On the November 5 episode of the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast, Taylor Momsen, who famously played the role of Jenny Humphrey on 'Gossip Girl,' opened up about why she left the show midway through its fourth season in 2010.
Momsen explained that she decided to leave after realizing her passion for music. At the time, she formed her rock band The Pretty Reckless. However, she recalled that it wasn’t easy to leave the show, as she was still bound by contractual obligations to continue her work with The CW and Warner Brothers.
Momsen also shared that she was called "ungrateful" for wanting to quit, but expressed that staying on the show instead of pursuing music was "killing" her.
Eventually, the singer managed to persuade 'Gossip Girl' creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage to write her character out of the show, which she says she's still thankful for.
Indeed, it's strange how devastated we feel when a beloved character gets removed from a TV show. We invest so much time in following their story, and suddenly they either relocate or meet an untimely demise in a random car accident! While there are some cases where actors were dismissed due to their misconduct, often it's their own decision to depart.
It's difficult to fathom why a star would walk away from a show at the pinnacle of its success, but it happens. In this gallery, let's explore the reasons behind why certain actors made that challenging choice. Click through to get started.