Why did Mehcad Brooks leave Law & Order? Reason explored

Being a long-running series, Law & Order has seen multiple cast shakeups over the years. Several original actors have left the show in different seasons, while being replaced by new actors and characters.

As per the latest casting update, actor Mehcad Brooks has also said goodbye to the police procedural drama and will not be seen in the upcoming 25th season. The news came as a surprise to many as Brooks’ character, Detective Jalen Shaw, has been an integral part of the story for three seasons.

The audience is now wondering why Mehcad Brooks is leaving Law & Order. As per reports, the actor has decided to move on from the series to pursue other opportunities in his career.

The reason behind Mehcad Brooks’ exit from Law & Order

Mehcad Brooks is leaving Law & Order after Season 24 as he wants to take up other acting projects. Despite his decision, there is no bad blood between him and the creators of the series, as they mutually decided to write his character out of the story.

It remains to be seen how the writers will explain Jalen Shaw’s absence from the show in Season 25. Brooks’ decision does make sense, as actors often want to explore a variety of roles in their careers, and not limit themselves to one project.

Meanwhile, NBC has already confirmed budget cuts for the Law & Order and One Chicago franchises, and hence, the main cast members will not appear in all the episodes of the season going forward. This could be another reason why Brooks chose to depart from the series.

Mehcad Brooks once said Law & Order healed his abandonment issues

Mehcad Brooks joined Law & Order in Season 22 as Jalen Shaw. His character not only helped the team in solving various cases on the show, but acting out the role also affected him personally.

In a 2024 interview with NBC, the actor said that playing Jalen helped him heal his abandonment issues. As his character overcame his childhood problems in the show, Brooks learned to deal with his own traumas in real life. He said:

“It’s rare and also an opportunity that’s filled with gratitude when you can go to work and heal a part of your own past and your own history through your job. And I think that this is one of those moments that touched on that for me. Shaw has a deep feminine wound, as I do. Shaw has an abandonment wound, just as I do.”

He added:

"And so I was able to explore some of his wounds and some of the things that triggered him to trauma that also happened in my life as well. So I think it was a wonderful and rare opportunity for me to take a look at my own life and take a look at his life and work through some issues together.”

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Apart from the NBC series, Brooks has appeared in shows like The Game, Supergirl, True Blood, and Necessary Roughness. His movie credits include Mortal Kombat and its sequel, Nobody's Fool, and A Fall from Grace.

Law & Order Season 25 will premiere on NBC in the fall of 2025.

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