Princeton-Plainsboro is undergoing another major shake-up: Sources confirm to me exclusively that Jennifer Morrison is leaving House.
Neither Fox nor Morrison’s reps would comment, but I’m told the actress did not quit; her exit was a creative decision on the part of producers. Morrison — the first of the show’s original cast members to depart — shot her last scene earlier this week and her final episode will air in November.
Suspicions about Morrison’s House future were raised last week when she was MIA at the show’s premiere screening in Hollywood.
Here’s what else I’m hearing about this surprising and, I’ll say it, disappointing, turn of events.
* Unlike Kal Penn’s dearly-departed Kutner, Cameron will not be killed off.
* Morrison’s on-screen husband, Jesse Spencer (Chase), is not leaving the show. (Do the math and you can probably figure out how she’ll be written out.)
* Producers are leaving the door open for Morrison to make a guest appearance later in the season.
The last point will prove little comfort to Cameron fans, especially since this was the season Morrison’s nearly three-year stint on the backburner was supposed to end. In fact, just last month series creator David Shore told me (video below), “Chase and Cameron fans will be happy with the way we’re going to reintegrate them into the team — at least on a temporary basis.” (That temporary qualifier should’ve been a clue.) Even Morrison recently admitted it was “great” being front-and-center again. “I have been working a lot,” she told us, “and there are things that happen to House very early in the season that have a domino effect on all of the other characters.”
Okay, House fans, I imagine you have some strong opinions about all of this, so start expressing them in the comments. I’ll start: This kind of sucks. Okay, your turn.
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Photo Credit: Michael Yarish/Fox
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Yup, I agree! Totally sucks! Always does for me when an original cast member leaves a favourite show (except in the case of Jorja Fox)
LMAO. i don’t like cameron but i don’t want her to leave… because she contributed to the whole show’s dynamic. jorja fox on the other hand… didn’t mind that she left… minded when she came back. hah
FYI, Jorja Fox is technically not an original castmember of CSI. She did not join the show until a few episodes in.
That’s splitting hairs at best. She didn’t appear in the original (and seriously weird, looking back) pilot, but was cast before the show even began airing and started full-time in episode 2. Cast members are replaced from the original pilots all the time, CSI was just a rare case of one they didn’t bother to re-shoot. You don’t have to like the character or the actress, but it’s not like she stumbled in halfway through the first season.
Yeah, the end of the second episode. Big whoop.
So glad Cameron’s gone, so sad 13 is still there.
Still not watching until she leaves too.
Original cast doesn’t mean they have to be in the first scene in the first second of the very first episode. She came in early on in the second episode into a part that the writers had planned from the beginning. They just needed the murder from the first episode to set the stage for her arival. She’s definately original cast. That being said…I’ll be honest and admit that I wasn’t all that upset when she left.
Ummm Jorja Fox was in CSI since episode one (not the pilot) and was casted right before the pilot episode filmed but wasn’t in it b/c of an injury from her last days on “the West Wing”. BTW love Cameron
Heard somewhere apparently from one of the TPTB in House, big fat nasty rumor. dont panic.
Confirmed by Katie Jacobs. It’s definitely true.
Stupid, stupid producers. I’m still not going to like either Thirteen or Huddy.
I’ll be gone.
jorja fox. was awesome on CSI i cried when i saw her go. and when she came back i was the happiest person in the world.
That’s crazy! I miss her being integral in the show! Such a shame.
WHAT?!
It definitely sucks! Wonder where she’s going and if she really returns…
Since she hasn’t had much of a role on the show for the past two years, I really won’t miss her too much as I have grown used to her 2 minutes of screen-time each week. I guess this means 13 will still be around until her disease takes her down. Boo to that!
That was my thought too – damnit, we’re stuck with 13. Boo.
I thought the same thing. Cameron isn’t my favorite, but 13 is by far my least favorite.
What up with all the hating on 13? Love Olivia Wilde and hope she is around for a long time!
what’s wrong with 13?? i love 13. i like cameron too. gonna miss her! house is the best show ever!
