlin Todd on NCIS) left NCIS for much the same reason that Ruby Rose departed the Batwoman series: the work was too taxing. Producers later recalled how Alexander simply explained that the workload for NCIS was too physically and mentally demanding for her to continue.

Sasha Alexander NCIS @amateursIeuth / Twitter.com

Alexander was written off the show. The official explanation that the network gave for her character’s departure was that she was released from her contract in order to “pursue other opportunities.” In an interview with TV Guide, Alexander affirmed that she had no regrets about leaving the series. 

Kissing goodbye to $100,000 an episode doesn’t seem like an easy thing to do, so Alexander really must’ve had a terrible time on the series. Luckily for fans, her work was still impeccable so viewers could never have guessed she was having such a tricky time.

Left: The Office
Reason: NBC Didn’t Renew His Contract
Est. Salary Loss: $175,000 per episode*

Fans of The Office were devastated when Michael Scott, played by Steve Carrell, left the show, leaving a huge void that led to declining ratings and the show’s cancelation after season nine. Carrell left the show in season seven, and, at the time, it was thought that he left so he could focus on his film career.

Steve Carrell The Office @dreamspay747 / Twitter.com

However, a new book, released in the spring of 2020, reveals that that wasn’t the reason. Apparently, his contract was up with NBC. He wanted a raise, and NBC said no, refusing to renew his contract. At the time, NBC thought the show would survive without Michael Scott, but it ended up losing massive amounts of viewers.

It’s difficult to believe how NBC thought the show would continue to thrive without its main attraction. Although the rest of the cast were undeniably funny, Carrell brought a special kind of magic to The Office that can’t be denied. At least we got 7 seasons with him.

Left: Star Trek
Reason: He Lost Interest, Wanted to Pursue Other Projects
Est. Salary Loss: $2.5 million per franchise movie*

William Shatner recently spoke about Leonard Nimoy’s departure from the acclaimed NBC series Star Trek. Nimoy personally oversaw his concluding arc as Dr. Spock and directed his own death scene in Wrath of Khan. But at the time, none of Nimoy’s castmates knew he was planning to leave the franchise for good.

Leonard Nimoy STAR TREK @ScreenwriterM / Twitter.com

Nicholas Meyer, the director of the Comcast NBC series and one of the few people who knew of Nimoy’s decision (in addition to Harve Bennett), said that the reason Nimoy left was that he was “ambivalent” about the role and was looking to move on. There are no hard feelings, however, and Shatner said that their relationship was “all great.”

It was a sad day for Trekkies everywhere when Spock exited the show, but the legacy of the character lives on in the numerous other spin-off shows and movies. Nimoy may have gone, but Spock never truly left. The character was far too powerful for that.

Left: Bones
Reason: New Project (Directing His Own Screenplay)
Est. Salary Loss: $30,000-$40,000 per episode*

John Francis Daley played the role of Lance Sweets for seven years on the acclaimed crime drama Bones. The season ten opener of the show came out with a bang, as Sweets was on the verge of having a kid with his girlfriend, Daisy, when he was killed. He’d gotten too involved in the FBI conspiracy.

John Francis Daley Bones @_gray_girl/Twitter.com

Fans were saddened by Daley’s departure from the Fox series, but what they might not know is that Daley asked to be written off the show. Daley is a successful comedy writer (he wrote Horrible Bosses, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, and more), and he wanted to be freed up to direct one of his own screenplays. 

That seems like as good a reason as any to kiss goodbye to a lucrative part. Daley is worth an estimated $3 million, but his fortune is likely to grow if he keeps churning out hit movies. That doesn’t mean we miss Sweets any less, though.

Left: Law & Order: SVU
Reason: Contract Negotiations Fell Through
Est. Salary Loss: $400,000 per episode*

Elliott Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni, was abruptly written off of Law & Order: SVU when his character met a sudden and grisly demise. But the behind-the-scenes explanation for the on-screen drama stemmed from simple contract negotiations that failed to conclude.

Christopher Meloni Law & Order: SVU @JarettSays / Tiwtter.com

Meloni began negotiating for a higher salary at the beginning of season twelve, but the network wasn’t willing to meet him where he wanted. So, Meloni’s character was written off during the finale instead. But rejoice, Law & Order fans: Stabler did eventually make his return to the franchise!

Salary can be a point of contention in major shows that often lead to tense talks and threats of leaving. In this case, Meloni called the network’s bluff and decided to exit when he didn’t get the contract he wanted. We’re just glad he’s back.

Left: Grey’s Anatomy
Reason: Wanted to Diversify His Acting Roles
Est. Salary Loss: $125,000 per episode*

Another Grey’s Anatomy departure was that of Justin Chambers, who was on the show for fifteen years. His exit came in early 2020, and Chambers said that there was “no good time” to leave, and he felt that Grey’s Anatomy had “defined [his] life” for the better part of two decades.

