Why Zoe McLellan's Meredith Brody Left NCIS: New Orleans

NCIS: New Orleans ran for seven seasons on CBS and lost a couple of original cast members along the way, including Zoe McLellan as Special Agent Meredith "Merri" Brody. The action crime drama was the second spinoff in the NCIS franchise and the third show overall. As its title indicates, NCIS: New Orleans follows a Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) team in New Orleans, Louisiana, led by Scott Bakula's Supervisory Special Agent Dwayne Cassius Pride. McLellan's Brody was a part of that team, but she left following the season 2 finale. Sadly, CBS canceled NCIS: New Orleans after seven seasons.

The NCIS franchise's third spinoff, NCIS: Hawaii, premiered a few months after the NCIS: New Orleans series finale in 2021. McLellan was a part of the original cast of NCIS: New Orleans, which is what made her exit surprising. Bakula, McLellan, Lucas Black, CCH Pounder, and Rob Kerkovich were the only series regulars in season 1, and most of them stayed with the show until the very end (except for McLellan and Black, who left after season 6). Nevertheless, the NCIS: New Orleans season 3 premiere marked the first episode without Brody. The actress sadly never returned to the series.

NCIS: New Orleans Decided To Write Out Zoe McLellan's Meredith Brody

Zoe McLellan exiting NCIS: New Orleans going into season 3 was a creative decision made by the writers and producers (per TVLine). McLellan's character, Brody, became compromised during the season 2 finale because of her relationship with Homeland Security Agent John Russo. Russo was corrupt as he was a mole with anti-military and zealot tendencies. Unfortunately, Brody's affiliation with Russo left a black mark on her record, leading to her questioning herself and leaving the NCIS team in New Orleans. While the reasoning behind her departure seemed flimsy at best, Brody choosing to leave the team wasn't a shock.

By all accounts, McLellan seemingly didn't leave NCIS: New Orleans of her own volition. Instead, the actress had to depart from the NCIS TV show because her character's story was leading her away from the team. After McLellan's exit, the action crime drama cast Vanessa Ferlito as Special Agent Tammy Gregorio, Brody's replacement on Pride's NCIS: New Orleans​​​​​​ squad. While McLellan was a surprising exit for the series, NCIS: New Orleans went on to see several cast shifts throughout the show's run. Others left the show before its end, and its cast shuffling was a consistent issue throughout its run.

What Happened To Zoe McLellan After NCIS: Orleans

A little over a year after parting ways with NCIS: New Orleans in 2016, Zoe McLellan was cast as Kendra Daynes in Designated Survivor season 2. Sadly, McLellan's first series regular role after the CBS action crime drama only lasted for one season. The actress left Designated Survivor following season 2 as CBS canceled the show. Even though Netflix picked the political thriller up for a third season, McLellan didn't reprise her role as Kendra. Aside from Designated Survivor, McLellan landed recurring roles as Holly Cromwell in Suits and Dr. Fran Conway in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit​​​​​​.

Unfortunately, after Designated Survivor, McLellan's life took a sharp turn in a different direction when legal issues between herself and her ex-husband took over. The former NCIS: New Orleans star McLellan hasn't acted since 2019, but she has shared that after leaving Los Angeles with her young son in order to get away from her ex's abusive behavior, she has been keeping herself and her family safe by maintaining a low profile. Though she hasn't shared much about the court battle since 2020, it appears McLellan has moved on from the industry and stays focused on raising her young son.

Source: TVLine