Lucas Black joined the cast of NCIS: New Orleans in 2014, taking on the role of senior agent Christopher LaSalle for the first six seasons. His departure in 2019 came as a major shock to fans, especially as the character was fatally shot while investigating his brother's death. Naturally, the actor has been asked about his exit on numerous occasions, but in 2021 he revealed the truth behind his decision.
© GettySpeaking to Lee Domingue on his podcast 'Legacy Starts Today,' Lucas explained that he had quit NCIS: New Orleans after realizing that it was affecting his family life with his wife, Maggie, and their three children.
"All throughout my career there was a concern because I would observe how the entertainment industry would destroy families, and destroy families," he said. "The way it's run, you're travelling, it's a very fast pace, lots of long hours, especially in television."
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After recalling the production schedule for NCIS: New Orleans, which often had him working 70-hour weeks, Lucas added: "It was time, it was time for me to leave. I felt like my job there was finished. You can't keep going at that pace, and I think, have a healthy marriage. It's not sustainable; it's inevitable that something bad's gonna happen if you stay working at that pace."
While Lucas made the decision to leave, he has called his role on the show an "honour." Posting a video on Twitter shortly after his character's death, he said: "I want to say what an honour it was to play this character, special agent LaSalle." He concluded: "Chapter's ended. What a great journey it was."
Following Lucas' exit from the show, the 40-year-old has gone on to reprise his role as Sean Boswell in F9, the ninth instalment in the Fast and Furious franchise. He has also starred in the 2022 flick, Legacy Peak, as well as working on his Youtube channel – Real Life Lucas Black – which is dedicated to his hunting and fishing adventures.
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