Want to know why did Shemar Moore leave criminal minds? Popular actor Shemar Moore rose to give fame and success after bagging the role of Derek Morgan in the long-running crime drama series, Criminal Minds. In addition, the actor played the character of Malcolm Winters in the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Fans have also seen Moore playing the role of Victor Stone (a.k.a. Cyborg) in several animated projects, including 2017’s Justice League vs. Teen Titans, The Death of Superman, Reign of the Superman in 2019, and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War in 2020.
While Moore’s character in Criminal Minds was introduced in the first season itself, his journey came to an end in season 11. The actor had earlier revealed how his favorite compliment about the character was what fans said about them identifying with the character and how much they love to watch his work.
However, the fan-favorite bid the show goodbye after as many as 11 seasons. What happened to Derek Morgan? Let us take a look at all the details and lesser-known facts to know why did Shemar Moore leave criminal minds.
Why did Shemar Moore leave criminal minds?
While fans were heartbroken to see Shemar Moore leaving the show behind, the actor later broke his silence over the matter, saying that there was one reason he gave for stepping away from the role. The actor admitted that he said goodbye to the series so that he could pursue other avenues of his life as he wanted to get married, have kids, and travel.
However, seems like this was not the only reason, as Moore had a professional reason too! The actor explained that he is just ready to grow while pointing out that he did not leave to go make a bunch of money but left because he just creatively wants to be fueled and is excited to try new things and see what else he is capable of.
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Did Shemar Moore Return on Criminal Minds?
While the big actor goodbye to the character in the king running crime draw series, his character was not killed off, which made his return to the show highly plausible. Not for her, Shemar Moore later made a few cameo appearances, including the one in season 12, as he supports fellow teammate Reid emotionally support while also helping Garcia bond with Alvez.
20 Squad never backs down and neither should you …from catching up on last night's FALL FINALE of #SWAT! Watch now on @ParamountPlus. https://t.co/TKteLf3VyM pic.twitter.com/FXFZjuAxJI
— S.W.A.T. (@swatcbs) December 10, 2022
The character was again mentioned in season 13 as it was revealed that Morgan is living a happy life, and he is all settled down and is now married with kids. At the same time, Derek Morgan has a few brief recurrent appearances in the show in the form of flashbacks and dream sequences in both seasons 14 and 15.
Where is Shemar Moore Now?
The actor landed the lead role of Matthew Taylor in the 2016 rom-comedy flick, The Bounce Back. Moore later starred in the CBS action series S. W.A.T as Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson. As the actor landed the role in October 2017, he called it his dream job while further stating how he has always believed in what he is capable of to get to be a lead, which he is proud of, is surely a dream come true moment for him.
Moore has also lent his voice as Victor Stone (AKA Cyborg) in back-to-back animated direct-to-video movies from the DC universe, such as The Death of Superman and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. The actor admitted layers that Morgan had in the show.
What he liked about his character is how he comes off as a tough alpha male who could take anybody on but also has vulnerabilities and weaknesses, along with a substantial amount of charm that the character possessed. While the character left the show after 11 seasons, Shemar Moore surely managed to leave a mark behind.
