Fans of the comedy-drama series, “Las Vegas,” were shocked to learn about Nikki Cox’s sudden departure from the show. The actress portrayed the role of Mary Connell for four seasons until her departure in season 5. So why did Nikki Cox leave Las Vegas? Let’s find out.
Nicole Avery Cox began her career in acting at the young age of 4 when she was cast as a dancer in various ballet productions and Tv specials. Cox began her acting journey quite early by appearing in a number of movies and guest-starring on multiple shows. Some of her works include “Baywatch,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Indiana and Blossom,” and many more. The young actress also appeared in the television soap opera, “General Hospital” from 1993-1995.
The actress gained major recognition when she appeared in the American sitcom, “Unhappily Ever After.” She portrayed the role of Tiffany Malloy for five seasons, from 1995-1999. This became one of her most successful shows until her appearance on the NBC comedy-drama series, “Las Vegas.” Cox was a part of the Las Vegas cast for four seasons until she departed the show in 2007.
Right after the show dropped its first season, it became an instant hit with high ratings. The standalone episode for season 1 cost around $5 million dollars and is one of the most expensive NBC productions to date. Cox became a part of Las Vegas in 2003 and has appeared in over 80 episodes portraying the character of Mary Connell. So why did the actress decide to leave? Here’s what we know.
Why Did Nikki Cox Leave Las Vegas? Explained
Cox became a part of the NBC comedy-drama series Las Vegas in 2003 and was part of the show for four seasons. The show revolves around the Montecito Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and is a perfect blend of laughter and suspense. All we can tell you is that the drama only gets better with each episode. To know more about life at Montecito Hotel and Casino, you have to watch the show!
Nikki Cox portrays the character of Mary Connell, who is the special events director at the Montecito Casino and Hotel. Connell is a native of Las Vegas who was sexually abused by her father as a child. The show sheds light on child abuse and sexual abuse cases through the character of Mary Connell. In season four, Mary tries to help her stepmother and sister to win a case against her father but loses due to his powerful connections. In the final episode of season four, a frustrated Mary decides to kill her father.
In February 2007, NBC announced that Nikki Cox would not be returning as Mary Connell for season 5 as the actress has departed from the show. The television series failed to gather a large number of views during the third season and was on the verge of cancellation after dropping the fourth season. However, Thompson (creator and executive producer) managed to get NBC on board for a fifth season, but the only issue was the limited budget allowance. It was the joint decision of the NBC team and Thompson to exclude Nikki Cox from the fifth season due to a limited budget.
Cox revealed that the news was upsetting and shocking, but she knew it was time for her to leave the show and venture into new possibilities. Cox said she had previously thought about leaving the show during the fourth season and even spoke about it to the producers. Season five came with many shocking announcements, and Cox’s departure was not the only one. Along with Cox, James Cann also left the show as he wanted to focus on films. Cann always wanted to restart his film career, and this was an excellent opportunity for him to do so.
What happened To Las Vegas After Nikki Cox’s Departure?
After Cox’s departure from the show, Camille Guaty was cast in the series to replace Cox’s character. Along with Camille, Tom Selleck also joined the cast of Las Vegas, replacing James Cann’s character. The fifth season originally had 22 episodes in the plan, but due to the writer’s strike, the show could produce only 19 episodes.
Due to low ratings and views, NBC decided to cancel the show after its 5th season. On February 15, 2008, the show aired its final episode and came to an end after a journey of five years. Expressing his disappointment at the cancellation, Thompson said, “I sold my soul to get a season 5. So I didn’t have a soul left to sell.” Though the show was not a huge success, it managed to entertain us while it could. We wish all the best to Nikki for her future ventures.
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