‘Chicago Med’: Major Star Leaving the Show in December

Brian Tee, one of the remaining original series stars on Chicago Med, is leaving the hit NBC medical drama. His final episode will air in December. Tee has starred as Dr. Ethan Choi, a military veteran who rose up the ranks from the emergency room’s chief resident to chief of Emergency Medicine at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, since the show launched in 2015.

Tee’s final episode, titled “Could Be The Start Of Something New,” will air on Dec. 7. He is still expected to return later in the season to direct the 16th episode, marking his directorial debut. Tee decided to leave on his own so he could spend more time with his wife Mirelly Taylor, and their daughter, Madelyn. The actor also hopes to pursue other opportunities in Hollywood, including directing and producing.

“Playing Dr. Ethan Choi on Chicago Med has been such a gift and a blessing. I am forever grateful to our fans and my colleagues both in front of and behind the camera as I embark on a new journey. I am forever indebted to Dick Wolf, NBC, and Universal Television for choosing me,” Tee told Deadline on Oct. 12.

“What we’ve been planning for Dr. Choi’s sendoff is fitting, and it’s beautiful,” Tee continued. “I think the fans are going to absolutely love it. It’s going to bring a little bit of the new Ethan and a little bit of the old. Know that episode 9 is going to be an amazing one.”

When Tee began his career in Hollywood, there were few opportunities for Asian-American actors to play positive characters. Tee even played a criminal on a Chicago P.D. episode in 2015 before he was cast as Dr. Choi. He said the offer to play thedoctor arose while he was playing Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016).

“Ethan Choi represents to me the first time I’ve actually played a protagonist in such a strong way and he catapulted me into a different arena, one where I feel the perception of not only myself but Asian Americans had been changed,” Tee told Deadline. “Just having an Asian face as a leading man was a stepping stone if not the ladder.”

Tee’s departure is not a complete surprise. He only appeared in eight episodes last season so he could make Amazon’s Expats series with Nicole Kidman and director Lulu Wang. He returned in the Season 8 premiere after Ethan was shot by a patient in the Season 7 finale. Ethan also had a surprise reunion with April (Yaya DaCosta). Tee refused to say if Ethan will be killed off, but said he would always return if the opportunity arose.

“I would never say no. Yeah, if the opportunity arose, absolutely,” Tee told Deadline. “I feel like I’ve been a part of this family and will remain a part of this family, whether it’s on-screen or off-screen. So if there’s an opportunity to bring him back, I would absolutely jump right in. For now, it’s just, I’ll see you later. I’ll be back around. You can’t get rid of me.” Chicago Med airs on NBC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET and is available to stream on Peacock.