Julianna Margulies Not Returning to ‘The Morning Show’ for Season 4

Julianna Margulies is leaving the newsroom — and hanging up her journalist hat — ahead of season 4 of The Morning Show.

Margulies, who played journalist and Bradley Jackson’s (Reese Witherspoon) ex-girlfriend Laura Peterson, is not returning for season 4, Variety reported on Monday, June 10.

The actress, 58, reportedly turned down a one-episode season 4 cameo, with the outlet sharing that Margulies was also asked about if she had interest in coming back for a potential fifth season.

Margulies’ decision not to return was reportedly determined before she made waves in 2023 for her controversial comments about the war in Gaza.

The Emmy winner turned heads in November 2023 when she made derogatory comments about Black and LGBTQIA+ supporters of Palestine. Margulies claimed during her appearance on Andy Ostroy’s “The Back Room” podcast that Black people have “been brainwashed to hate Jews.”

Margulies took issue with Black and LGBTQIA+ people who were speaking out against Israel’s attacks on Gaza, referring to a Black lesbian couple at Columbia University who hosted a film screening that reportedly wouldn’t allow Jewish students to attend.

“As someone who plays a lesbian journalist on The Morning Show, I am more offended by it as a lesbian than I am as a Jew,” Margulies said. “Because I wanna say to them: You f–king idiots. You don’t exist. You’re even lower than the Jews. A, you’re Black, and B, you’re gay. And you’re turning your back against the people who support you? Because Jews, they rally around everybody.”

The Good Wife alum issued an apology for her outburst in December 2023, confessing that she was “horrified” that her remarks “offended the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities,” calling both groups “communities I truly love and respect.”

Margulies continued: “I want to be 100 percent clear: Racism, homophobia, sexism, or any prejudice against anyone’s personal beliefs or identity are abhorrent to me, full stop. Throughout my career I have worked tirelessly to combat hate of all kind, end antisemitism, speak out against terrorist groups like Hamas, and forge a united front against discrimination. I did not intend for my words to sow further division, for which I am sincerely apologetic.”

Prior to her controversial podcast appearance, The Morning Show showrunner Charlotte Stoudt revealed that she was open to Margulies’ character having a role in season 4. Margulies joined the cast as Laura during season 2 and sparked a romance with Bradley, but the two split the following season. Laura continued to have stories throughout season 3.

“We’re very, very, very early in the room, but I think I’d want to explore [Laura] more,” Stoudt told Variety in November 2023. “Her dimensionality. Not just, ‘I’m Laura and I love Bradley, and she occasionally drives me crazy!’ I think there’s more to Laura than that.”

While much of season 4 of The Morning Show is still under wraps, Marion Cotillard was announced earlier this month as the show’s newest cast member. Cotillard, 48, will be playing a savvy operator from a European family named Celine Dumont.

Us Weekly has reached out to AppleTV+ and Margulies’ rep for comment on the casting news.