Its not that people don’t like Olivia Wilde, I think, so as not like the portrayal of 13. I am personally sad to see Cameron go. Still, Chase was my fave on original team, and still is my fave. It think I will the Cameron/Chase dynamic more then her actual presence. I mean, she was barely there in the past few seasons so it would be kinda hard to really miss her.
I liked her early character, but she was pretty absent last year.
I miss Kal Penn and I don’t like 13! If Spencer or Robert Sean Leonard leave the show I fear it will go down the tubes!
I feel REALLY bad for JM and Chameron fans
Why??? After Jesse and Jennifer broke up IRL it was downright painful to see the two of them interact. For actors, they did not hide the underlying tension very well.
So don’t feel sorry for Chameron fans. Just hope that Jennifer gets a new gig that’s awesome and more suited to her talent.
Agree. Use of Cameron was sporadic anyway. I’d like her to get a new juicy (good) role. But wonder how much is related to her stint as Kirk’s mom. More movie roles?
Agreed. Frankly, I was shocked Chameron went as far as it did with J/J breaking up IRL. Also, with Chase being the weak-willed character that he is, I would imagine he’s more fun to play with (from a writer’s POV). Cameron proved to be too one-dimensional. Sorry for Jennifer…not so sorry for Cameron.
I agree. Cameron had very little to do last season. And, after the breakup IRL with Chase I thought it very crass that they were kept together for the series. I imagine it had to be very akward for them even they both said they got along fine.
The words “this” and “blows” come to mind.
YAY!
BOO!
Third time must be a charm. Really! how many times does she have to quit to actually be gone for good?
“This kind of sucks” – Major understatement.
One more things: I saw the season six RV promo pics and thought: “Yay! They’re actually working out a way for everyone to be on.” Now this? Major… major… major disappointment.
I agree! Cameron leaving is a MAJOR MISTAKE on the part of the powers that be over at HOUSE. Big, mistake, big….SOOOO NOT HAPPY!!
NOOOOOOOO.
“This sucks” is an understatement. I’ve loved Cameron since the beginning – she’s my favorite! (Outside of the titular character, duh.)
Cameron was my favorite too. (Behind House himself obviously.) If 13 and a House-Cuddy romance is the outlook for this season, well, it’s been fun but I’m outta here.
I agree, I loved Cameron and will be a little less happy about the show’s new direction.
This will be good for Morrison. Fresh off her stint in movies (saw here in Star Trek and something else in the same week!), and then her hot photo shoots, she should be able to make the transition to movies if she likes at this juncture.
I agree that probably factored into the decision. Our loss will likely be her gain. She’s lovely and talented and is “on the rise.”
Also, by annoucing this as a creative decision, she doesn’t get hit with backlash about leaving a sucessful show (a la Caruso and Shelly Long). But she probably wanted out. She’s way too promising for such limited screen time for so many years.
That’s what irks me though: they seemed to have found a way to rectify the limited screen time issue. Hmmm… Not cool.
WOW. I did NOT expect this! I wasn’t a huge Cameron fangirl but WOW. I am speechless! I’m like WTF, with a hint of a smile xD
geez, couldn’t they have gotten rid of Chase instead? It’s not like the show is female-heavy.
Too bad.
You’re right. Normally I do care when there’s too much males on a show. But in House I actually like it! I am sure they’ll bring another woman in..
I feel like GLE1979, it’s not a good news but not a devastating one either.
THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!! God I hope this isn’t true… she has so many fans…. I will stop watching house if this is true.. and I know there r a lot of fans outhere with the same opinion…. If u kick her out it will ruin the show!!!!!!! totally….. DON’T DO IT!!!!!
Tottally agree…..i probably will not be watching this show anymore. Actually its a DEFINITE NO! No more House for Me. Unless she comes back. I am a true JM fan and only watched House for her!
House + JM = GREAT
House – JM = Sucks A**!!!!Real Bad!
that does suck. i like cameron more than chase. shouldve gotten rid of him instead… >:(
OMG! First they give us this awesomely amazing premiere and you think, they’re back on their A game and then they do this! Sorry but bad move guys. As much as I love the show I think losing Jennifer as Cameron is a mistake.
