Chicago Med seems to be making headlines lately for behind-the-scenes changes, rather than events in the show itself. The medical drama recently changed showrunners, and Dominic Rains announced that he would he leaving ahead of season 10.
These changes have been so pronounced, in fact, that Jeff Bader, the President of Program Planning Strategy for NBCUniversal Entertainment, recently issued a statement reassuring fans that the One Chicago franchise is still going strong.
Platt, Merkerson and Barrett have been on Med since the pilot
This latest casting news supports Bader’s claim. According to Deadline, Chicago Med has renewed contracts for three of its most important and longest-tenured stars: Oliver Platt, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Marlyne Barrett.
The contracts for all three stars were up at the end of season 9, so locking them down for the future was a crucial move on the part of the network. Especially given the aforementioned departure of actors like Rains, as well Nick Gehlfuss and Brian Tee.
Platt, Merkerson and Barrett have all been a part of Chicago Med since day one. Platt and Merkerson, in particular, have served as elder statespeople within Gaffney Medical Center, and their friendship has become one of the crucial components of the show.
Platt and Merkerson’s characters are the backbone of the show
Merkerson reflected on this dynamic during a recent interview with Cinemablend. She chalked the bond between her character, Dr. Sharon Goodwin, and Platt’s, Dr. Daniel Charles, up to their real-life chemistry, as well as the decade they’ve spent working together:
“I think what we’ve shown in the past nine seasons is that these two characters have the utmost trust in one another and they have seen each other through over forty years of friendship and that means a lot.”
Marlyne Barrett, meanwhile, has had to contend with health issues offscreen. She was diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer in July 2023, but has continued to appear on the show in a full time capacity. In fact, Barrett said that playing Maggie Lockwood has helped her maintain a sense of normalcy amidst her health treatment.
We’re thrilled (and more than a little relieved) that all three stars are coming back.
