Alan Arkin Leaves ‘The Kominsky Method,’ Won’t Be in Netflix Show’s Final Season

The Kominsky Method is set to return for a third and final season on Netflix. However, the show will be without one of its stars. On Wednesday, Deadline reported that Alan Arkin would not be returning for the show’s final season. Arkin played Norman opposite Michael Douglas‘ Sandy in the first two seasons of the Netflix show, which was created by Chuck Lorre.

Deadline reported that Arkin’s decision to leave the series was made quite some time ago, as the actor expressed his intention to leave after Season 2. This decision was not reflected in the Season 2 finale, particularly as it was unclear whether the series would reach Season 3. Arkin’s decision to leave was reportedly finalized sometime earlier this year before the industry was affected by the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Season 2 of The Kominsky Method premiered on Netflix in October 2019. In early July, it was announced that the show was being picked up for a third and final season. Although the news was announced in July, Season 3 had been in the works for some time. At the time, Netflix released a statement about the final season of The Kominsky Method. While their announcement included a list of the show’s executive producers, it made no mention of who would be returning from the cast. Series creator Lorre issued a statement that read, “The Kominsky Method has been a true passion project for me and it’s been an incredible experience to see the warm response from both audiences and critics. I’m excited to wrap up the story with this final chapter.”

The first two seasons of The Kominsky Method starred Arkin and Douglas as Norman and Sandy, respectively. Sandy is an aging actor-turned-acting coach while Arkin’s Norman was an agent and confidante of Sandy’s. During the course of the show, Arkin earned two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for his role in the Netflix show. In June 2019, Arkin spoke to Variety about his time on The Kominsky Method and, particularly, about his onscreen chemistry with Douglas. “I had no idea what to expect but he was just an absolute delight to work with,” Arkin said about his co-star. “He’s incredibly flexible and easygoing on set — not an ounce of temperament or pulling any kind of star trip. He’s a very hardworking, very collaborative actor.”