Critical Role: Brian Foster's Controversial Exit From D&D Series Explained

From 2016 to 2021, Brian W. Foster served as the host and producer of "Talks Machina” — a weekly podcast that centered around the "Dungeons & Dragons" actual play series "Critical Role," the latter of which serves as the basis for Amazon Studios' "The Legend of Vox Machina." In addition to hosting "Talks Machina," Foster also appeared in several "Critical Role" one-shots as a player character and served as Dungeon Master for the "Critical Role" miniseries "UnDeadwood."

Because Foster was practically the face of "Talks Machina," fans were undoubtedly shocked when it was announced that Foster would be leaving "Critical Role" in August 2021. While Foster's exit seemed amicable at first (with the "Critical Role" Twitter account stating they had "nothing but mad love and support" for his future endeavors), his departure from the series quickly became controversial. On November 3, 2021, Brian Foster spoke about his exit on his official Twitch account, claiming that he never wanted to leave "Talks Machina" in the first place.

"There's a lot I can't say about the 'Critical Role' situation," Foster explained during his stream. "I'm not doing a show that I used to do, right? For reasons outside of my control." This discussion led to fan speculation about behind-the-scenes drama that might have led to Foster's exit from the company, speculation that has only grown stronger now that Foster is facing allegations of domestic abuse and violence.

In May 2023 (less than two years after Brian Foster's surprising exit from "Critical Role"), Brian W. Foster's ex-girlfriend and "Critical Role" cast member Ashley Johnson filed a restraining order against Foster. This order was issued in response to a series of alleged abuses directed at "The Last of Us" star and members of her family by Foster, which culminated in an emergency protective order being issued against Foster on May 15, 2023.

"My family members have been the subject of his outbursts, drug use, threats, and sexual assaults," Johnson stated in the filing. "They are fearful that he is close to the edge, has the ability to murder, and will cause harm not only to me, but to them." The filing also reports that Foster once attempted to extort $150,000 from Johnson, and that Foster has committed property damage against Johnson and her family. Shortly after this restraining order was filed, "Critical Role" began deleting all content that featured Brian Foster. The company has since removed hundreds of videos from their official YouTube channel in a show of solidarity with Johnson.

Although it remains unclear exactly why Brian Foster exited "Critical Role" in the first place, it's clear that the show is now taking steps to completely erase Foster from their catalog — a move that fans online are in full support of, given the allegations of Foster's abuse and violence.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.