The body count continues to rise for Season 11 of Chicago Med with the latest news that Marlyne Barrett, who has portrayed Maggie Lockwood since the show’s 2015 debut, will not be returning.
Personal reasons are being cited rather than its being storyline dictated for her departure, meaning the door will be potentially open for her return at a later date. Deadline was first to report the story.
Barrett’s departure follows John Earl Jelks (Dr. Dennis Washington), who was written out as part of a budget-cut storyline, and Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut (Dr. Naomi Howard), whose character was caught up in a #Metoo storyline so resigned to get a fresh start somewhere else.
Marlyne BarrettPhoto by: George Burns Jr/NBC
Barrett’s departure leaves only two original cast members for the Dick Wolf-produced medical drama: Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles, chief of the psychiatry department, and S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin, the chief administrator of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.
Related:Chicago Med Fan Favorite Returns for Season 11
That said, earlier this week the news broke that original cast member Nick Gehlfuss, who exited the series two years ago, would be returning for an indeterminate guest appearance, reprising his role as Dr. Will Halstead. Gehlfuss starred as Dr. Halstead from the series premiere in 2015 through 2023, leaving after the Season 8 finale.
As for Barrett, her character has become a fan favorite as viewers followed Maggie through her cancer diagnosis and recovery, enjoyed watching her fall in love and then sadly get divorced, and, last season, take on the nurses’ strike.
In real life, Barrett also faced a cancer diagnosis of uterine and ovarian cancer, which took place in July 2022. In September 2024, she shared that she was in full remission.
Chicago Med will return with all new episodes for Season 11 Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Next, Chicago Med Returns for Season 11 Without Two Characters
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the TV section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
