10 TV show characters that were recast with new actors mid-series

With Once Upon a Time’s jumble of fairy tales and star studded cast, I almost didn’t notice the absence of Miranda star Tom Ellis, who played the outlaw in the show’s second season. Turns out Tom scored the hell-raising title role in Lucifer, and had to hang up his quiver due to scheduling clashes. The part of Robin Hood was then taken over by Sean Maguire from season three onward, where the character ended up having a much bigger (and more dramatic) storyline than before.

You may have noticed a sudden growth spurt in the Tucker-Pritchett tot between seasons two and three of Modern Family – and for good reason. Twin sisters Ella and Jaden Hiller, who were just a year old when they began playing Lily, stepped away from the show after their parents decided the busy filming schedule was too demanding for toddlers. Aubrey Anderson-Emmons then took over the role in season three when she was four-years-old, bringing Lily’s sass and side-eye to the screen until the beloved sitcom ended in 2020.

You can’t say Netflix didn’t give us notice of this one – it was announced in October 2022 that Henry Cavill would be stepping down from his role as Geralt in The Witcher’s fourth season, even before the third season had hit screens. Fast-forward three years, and the fantasy epic has returned with Liam Hemsworth as the monster-hunting hero. Henry reportedly left over both creative differences and scheduling conflicts, but with plenty of source material still to adapt, the showrunners opted to recast rather than bring the saga to a close.

With no in-story explanation for the change – and the noticeable physical differences between the two actors – the recasting of roguish swordsman Daario Naharis in season four of Game of Thrones was a pretty shocking one. Ed Skrein, who originally played the character, had other filming commitments – though he later explained his exit was more due to “politics” than a desire to leave the role. Dutch actor Michiel Huisman – best known now for The Haunting of Hill House – stepped into the role, bringing a different energy (and a different haircut) for the remainder of the series. 

Though switching up your husband might seem like a trick straight from Samantha’s spellbook, the reason behind Darrin Stevens’ recast in Bewitched is much more grounded in reality. Original actor Dick York left the sitcom after season five due to a degenerative spinal condition that made it increasingly difficult to work. The show had previously recast characters without explanation, so Dick Sargent seamlessly slipped into the role for the remainder of the series, skilfully navigating spells, hexes, and disappearing furniture just like his predecessor.

A staple of the Banks Mansion, Aunt Vivian’s unwavering presence may have remained throughout the popular ‘90s sitcom – though with one noticeable change. The character’s original actress, Janet Hubert, stepped away after season three, where she was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid for the remainder of the series. Rumours swirled that Will Smith had fired her, but while tensions between the two were real at the time, they’ve since made amends, with Will confirming the pair are now on friendly terms.

Dynasty’s resident matriarch and villainess, Alexis Carrington Colby’s original actress, Nicollette Sheridan, ended up leaving the reboot after two seasons to care for her ailing mother. Before the role was officially recast, Elizabeth Gillies, who played her on-screen daughter Fallon, temporarily stepped into her mother’s shoes under the guise of “plastic surgery” – very soap opera indeed. The part was then handed to The Parent Trap’s Elaine Hendrix, who channelled all that Meredith Blake energy into the role.

“That was the longest time-out I ever had!” the youngest Matthews child announced in season three of the hit sitcom. The character’s original actress, Lily Nicksay, stepped away from the role after her parents grew concerned about the pressures of child stardom. The character was absent for a while before Lindsay Ridgeway was brought in midway through season three – so that’s an eight month time-out, to be precise.

Landing in the second episode of Friends with a bombshell pregnancy announcement, Ross’ first wife Carol Willick certainly made an impression. However, the actress who originally played Carol wanted a bigger role for the character. Jane Sibbett then took over the part for her subsequent appearances, from co-parenting Ben to marrying Susan Bunch.

Riverdale had its fair share of crazy storylines, so a character being recast wouldn’t exactly raise eyebrows. Archie’s cocky rival Reggie Mantle was originally played by Ross Butler in the show’s first season, but scheduling conflicts with 13 Reasons Why meant he had to step away. Charles Melton then stepped in from season two onward – though the show couldn’t resist a typical meta twist, with Ross Butler dropping by as a version of Reggie from a parallel universe in season six.