With major changes ahead, Chicago Med is preparing for another shift in its cast. After nearly a decade on screen, one of its original stars is stepping away before the next season begins. The decision marks the end of an era for the show while leaving questions about what comes next for the character.
Why Marlyne Barrett’s Maggie is leaving Chicago Med before Season 11
Marlyne Barrett is leaving Chicago Med for personal reasons, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed. Producers have not confirmed whether she will return later in the season. Barrett joined the series in 2015 and remains one of the original cast members of the NBC medical drama.
Her exit leaves S. Epatha Merkerson, who portrays the character of Sharon Goodwin, and Oliver Platt, who plays Dr. Daniel Charles, as the final two original cast members returning for the new season. Maggie has been a key figure at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, serving as charge nurse and confidante to many staff members. In Season 10, her story included a close friendship with Dr. John Frost, played by Darren Barnet.
In 2022, Barrett revealed that doctors diagnosed her with uterine and ovarian cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and surgery and later announced that the cancer had gone into remission. During a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, she recalled how her production team supported her through treatment, describing those conversations as “some of the tenderest questions that I’ve ever been asked by a corporation.”
Barrett also previously spoke about how her real-life cancer battle mirrored her character’s breast cancer storyline on Chicago Med. She said, “When my character went through breast cancer, I had a sea of people reach out to me through social media. They brought me courage, and so I felt a sense of inevitability to meet their hearts where they met me.”
Her departure comes alongside news that Nick Gehlfuss, who played Dr. Will Halstead on the show for several seasons, will return as a guest star in Season 11.
Chicago Med will premiere its new season on October 1, 2025.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.
