Is Asjha Cooper Really Leaving Chicago Med?

In the eight seasons that "Chicago Med" has been on the air, the trend of characters coming and going, and even returning to Gaffney Chicago Medical Center has been a testament to the show's longevity. This can also be seen in the two other series in the "One Chicago" franchise, "Chicago Fire" and "Chicago P.D." In fact, Season 8 of "Chicago Med" has already seen a revolving door of actors departing, announcing their departure, and even returning to the show for guest appearances from previous departures. Brian Tee, who plays Dr. Ethan Choi, will leave the show in the 9th episode of the current season and this was before a sweet and satisfying reunion with April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta).

This season has also featured more cast exits, including Guy Lockard, who portrayed ER physician Dr. Dylan Scott for the 7th and 8th seasons, as well as Sarah Rafferty, who had a prominent recurring role as surgeon Dr. Pamela Blake in the 2021-2022 installment of the program (via Variety). With the show featuring somewhat of a revolving door, it is no surprise that fans are wondering if Asjha Cooper, who plays Dr. Vanessa Taylor, is also leaving "Chicago Med" behind.

Asjha Cooper joined the cast of "Chicago Med" toward the end of the show's 6th season, and according to Variety, the actress has officially left her role of Dr. Vanessa Cooper. Her final appearance was in Season 8, Episode 6, titled "Mamma Said There Would Be Days Like This," which aired on November 2, 2022. Dr. Cooper held an emotional moment with her mother, Nurse Maggie Lockwood (Marlyne Barrett), at the end of the episode, in which she told her she was leaving the United States for the Philippines to work as a physician serving underprivileged communities (per TV Line).

Fans of the series and the character expressed both sadness at the news of Cooper's exit in addition to the curiosity surrounding the reason why. On Twitter, @Kristle19157718 tweeted, "Asjha will be missed. She is a good actress," whereas @BelindaFoxyfaye simply asked, "why did she leave?" The reasons why the actress or even the production team decided to say goodbye to Dr. Cooper are still unknown, but the move clearly comes at a time when some viewers are perplexed by all the departures from the medical drama. This led @Lee4892 to state, "I think it's time NBC gives us a list of who's sticking around," followed by a long series of hashtags shouting out Jay Halstead actor Jesse Lee Soffer, who will be leaving "Chicago P.D." sometime during its ongoing 10th season.