How NCIS’ Rocky Carroll Really Feels About His Shocking Exit

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This story contains spoilers from the March 24 episode of NCIS.

Rocky Carroll is unpacking his small screen sendoff.

As many of you know, I played Director Leon Vance on NCIS for quite a while – I first stepped into that role back in 2008! Recently, the show reached its 500th episode, and that also marked the end of Vance’s story. I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how that decision came about, so I wanted to share a little bit about how we decided it was time to say goodbye to the character I’ve loved playing for so long.

According to Carroll, everyone at the studio and network agreed the show was already well-known. Their goal wasn’t to make it popular, but to remind viewers why it’s been so successful for so long. They wanted to do something special for the 500th episode, and this idea is what they came up with, as Carroll told Variety on March 24.

The 62-year-old actor was initially worried about his character’s death, but he quickly accepted and understood the story’s important turn of events.

After reading the script, both as a creative and a director, I realized it was a genuinely great idea with a terrific story.

In a recent landmark episode, Vance was fatally shot by a dishonest agent, and then greeted in heaven by the late Ducky Mallard (played by Adam Campbell). Actor Gary Carroll, whose character met this fate, said it was one of the most fulfilling on-screen deaths an actor could ask for, given the episode’s focus on Vance.

I genuinely believe this was the perfect way to say goodbye to the character, and I’m not just saying that to support the team. As our executive producer, Steven D. Binder, envisioned, we wanted to create an episode that was both excellent and a fitting tribute to everything the character had been through and how much they meant to the show, and I think we succeeded.

The actor found a positive side to leaving the show, noting that staying with it for so long is a rare accomplishment in the acting world.

He jokingly pointed out that he’s been playing the same character on the show for 18 years, which is a long time in Hollywood. He explained that most acting careers don’t last that long, and being on a popular show for 18 seasons feels like achieving a very long life – around 105 years old.

Mark Harmon leaving NCIS isn’t the only big TV exit recently. Here are some other well-known stars who have left popular shows…

In a March 2026 episode, the show said farewell to Director Leon Vance, a character played by Rocky Carroll, after 18 years on the series. The emotional scene, which occurred during the show’s 500th episode, involved Vance being killed in a shootout with a dishonest agent. He was then shown arriving in heaven and greeted by Donald “Ducky” Mallard, played by Adam Campbell.

In 2025, Mehcad Brooks surprised viewers by announcing his departure from the NBC crime series before its 25th season.

Brooks, who joined the show in 2022, portrayed Detective Jalen Shaw for three seasons.

Jenna Lyons has confirmed she won’t be back for season 16 of The Real Housewives of New York City.

The rumors are true,” former J. Crew Creative Director Jenna Lyons posted on Instagram on November 21st. She explained that she was asked to join season 16 of The Real Housewives of New York City as a “friend of” the cast, and because she wasn’t comfortable sharing her personal life on camera, they agreed it was a suitable role.

The fashion icon, who started on the Bravo show in 2022 for its fourteenth season, realized she didn’t want to be just a supporting player.

Okay, so she just announced she’s leaving, and honestly, my heart is breaking, but I get it. She said she’s thought it over and it was a tough call, but she feels like she’d be the oldest, and the only openly gay woman, on the show. She wants to make room for something new to happen, a different energy. It’s bittersweet, but I respect her so much for wanting to create space for a fresh dynamic. I’m going to miss her terribly, but I’m also excited to see what happens next, even if it’s without her. She’s amazing.

After nine seasons, the A-list realtor is done selling mega-mansions on the Netflix reality show.

In a November social media post, Chrishell revealed she no longer needs the show for income. She explained she’s fortunate to have other work and that continuing with the show was negatively affecting her mental well-being.

Jax Taylor has confirmed he won’t be participating in season three of The Valley. This decision comes after viewers expressed concerns about his actions during the previous season.

In July 2025, the Bravo star, currently going through a difficult divorce with Brittany Cartwright, explained that his priorities are getting sober, improving his mental health, and being a good coparent. He believes taking time to focus on these things is essential for his personal growth and, most importantly, for the well-being of his son, Cruz.

Several cast members from Saturday Night Live recently announced they won’t be back for the show’s 51st season, with the news coming within a short period of time for each of them.

