Lucas Black as Christopher LaSalle
Senior Special Agent Christopher LaSalle, played by Lucas Black, was one of the series’ leaders and appeared in more than 140 episodes of the spinoff NCIS: New Orleans. Fans soon came to love the former mascot of the University of Alabama and magna cum laude laureate, so it is understandable that they were startled to find that the character will be killed off in season six.
Click to the next slide to learn why Black made the decision to leave…
Why Lucas Black Left the Show
Black stated, “This program has been so nice to me throughout the years – surpassing my hopes and ambitions,” in an official video message released to the NCIS Twitter page. But it’s not simple for me to do this work; I have to put a lot of other responsibilities on hold in order for me to be here. But now is the time for me to concentrate on my life’s priorities. Although that was Black’s stated reason for leaving, some outlets hypothesized that he may have chosen to do so in order to devote more time to his parts in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Pictured is a scene from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
Jennifer Esposito as Alex Quinn
In season 14, Jennifer Esposito only appeared in 24 episodes as Alex Quinn. NCIS executive producer Gary Glasberg commented, “We couldn’t be happier to have Jennifer Esposito joining us for season 14.” We are excited for her to join our team since she “embodies all we hoped for in the character of Quinn.” Then, in a decision that shocked viewers considerably, she was dropped off the program in the 2017 season finale.
Why Jennifer Esposito Left the Show
After being diagnosed with celiac disease, rumors spread that Esposito had quit NCIS due to health issues. When she previously worked on the television series Blue Bloods, her role was cancelled after 46 episodes because the network said she could only manage a “restricted, part-time schedule.” Fans assumed this was because of her health, but Esposito later revealed to Dr. Drew that she quit the network because they required her to work more hours than she had agreed to in her contract. So, who is telling the truth?
Muse Watson as Mike Franks
Beginning in 2006, Muse Watson played Special Agent Mike Franks, once the mentor and colleague of Agent Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon), in a recurrent guest role. In the episode “Hiatus Part I,” Franks was first presented through flashbacks. Producers adored the character, but sadly, he was killed off the program around season 8. So why did they decide to fire him then, given that information? Was there any turmoil going on behind the scenes?
