Marlyne Barrett Stepping Back from Chicago Med in Season 11
Chicago Med is set to have a new look at the nurse station for season 11 as actress Marlyne Barrett steps back from her role.
Barrett, who has portrayed ED nurse Maggie Lockwood since the series launched in 2015, is temporarily leaving the NBC drama for “personal reasons,” as reported by Deadline on August 28.
The report suggests that Barrett’s absence is expected to be “temporary,” with hopes for her return in the future.
Us Weekly reached out to NBC for further comments, but the network has chosen not to provide additional information on the casting change.
At 46, Barrett has been integral to Chicago Med since its inception. In season 5, which aired in 2019, Maggie’s storyline involved battling breast cancer, a plot which resonated with Barrett’s own health struggles.
In September 2022, Barrett disclosed that she had been privately contending with uterine and ovarian cancer after her diagnosis in July.
“When my character faced breast cancer, I received a flood of support through social media,” she shared with People in September 2022. “They inspired me, and I felt compelled to connect with them in return.”
By September 2024, Barrett announced her full remission, while fans avidly followed Maggie’s journey through season 10.
A major focus of season 10 involved a nurse’s strike, with Maggie taking center stage. Heading into season 11, Barrett was anticipated to be one of three original cast members to return.
“We’re planning some exciting storylines for Maggie next season,” showrunner Allen MacDonald told Us in May. “We’re going to showcase all those nurses.”
While Barrett’s status as Maggie has shifted for the upcoming season, co-stars S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt, who play Sharon Goodwin and Dr. Daniel Charles, will be returning.
Deadline reported in June that Merkerson, 72, and Platt, 65, have had their contracts extended through the 2025-2026 season.
While fans will surely miss Maggie’s presence in the ED, Us confirmed earlier this month that original cast member Nick Gehlfuss will return for a guest appearance as Dr. Will Halstead. The character was last seen in the season finale in May 2023 as he embarked on a new journey in Seattle.
Chicago Med will premiere its season 11 on NBC on Wednesday, October 1, at 8 p.m. ET.
