One of the main cast members of Chicago Med is officially leaving the series. New episodes of the series are set to air on NBC beginning Wednesday, Oct. 1.
TVLine confirmed the news that Marlyne Barrett, who plays ER nurse Maggie Lockwood in the NBC medical drama, is leaving the cast ahead of Season 11. The departure is reportedly ‘not permanent’, meaning she will have the potential to return in future seasons. Barrett has been a cast member of the series since it began back in 2015, appearing as one of the leads for all ten seasons to date.
It remains to be seen how Chicago Med will explain Maggie’s departure in upcoming episodes. In the previous season, the character was dealing with nursing union negotiations that helped drive the plot. This could be one way the series allows Barrett to depart the series while still giving her character the chance to return in the future.
News of Barrett’s departure follows shortly after an update that original Chicago Med star Nick Gehlfuss would be returning for Season 11. He will reprise his role as Dr. Will Halstead as a guest star in the new season. Two other original Chicago Med stars, S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt, are also confirmed to be returning for Season 11.
Chicago Med debuted on NBC in 2015, following emergency department doctors and nurses at the fictional Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. The series explores their daily mission to save lives – all while taking a close look at their personal and professional lives, too. The most recent season began airing in September 2024, and earlier this year the series was officially renewed for its eleventh season.
Since the very beginning, Chicago Med has been a top performer for NBC. The first season of the series averaged over 9 million viewers, a number that peaked at over 11 million in seasons four and five. The most recent seasons have also been able to draw in considerable numbers, averaging over 8 million.
Chicago Med is the Third Installment in Dick Wolf’s Chicago Franchise
When it debuted in 2015, Chicago Med became the third release in Dick Wolf’s popular One Chicago empire, which began with Chicago Fire in 2012. Each of the different series takes a similar look at the professional and private lives of those serving the city of Chicago, with the series often crossing over and sharing a universe.
Between Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med, the franchise maintains strong ratings for NBC and is one of the leaders in primetime viewers. A legal drama, Chicago Justice, also aired as part of One Chicago back in 2017, but it was canceled after one season.