Longfellow and Walker each spent three seasons on SNL while Wakim exited after just one season.

Following the departures of Longfellow, Walker, and Wakim from Saturday Night Live, two more popular cast members, Gardner and Nwodim, announced they wouldn’t be back for the show’s 51st season. Gardner had been with the show for eight seasons, and Nwodim for seven.

Sofia Mattsson finished her role as Sasha Gilmore on the soap opera after seven years in the summer of 2025. Her character moved to Paris as part of the storyline.

Tracy Ifeachor, who starred in the popular HBO Max series The Pitt, decided not to return after its successful first season.

The actress shared on Instagram on July 10th how honored she was to play Dr. Heather Collins in what she called a truly innovative season of the show. She also thanked viewers for watching, supporting the first season, and sharing their personal experiences with her.

Even though fans likely expected Joel Miller, played by Pedro Pascal, to die – his fate in the show mirrored the events of April 2025 in the video game The Last of Us Part II – the way he died was still shocking. The second season of The Last of Us is based on this 2020 game, and the scene of his character being violently impaled was a surprise to many.

Pascal, known for dying in roles on shows like Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, wasn’t surprised by his character’s fate. He playfully told Entertainment Weekly, “I’m used to it – I actually enjoy dying on screen!”

Following what he called a “wild adventure,” Peter Krause finished his run as Captain Bobby Nash on the drama 9-1-1 in an episode airing in April 2025.

According to a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, the character Bobby Nash was intentionally created to make a powerful sacrifice, reflecting the bravery of real-life first responders. The show’s creator, Krause, explained that Bobby’s storyline is meant to honor those who risk their lives to save others.

As a storyteller, I understand tough decisions have to be made to keep things interesting. We definitely heard the reaction to losing a fan favorite firefighter – it was a big moment, as showrunner Tim Minear told Variety. But after eight seasons, we really felt like we needed to raise the stakes. To create stories that truly matter and feel urgent, someone had to face real consequences, and unfortunately, that meant saying goodbye to a beloved character.

Summer just got a little less fun.

As a huge fan, I was so surprised to hear that Paige DeSorbo is leaving Bravo after seven amazing seasons! She announced it back in June 2025, and I’m definitely going to miss her on the show.

It’s hard to believe, but you’ve been with me through seven amazing summers! I’m so thankful for all the fun memories, the incredible community we’ve built, and everything this journey with the Giggly Squad podcast has given me. But honestly, it feels like the right time to say goodbye to this chapter and move on. It’s been a wild ride, and I’ll always cherish it, but sometimes you just know when it’s time to close the book.

The popular Netflix show won’t have the French actress in its fifth season, which is set to come out in April 2025.

In an Instagram post on April 23rd, the actress announced she’s leaving Emily in Paris. She shared photos with her former co-stars and described her time on the show as a fantastic experience full of growth, creativity, and cherished memories.

Before the third season of The Sex Lives of College Girls begins, Reneé Rapp has announced she will no longer be part of the show.

She shared on social media in July 2023 that the show College Girls brought her to Los Angeles and connected her with many of her closest friends. She added that after two and a half years, it’s also given her a wonderful community of fans like you.

Mindy Kaling, a co-creator of the show, also confirmed that Reneé Rapp is leaving. She posted on Instagram that they’re sad to see Leighton Murray go, but excited to support Rapp’s upcoming music tour and career. Kaling expressed a lot of love for Rapp in her post.

I still can’t believe it! For over a year, we’ve all been hearing rumors that Kevin Costner just…left the show, after four and a half amazing seasons! But it’s official now – he confirmed in June 2024 he’s not coming back to finish the fifth and final season. It just breaks my heart! I mean, who is Yellowstone without Kevin Costner?!

In February 2023, Ellen Pompeo finished her run as Meredith Grey on the ABC drama after playing the character for 19 years.

Pompeo said on The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2022 that she needed to try new things. Even though she’s already been back for a guest appearance in May and continues to narrate the show, she explained she’s 53 and feels like her brain needs a challenge. ‘I can’t just do the same thing every day, like The New York Times crossword puzzle,’ she said.