Justin Chambers - Grey’s Anatomy @SerieouslyFR/Twitter

Reportedly, Chambers left because he wanted to diversify his acting roles. He wanted new parts that didn’t revolve around medical drama. A representative for the network, ABC, told CNN about his departure in January of 2020. Fans were sad to see him go, and his last appearance was on the episode “My Shot,” which aired in November of 2019.

Alex Karev had been at the heart of some huge storylines and was one of the only remaining original characters left. Fans were rightly nostalgic to see him exit, but 15 years is a long time to be tied into any project.

Left: Roseanne
Reason: Left for College
Est. Salary Loss: $250,000 per episode*

There were a lot of different Beckys on Roseanne, but Lecy Goranson was the first (and, according to many fans, the favorite). Lecy left her role as Becky Conner at the end of the fourth season so that she could attend Vassar College as a full-time student. However, she wasn’t gone for good.

Lecy Goranson Roseanne @princennamdii / Twitter.com

Goranson returned for the final season before leaving again. Roseanne did get a reboot, to which Lecy was attached, but that was cut short following the departure of original creator (and star) Roseanne Barr.

Left: NYPD Blue
Reason: Money Disputes/Desire to Act in Movies
Est. Salary Loss: $1.05 million per episode*

NYPD Blue was a groundbreaking cop show. It was praised for its grittiness and realness, and it was also somewhat controversial for its depictions of alcoholism and nudity. David Caruso won a Golden Globe in 1994 for his role on the edgy show.

David Caruso NYPD Blue @MargaretY1234 / Twitter.com

However, despite this accolade, Caruso did not stick around. He left after season two’s fourth episode for two main reasons. First, he left because he wanted a higher salary and the network said no. Second, he left because he wanted to start a movie career. All of this was detailed in Steven Bochco’s new memoir.

Left: The Vampire Diaries
Reason: Felt the Character Had Run Her Course
Est. Salary Loss: $40,000 per episode*

Nina Dobrev left Vampire Diaries after the sixth season’s finale. Many fans jumped on the assumption that she left because of her breakup with co-star Ian Somerhalder, who was Damon on the show. Turns out, that rumor was incorrect, as the two are still good friends and wouldn’t have objected to working together longer.

Nina Dobrev The Vampire Diaries @SoundOfSeries / Twitter.com

The real reason Dobrev left was that she “knew” she wanted her character to only have a “six-season adventure” and no longer. She felt as though Elena, her character, had completed her journey on the show, and she wanted to go out on top.

Left: Cheers
Reason: To Try Movie Acting, Didn’t Like Frasier
Est. Salary Loss: $300,000 per episode*

Shelley Long left Cheers on December 15, 1986. Apparently, she decided that her character, Diane, had run its course. She and Ted Danson, her co-star, had done “really terrific work” together on the show, according to Long, but she wanted to move on to try her hand at movie acting.

Shelley Long Cheers @OldSchool80s / Twitter.com

The final episode of Cheers with Long in it aired on May 7, 1987. Though Danson signed on for another season (through 1988), Long departed. Another reason was, according to Kelsey Grammer, her co-star, her dislike of the character Frasier and anger that he was made a regular. She tried to get many of his funny one-liners cut from the script. 

Left: Charlie’s Angels
Reason: Unhappy with Her On-Screen Portrayal
Est. Salary Loss: $40,000 per episode*

Farrah Fawcett became a superstar from her performance in Charlie’s Angels, and she especially was a fan favorite. Her famous swimsuit poster from 1976 led to her receiving the most fan mail out of the Angels, as well as the most media coverage. She also gained critical acclaim for her role.

Farrah Fawcett Charlie’s Angels @Jeannie Crockett / Pinterest.com

However, Fawcett later admitted that she left the show because she was unhappy with how the show portrayed her, as well as the other Angels, to audiences. She left after just one season, with her last appearance taking place in May of 1977.

Left: The Batman Franchise
Reason: Felt loyalty to Previous Director
Est. Salary Loss: $6 million per movie*

Michael Keaton is many peoples’ favorite Batman (tied with Christian Bale), and his iconic portrayal of the dark superhero in Batman Returns gained him critical acclaim. But Keaton hung up the Bat cape after director Tim Burton was replaced for the third film, Batman Forever.

@Aardwolf/@Tumblr.com

Director Joel Schumacher then stepped in to continue the Batman franchise. Out of loyalty to Burton’s original inception of the Bat, Keaton decided to give the part to another actor – and thus Val Kilmer memorable stepped in to answer the Bat signal.