“I’m not just saying this to be a team player, but if you’ve gotta send a character off, what a way to go,” he explained. “It really is exactly what our executive producer, Steven D. Bindersaid. He wanted to write not only a great episode, but a real love letter to the character that really summarized his journey and his impact on the show, and I think we achieved that.”
The actor also offered a silver lining to his exit, pointing out that his lengthy tenure on the show is an enviable feat in his line of work.
“For selfish reasons, I have to remind people: I’ve been a character on this series for 18 years,” he said. “Most Hollywood careers don’t last 18 years. So to be able to play one character on one of the most popular shows in the world for 18 seasons, that’s the equivalent of living to be 105.”