Well said!
Good riddance! She was starting to really grate on me and it was always awkward watching her and Jesse together knowing their personal history. I guess the producers are on Team Spencer. Ha!
LOL IKR?
Unlike everyone else that will probably cry foul, I don’t really mind. I like the character but she isn’t a favorite of mine. And I don’t hate thirteen and taub and wish they were leaving instead. I’ll have a better opinion of her character’s departure once the episode airs. If they handle it correctly then I’ll be fine with it, but if it’s kind of a throw away exit just to get the character out of the way, I may not like it.
I, for one, will not miss her. Good riddance.
I’ll stop watching the show, definettly.
Whaaaaaaaaat? :\
No, no, no. This is wrong. Absurd. I want Cameron and Chase together
Fans know it! She didn’t attend to the premiere and went to ALMA awards and at last PADRES CONTRA CANCER she was not as usual!!!
to authors:
you couldn’t do a bigger mistake.
Hameron and Cameron helped to build the show.
Go on without a godd actress and all her fans!!!
bye bye!
Seriously? We lose Cameron but are still stuck with 13? And I was so excited about the new season …
Amen! it’s CSI all over again.
THIS. I’ll take Jennifer Morrison & her acting chops and the character of Cameron over Olivia Wilde & her wooden acting and her gimmicky character of Thirteen anyday.
Olivia Wilde is certainly wooden, but so is Jennifer. Just because Jennifer was there first doesn’t make her the better actor – they were both awful.
I agree Lynn. I’m not fond of either character, mostly because they’re so very, very flat. If both Thirteen -and- Cameron left, I wouldn’t bat an eye.
Agree, JM and OW are terrible actress. Sorry for her fans but a show like this needs very talented actors and JM is not.
Morrison couldn’t act her way out of a paper sack. However, to give the devil her due, none of the female actors are anything to write home about. All are either written as stiff, one-dimensional characters or are certainly played that way. (I know, I know. I’ll probably be tar and feathered by the ‘Cuddy’ fans but I include her in this.)
boo hiss! it should be 13 that goes!
I’m not a big Cameron fan at all, but I was enjoying her relationship with Chase. I can only imagine all the Thirteen backlash this will cause…
I know, right? That’s exactly what I was thinking re: 13.
The timing is so bizarre! Just when season six launches to huge ratings and a married Chase and Cameron are supposed to be getting more airtime! If the decision is Jennifer Morrison’s, so be it. She’s hardly been in the show for the past couple of years. However, if the producers took the decision to axe the character – it’s a mistake. Especially when *they know* Olivia Wilde’s boring Thirteen is disliked by the majority of House fans. I’m interviewing Jesse Spencer and I intend to ask him about this development…
About time…
I was never happy with the way they added the 3 new fellows, and don’t really love 13 and what’s his face, but they really backed themselves into a corner with what they did with her character. What were they going to have her do, go back to a fellowship that she’s already done?
Plus, she’s currently head of the ER. It’s a step down for her to work under House again. It makes far more sense that she’d leave PPTH and take up another position elsewhere instead.
It’s not about whether it makes sense for Cameron to work for House again (and if not for her, then why for Chase?).
It’s about what makes the best show.
Peole have been asking to get Cameron back because the show is not as good now as it was in the first two seasons.
It’s going to be even worse after Cameron is gone.
Though I’m a huddy fan, I sincerely can say that I grew appreciating Cameron lately these months, this year, and I’ll really be missing her. I’m happy if it’s a good thing for Jennifer, cause she really deserves ALL the goods for her carreer.
The only actual killer news for the series would be if Hugh Laurie is leaving the show (as much I love RSL, that’s the truth. HL is the only one really needed in the show).
Jewish lobby?! Seriously?!
I disagree. If House is surrounded by bad acting and boring characters, not even HL can save the show. Bad supporting characters = a show killer.
Right now, seeing House in scenes with Cuddy, Thirteen or Foreman makes me change channels.
WTH are you talking about? racist much?!
Bee – you are one ugly person inside.