Originally from the United States, Jennifer Esposito now lives in Canada. The films Crash, Summer of Sam, Don’t Say a Word, Taxi, and Welcome to Collinwood made her a household name. The Looney Tunes Show, Spin City, Related, Samantha Who?, Blue Bloods, and Mistresses are just a few of the shows she has guest-starred in. She portrayed Special Agent Alexandra Quinn in the CBS drama NCIS for two seasons (2016–17). The 2019 film Mob Town featured her in a leading role with David Arquette. In the Amazon series The Boys, she has also portrayed Susan Raynor, the CIA’s deputy director.
Why Did Jennifer Esposito Leave ‘NCIS’?
Deadline announced in June 2017 that Jennifer would leave NCIS after only one season. The New Yorker said she “could not have wished for a greater opportunity than to work with the NCIS cast and producers,” calling the encounter a “wonderful experience.” According to Deadline, the producer decided Jennifer should leave because of the show’s “new creative direction” for Season 2.
Fans, understandably, were perplexed by Jennifer’s departure and worried that she was ill. For those who may have forgotten, Jennifer quit Blue Bloods in 2012 after suffering a collapse on set attributable to celiac disease. Jennifer and CBS had a massive disagreement since doctors had told her to reduce her workload. She was eventually placed on leave but never came back. Thankfully, the 49-year-old actress explained her departure from NCIS.
The star of “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens” tweeted, “No, I am not ill,” followed by a smiley face emoji. “Nonetheless, I value your concern very much. I knew my time there would be brief, but I enjoyed every minute. Amazing new friends were made by [me]! Warm regards to everyone.”
Jennifer Has Been Candid About Her Dissatisfaction With The Industry
Jennifer told PowerWomenTV in June 2019 that she has “never felt entirely at home as an actress” and hasn’t liked her work. She continued, “The industry was just not something I loved,” even though she adored performing. Jennifer said that people in the entertainment world are too focused on themselves and their appearances rather than their actual abilities. She went on to say, “Really, I don’t have time for that nonsense. I thought this would be a creative field, but it is not. You’re being paid to repeat someone else’s thoughts, leaving me extremely empty.”
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star said, “Certain roles were genius, and you got to get in there and act and figure things out,” but “most unless you become that top tier of an actress.” Jennifer left NCIS about three years ago, but she seems to have found success in the entertainment world thanks to the jobs she’s won since then, including a recurring role as Susan Raynor on The Boys. She plays a part in the upcoming Ray Romano comedy film Somewhere in Queens and currently stars as Brenda in Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.
Did The New NCIS Showrunners Just Not Like Quinn?
Despite Esposito’s best attempts, speculation has persisted about the reason for her departure from NCIS, with some attributing it to the untimely passing of showrunner Gary Glasberg on September 28, 2016. (the day after the second episode of season 14 aired). The following November, NCIS elevated two veteran writers, Frank Cardea and George Schenck, who had been with the show since its inception, to fill the shoes of Glasberg. The character of Quinn, developed by Glasberg to assist replace the void caused by the loss of Special Agent Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo actor Michael Weatherly, was reportedly not well-liked by the new showrunners.
The actor who plays Dr. Jimmy Palmer, Brian Dietzen, has said that Glasberg had planned out the season’s plot before he passed away. In the final episode, Quinn takes two mystery phone calls, suggesting that her mother’s Alzheimer’s has progressed, indicating that he had an arc in mind for her that was intended to run beyond season 14.
In an interview between seasons 14 and 15, Cardea and Schenck were coy when asked about the suggestions. Cardea added that Quinn’s mom “is going to consume a little of her time” and that one of the show’s selling points is that “we’ll drop a tiny nugget, maybe not get back to it for a dozen episodes or so, then you’ll find out why we did that.” Nonetheless, Quinn’s departure was never addressed in the episode.
This suggests that, contrary to what Esposito has claimed, Cardea and Schenck intended to feature her in subsequent seasons, but that plan fell through for whatever reason. This appears to be yet another hidden fact about NCIS. Thankfully, the mystery is a genre that appeals to NCIS viewers.
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