There are several stories that circulated after Zoe McLellan, who played Special Agent Meredith "Merri" Brody, left the CBS hit series "NCIS: NOLA" at the end of its second season. The reported reason for her departure was cited as a "creative decision," per TVLine. Apparently, the agent's storyline involved dating Homeland Security agent John Russo, who she discovered was working as an anti-government mole. The experience of discovering that she had allowed the enemy to get close to her was so traumatic that she decided to leave the force entirely.
It was also rumored that McLellan left "NCIS: NOLA" to pursue other acting opportunities, including a role in "Designated Survivor." Shortly after leaving "NCIS," she became a regular on the ABC-turned-Netflix series opposite Kiefer Sutherland.
Behind this more standard reason for McLellan leaving the CBS crime drama is another, far more disturbing possibility that was first reported by Variety. According to the publication, CBS showrunner Brad Kern allegedly made sexist comments regarding female coworkers that led to the departure of several cast and crew members. In the case of McLellan, multiple sources stated that "Kern allegedly engineered the exit of Zoe McLellan, an original cast member who did not return for the third season, because ... men didn't find her 'f**kable.'" McLellan has not commented on this report.
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