Katic was let go from the show in 2016, ultimately leading to the procedural’s end.
It’s been almost two years since the crime procedural Castle came to a surprising end amidst a cloud of real-life drama, and now star Stana Katic has opened up about the series’ unusual conclusion for the first time.
Katic, who played Detective Kate Beckett, was let go from the show in 2016 ahead of its season nine renewal, leaving many fans shocked and outraged. At the time there were rumors of a rift between her and co-star Nathan Fillion, who played crime writer and Beckett’s husband, Richard Castle.
Shortly after her dismissal, the series came to an abrupt end instead of moving forward with a ninth season. At the time of the cancellation, a source told ET that the two co-stars wouldn’t speak to each other on the set and were going to “couples therapy” for the sake of the show.
“I’m actually still not clear on the thought process behind the way it went down,” Katic told Entertainment Weekly in a new interview. “It hurt and it was a harsh ending.”
The Canadian actress added that she looks back on her eight seasons as the crime-fighting powerhouse fondly.
“Now, nearly two years later… I met so many beautiful people on that project, and we collaborated on something really unique in that it’s not every day that you get a show, or a series, that has eight seasons and that it was a hit for the network,” Katic noted. “It would be a disservice to those people, to the work that we did together, and to my work, which I feel contributed, in part, to the success of the show, to be anything but grateful because, at the end of the day, that was a fantastic platform.”
Though Katic didn’t directly comment on Fillion, she did talk about the love story they shared on screen.
“It was a formative experience, and we told a love story that I feel moved people, touched people, and I can’t be anything but glad that I was a part of something like that,” she said. “I hope it remains something special in viewers’ minds forever.”
At the time of her shocking exit, Katic thanked her fans on Twitter, and released a telling statement, saying, “Rather than distract from what was an amazing experience I would just like to say that I’m very grateful to ABC for giving me the opportunity to be a part of a much beloved show. Thank you to the fans.”
Katic is now returning to TV in Amazon’s Absentia, which premieres on Feb. 2.
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