TNT's police procedural series The Closer premiered two decades ago in 2005. In this series, Kyra Sedgwick plays the lead, Brenda Leigh Johnson, a CO of LAPD's Major Crimes Division. As a CIA-trained interrogator, she not only solves crucial cases but also secures confessions that prove vital. She fights all odds, including non-cooperative colleagues (yes, I'm talking about Russell Taylor and Andy Flynn), and proves her worth each time.In short, she's a perfect officer. She's brave, smart, reliable, and one who doesn't tolerate incomplete tasks. Her sincerity often offends people, especially criminals, but it's the least of her concerns. Her skill to get the most stubborn criminals to confess makes her a fierce officer. She closes cases like it's no hard task. Sedgwick aces the role of Brenda.Brenda isn't your ordinary commanding officer; she's an interrogator who doesn't shy away from bullying, manipulating, or even threatening criminals to make them confess. Her instincts are rarely wrong, and that comes with years of experience. So when Kyra Sedgwick bid goodbye to the series in 2012, it came as a shocker. After seven seasons of playing the role of Deputy Chief Brenda L. Johnson, she chose to step back. And it turns out that it was no sudden decision; in fact, she announced her exit a year prior. Kyra Sedgwick wanted to pursue other opportunities, and this is the reason why she chose to leave The Closer. Since Sedgwick played the lead role for several years, it was difficult to cast anybody else. She became Brenda in the truest sense, and the makers were not willing to take a risk of replacing her. Thus, they had to cancel The Closer after the seventh season.Here's more about it.Why did Kyra Sedgwick leave The Closer?Kyra Sedgwick chose to step back from The Closer after seven seasons of playing the lead due to her personal choice of pursuing other projects. In a candid interview with TVLine, the Primetime Emmy-winning actor said,"It's obviously very emotional for me. Making this decision was really hard. I thought about it for a year, and finally came down to the fact that I really want to do other things, creatively. I'm an artist, and I want to express myself in other ways and other places."She also clarified that there was no rift between her and the makers and that it ended on a good note. She noted,"Oh, he (series creator James Duff) knew. I told him first. I told (EPs) Michael and Greer, James and Rick, and we cried... They were like, 'You're an artist, and this is what you have to do.' And then I called the cast immediately, because I didn't want them to hear it from anybody but me."James Duff told Tampa Bay Times that Sedgwick did not renew her contract because she wanted to explore new opportunities.She further stated that she loved the show, but she also wanted the show to end on a good note and not unnecessarily drag on for further seasons. However, as a farewell surprise for the viewers, the makers announced that the seventh and final season would be longer than the previous ones. Additionally, the show was also expanding with its spinoff called Major Crimes.Beyond Brenda: Kyrad Sedgwick's notable projects View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe Closer gave Kyra Sedgwick exposure, global recognition, and several accolades. But she did not slow down or let success get into her head. After The Closer, Kyra Sedgwick appeared on Lionsgate's The Possession and The Edge of Seventeen. She also worked as a director and producer for projects like Story of a Girl and Proof. And who can forget her role as Madeline Wuntch in Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Her tiffs with Captain Raymond Holt and the passive insults remain iconic to this day. Some of her recent work includes Sweetwater, Carolina Caroline, The Best You Can, and Bad Shabbos, to name a few. Let us know in the comments section about your favorite Kyra Sedgwick project!Also Read: The Closer Season 1 Episode 3 cast and characterFollow Soap Central for more such updates.