But she’s not gone for good. Pompeo still pops in and out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Henry Cavill, known for playing Superman and starring in Batman vs. Superman, has announced he’s leaving the Netflix series The Witcher after its third season. Liam Hemsworth will take over the role of Geralt, starting with season four and likely continuing in future seasons.

In an October 2022 Instagram post, Henry Cavill announced that after playing Geralt of Rivia, he would be stepping down from his role for the fourth season of the show, putting aside his medallion and swords.

Jesse Lee Soffer, an original cast member, left the show in 2022 after playing Detective Jay Halstead for 10 seasons.

Everyone involved with the show has poured their heart and soul into making each week’s episode, and it’s been a rewarding experience,” said Jesse Soffer after his last appearance on the NBC show on October 5th. “I’m incredibly proud of my years playing Detective Jay Halstead.

After five seasons, Damian Lewis departed Showtime’s Billions in Oct. 2021.

In August 2021, Emily VanCamp left the TV show The Resident on Fox, marking the end of her role as a doctor on the series.

Madeleine Mantock, who played Macy on the CW’s Charmed reboot, decided to leave the show after three seasons. She announced her departure in 2021, calling the role a great opportunity and expressing her appreciation for the show’s producers, writers, and cast and crew, with whom she enjoyed working.

Elizabeth Keen will never learn the truth about Raymond Reddington. Megan Boone, who played Liz on NBC’s The Blacklist, decided to leave the show after eight seasons, and her character was killed off before she could read a crucial letter revealing everything. Boone announced the end of her time with the show in 2021, calling the experience “a dream” in an Instagram post.

The second season of Bridgerton didn’t include Rege-Jean Page, who became a fan favorite in the first season of the popular Netflix drama. His departure was announced in 2021, disappointing many viewers.

He told Vanity Fair that he simply did the work he’d agreed to, and then took on additional assignments. He admitted he wished there was a more exciting story behind it all.

Ruby Rose first appeared as Batwoman (Kate Kane) in a 2018 crossover event and then led the CW’s Batwoman series for one season. This was a historic moment, as she became the first openly lesbian superhero to star in her own show. However, she left the series just two days after the season one finale aired in 2020. In season two, Javicia Leslie took over the role, playing a new character named Ryan Wilder who becomes the new Batwoman.

Later on in season two, Kate got a bit of a face swap and returned played by Wallis Day.

America Ferrera left the show Superstore after its fifth season in 2020, which meant both a change for the characters at Cloud 9 and a loss for the series. Although the pandemic altered plans, she made a brief return for the first two episodes of season six. When season six was decided to be the show’s last, Ferrera came back one final time to give her character, Amy, and Jonah (Ben Feldman) a satisfying conclusion.

In the final episode of the fourth season of the Syfy show The Magicians, Jason Ralph’s character, Quentin, successfully rescued Eliot (played by Hale Appleman) but died in the process. Although the show regularly features character deaths—it is called The Magicians—Ralph did not reprise his role in the fifth and final season.

Ahead of the final season, Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards announced her exit in a poem of sorts.

Felicity and I are very close, but after completing grades one through seven, we’ll be leaving.

She did, however, return for a guest appearance in the show’s 2020 series finale.

Lauren Cohan initially left The Walking Dead in 2018 after difficult contract talks. While she appeared in a few episodes of season nine, her character, Maggie Greene, disappeared after a time jump of six years. The show’s creators wanted her to come back, and they were able to when her short-running ABC series, Whiskey Cavalier, was cancelled. Cohan returned in the 16th episode of season ten, which aired in October 2020.

Following Danai Gurira’s co-star Cohan and Andrew Lincoln’s departures from the show, Gurira also left the zombie drama. She joined the AMC series in its third season as the skilled swordswoman Michonne and appeared for the last time in an episode that aired in March 2020.

Oh my gosh, Nicollette Sheridan was Alexis Carrington! She was amazing in season one, and then she became a total series regular in season two – it just wasn’t Dynasty without her! I was so heartbroken when I heard she was leaving before season three in 2019. Apparently, she wanted to be with her mom, who wasn’t doing well, and honestly, family comes first, but it still felt like a huge loss for the show. She was Alexis, you know?

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2026-03-25 21:19