Kellan Lutz has quit 'FBI: Most Wanted' to spend more time with his family.
Kellan Lutz
The 36-year-old actor has decided to depart the CBS crime drama after a lengthy period of reflection over a difficult 12 months which saw two of his grandparents pass away and his wife Brittany Gonzales losing their baby six months into her pregnancy.
As a result, Kellan, Brittany, and their seven-month-old daughter Ashtyn are relocating to California to be closer to their relatives.
Taking to Instagram after the season 3 premiere of 'FBI: Most Wanted' - which saw Kellan's character, Kenny Crosby, leave his team in order to recover after getting shot - aired on Tuesday (21.09.21), he wrote: "Wow. What a night! And yes, you saw that correctly, Crosby won't be chasing down any bad guys for a little while.
"2020 was a lot for everyone to say the least. For me it started with losing my first daughter, then nearly my wife, and both grandfathers among other things, all in the middle of a global pandemic on the opposite side of the country from my family, friends, and entire support system.
"If 2020 taught me anything it's how important family truly is. After a lot of prayer and reflection I made the difficult decision to move my growing family back to CA so our daughter could grow up with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, just a short drive away.(sic)"
Kellan went on to thank those who work on the New York-based programme for their support as he "worked through feelings and emotions in regards to this decision."
He added: "One thing that I kept hearing over and over when I booked this job was how much of a family Dick Wolf shows are, and that couldn't be more accurate.
"They've supported me in the lows and celebrated with me in the highs and I will forever be grateful for everything they've done for me."
"I will miss the show, my costars, production, and most importantly my character Kenny Crosby, who is named after one of the grandfathers I lost earlier this year, but I have so much peace knowing I made the right decision for my family."
But Kellan may still make guest appearances on the show in the future.
He wrote: "I hope Crosby is able to pop in and out here and there in the future but for now - Crosby - over and out."
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