Leaving a successful TV show or movie franchise sounds like the kind of career move an actor would spend years regretting. A steady paycheck, a recognizable character, and millions of viewers are usually things Hollywood tells people to hold onto for as long as possible. Still, plenty of actors have decided that a hit simply was not worth staying for. Some wanted better roles, while others were exhausted by demanding schedules or ready to do something completely different with their lives. A few left enormous franchises at exactly the moment everyone assumed they would stick around. More surprisingly, many seem perfectly happy with the decision. Here are 15 actors who walked away from a hit and never looked back.©IMDbSteve Carell Left The OfficeSteve Carell departed The Office after seven seasons, taking Michael Scott with him while the series continued for two more. He moved straight into a busy film career and has never returned for a full revival of the character.©IMDbSandra Oh Left Grey’s AnatomyAfter a decade as Cristina Yang, Sandra Oh decided ten seasons were enough. She later found another defining television role in Killing Eve and has repeatedly sounded comfortable with leaving Cristina in the past.©IMDbDonald Glover Left CommunityDonald Glover exited Community during its fifth season, just as his career outside the sitcom was exploding. He went on to create Atlanta, expand his music career as Childish Gambino, and build a remarkably different post-Troy résumé.©IMDbRegé-Jean Page Left BridgertonThe Duke of Hastings turned Regé-Jean Page into an overnight star, but he left Bridgerton after just one season. Rather than remain attached to Simon indefinitely, Page moved on to movies including Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.©IMDbDan Stevens Left Downton AbbeyDan Stevens surprised Downton Abbey viewers by leaving at the height of the show’s popularity, resulting in Matthew Crawley’s abrupt death. The gamble gave him room to pursue everything from The Guest to Legion and Beauty and the Beast.©IMDbKatherine Heigl Left Grey’s AnatomyKatherine Heigl’s departure from Grey’s Anatomy came after a complicated period behind the scenes and years of playing Izzie Stevens. She never returned as a regular, instead moving between movies and shows including Suits and Firefly Lane.©IMDbChristopher Meloni Left Law & Order: SVUAfter 12 seasons, contract negotiations ended with Christopher Meloni unexpectedly leaving SVU. He spent a decade doing other projects before eventually returning to the universe on his own terms with Law & Order: Organized Crime.©IMDbEmmy Rossum Left ShamelessEmmy Rossum spent nine seasons as Fiona Gallagher before deciding to move on from Shameless. The series survived another two seasons, while Rossum pursued projects that put considerable distance between her and the Gallagher household.©IMDbTopher Grace Left That ’70s ShowTopher Grace left That ’70s Show before its final season to focus on movies, leaving Eric Forman largely absent from the show’s last stretch. He returned briefly for the finale, but his days as the show’s regular lead were over.©IMDbNina Dobrev Left The Vampire DiariesNina Dobrev walked away from The Vampire Diaries after six seasons despite playing the show’s central character. She eventually returned for the finale, but otherwise stuck to her decision to move beyond Elena Gilbert.©IMDbMischa Barton Left The O.C.Marissa Cooper was one of The O.C.’s biggest characters when Mischa Barton left after Season 3. Her exit was decidedly permanent, and the series had to navigate its final season without one of the faces that had helped make it a phenomenon.©IMDbShelley Long Left CheersLeaving one of television’s biggest comedies looked incredibly risky when Shelley Long departed Cheers after five seasons. She pursued film work instead, while the sitcom successfully reinvented itself and continued for another six years.©IMDbDavid Caruso Left NYPD BlueDavid Caruso became one of television’s breakout stars when NYPD Blue premiered, then famously left early in its second season. His movie ambitions did not immediately work out, but he eventually landed another huge television hit with CSI: Miami.©IMDbLauren Cohan Left The Walking DeadLauren Cohan stepped away from The Walking Dead during its ninth season while pursuing other opportunities. She eventually returned, but only after spending significant time away and later moved Maggie into the spinoff Dead City.©IMDbRick Moranis Walked Away From HollywoodRick Moranis was everywhere in the 1980s and early 1990s, from Ghostbusters to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. After his wife died, he gradually stepped away from live-action acting to focus on raising his children, making one of Hollywood’s most famous exits from a thriving career.The post 15 Actors Who Walked Away From a Hit and Never Looked Back appeared first on Den of Geek.