The Good Doctor Exit: OG Actor Leaves Show For a Surprising Reason
It's time to say goodbye to the character who has been with us from the beginning.
Summary:
- • Over the six seasons of The Good Doctor, the cast has changed frequently, but since the first season, three actors have remained, and one of them is Hill Harper.
- • Harper will not appear in the seventh season as he has decided to focus on his campaign for the US Senate.
6 seasons, 23 nominations, 6 wins, TV ratings ranging from 7 to 15 million viewers in the US alone. The Good Doctor is the brainchild of David Shore, the man behind the international hit House, M.D.
The series did not become a huge phenomenon, but it had very good ratings, which allowed it to last for six seasons.
Dr. Andrews Will Not Return For Season 7
Only three actors who's been on the show since season one – Freddie Highmore, Richard Schiff, and Hill Harper – remain after six seasons of frequent casting changes. However, fans are in for some sad news – only two OG actors will remain for the upcoming season. The actor who portrayed Dr. Marcus Andrews, Hill Harper, is leaving the project.
Dr. Andrews is a plastic surgeon and board member of St. Bonaventure Hospital. He was head of the plastic surgery department, but after Aaron Glassman was fired, he took over as chief of staff. He had a soft spot for Shaun Murphy and tried to keep him on the job, even when it was against the best interests of the hospital. For this he was fired and later hired as a regular therapist.
The Actor Decided to Focus On His Political Career
While many actors leave TV series because they are busy with other projects, Harper's reason for leaving is quite unusual for an actor – Hill decided to focus on his campaign for the US Senate. A spokesperson for Harper's campaign shared the following:
“Hill Harper feels strongly that there is a crisis in American democracy – too often, government only works for the rich and powerful while the rest of us struggle to find a voice. Hill is dedicating his efforts full time to fixing that.”
It's worth noting that Harper's exit was planned in advance, so viewers shouldn't worry that his character's departure would be gratuitous or out of character. Rumors that the actor would leave the project have been circulating since the sixth season, which is why Andrews was fired from his post in the final episode.
Source: TVLine