That 70s Show’s Fans Hated Laurie’s Recast, But There Was a Devastating Reason For That
The life of the fan-favorite actress had been a total nightmare since she left the sitcom.
That 70s Show is still considered one of the best US sitcoms because it accurately portrayed growing up in the Midwest in the 1970s. It was both a nostalgic adventure for adults and a quirky, fun history lesson for younger viewers.
With 200 episodes, That '70s Show didn't have a consistent run and the quality dropped off significantly in later seasons, but the earlier seasons are full of classic episodes.
One of the viewers’ favorite characters since the beginning was Laurie Forman, Eric's mean but pretty sister, who had been an integral part of the show for five full seasons.
Laurie was played by Lisa Robin Kelly, who began her Hollywood career with television shows such as Married... with Children, The X-Files, Charmed and the cult classic movie Jawbreaker.
However, in the sixth season, the role of Laurie suddenly went to another actress, Christina Moore. In the fifth season, her character marries Fez to help him avoid being deported. However, after the actress was replaced, the character leaves midway through season six and is never seen again.
Lisa herself later revealed that the reason for her departure was her out-of-control drinking, the cause of which was tragic — the actress suffered a miscarriage and subsequent depression.
Unfortunately, Kelly's career and life never returned to normal after leaving That '70s Show. In 2010, Kelly was arrested for driving under influence and was also charged with domestic violence. Shortly before she divorced her husband in 2013, Kelly was arrested for another DUI.
A few months later, the actress wanted to get her life and career back on track. Kelly decided to enter rehab, but tragically died in her sleep a few days later. Her death was later ruled an accidental overdose.
While Christina Moore did a really good job as Laurie, most fans agree that she didn't come close to Lisa's performance. To this day, when viewers recall That 70s Show, the first actress who comes to mind is Lisa Robin Kelly who left a bright imprint on sitcom history.