Julianna Margulies Turns Down Final "ER" Cameo

NEW YORK — The final "ER" season is bringing back some of its original stars for guest shots, but Julianna Margulies won't be among them. She was invited, she says, but declined.

Margulies, who played nurse Carol Hathaway on the NBC hospital drama from its 1994 premiere, exited after six seasons. Her character left Chicago's County General for Seattle, settling down with Dr. Doug Ross, who had been played by George Clooney.

"I feel like I left Carol Hathaway in the best scenario possible," Margulies said Saturday, laying to rest speculation about her return. "I can't imagine making it any better than that."

In the farewell lap of its 15-season run, "ER" last week featured Anthony Edwards reprising his role of Dr. Mark Greene. NBC has announced upcoming appearances by fellow alums Noah Wyle and Eriq La Salle, who will also direct an episode.

Still a mystery is whether Clooney, yet another charter cast-member, will be back. He left in 1999.

Margulies, 42, departed from the Los Angeles-based series in 2000 despite a reported offer of $27 million to stay for three more seasons. She expressed a wish to return home to New York and pursue other projects.

She then, she has appeared in a number of films and TV shows, including a memorable guest role as a real estate agent with a heroin habit on "The Sopranos." Last spring she starred in the short-lived Fox legal drama "Canterbury's Law."

Margulies lives in Manhattan with attorney husband Keith Lieberthal and their son Kieran, who was born in January.

She recently finished shooting "City Island," a comedy that also stars Andy Garcia, Alan Arkin and Emily Mortimer.

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Comments

[LiberalBuzz]

"I feel like I left Carol Hathaway in the best scenario possible," Margulies said Saturday, laying to rest speculation about her return. "I can't imagine making it any better than that."

IN other words "They didn't offer me enough money":

[groovius]

Since Caruso finally got another gig, Juliana is now the poster child for hot to screw up a career. Why this woman ever thought she was going to be a movie star...

Don't these people have managers and agents or even friends that can tell them when they are committing career suicide?

[Topgun2]

She is the female counterpoint of McLean Stevenson. He once said he thought that everyone tuned in to Mash to watch him!

[molsongrrrl]

How does she compare to Caruso? He left that cop show after ONE season thinking he was a big shot. She left ER after SIX seasons. Okay, so maybe movies didn't work out for her - and a series she was on got canceled pretty quickly - but that happens a lot. I just don't see how wanting to do something different or wanting a change means someone thinks they too good for a show etc. Non-actors change jobs all the time. Few people stay in one job for over 6 years anymore.

[groovius]

If most non-actors were offered $27MM to keep working for three years...

The fact is she thought she was a big star. She wasn't.

You work 3 more years, and you can do anything you want for the rest of your life: Theater, Indies, whatever.

[Topgun2]

Great. Now she can spend more time on making horrible movies.

[lisakaz2]

I did not know she was such a big star. Geez, did that blow a Clooney cameo???

[ROBOT8]

who cares1

[Pippilangstrumpf]

I have only ever watched a handful of episodes from this show, but didn't Anthony Edward's character die of cancer?

[kmac23va]

Yes. He was in last week's episode in a flashback role. Dr. Banfield was working on a dying child, and she flashed back to when her own child was sick years ago, and was brought to County and worked on by Dr. Greene. Her child died, but she saved the child in the present. Given the dialogue, the flashbacks were probably just before Greene left County (there was mention of his chemo and he was separated from Corday). There were also guest appearances by Paul McCrane (Romano), Laura Innes (Weaver, with the cane of course), and Jerry the old desk clerk. Haleh was also in the flashback but I think she's still in the present as well.

I was expecting Eriq La Salle too at that point, since he did an opening tribute to Michael Crichton, but Benton was gone from County by that point. Glad to hear he'll make an appearance.

[Pippilangstrumpf]

Wow.
Thank you for the answer to my question.
I'm going to guess that ER is one of your all time favorite shows? :)

[JustCuz]

My first, First! But then considering the topic of the post, who cares.

[auramac]

Who Ever cares if someone is "first?" And if you've got nothing to say, why bother?

Too much time on your hands?