The world of NBC’s One Chicago franchise is losing a key member this fall. Chicago Med, the third series in the popular TV franchise, has been airing on NBC since 2015 and is currently in its eighth season. Unfortunately, this installment will see one of its original cast members make their exit. Brian Tee, who has played Ethan Choi for 131 episodes of Chicago Med, is leaving the series very soon.
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The ninth episode of Season 8, “Could be the Start of Something New,” airs on December 7th and will be Tee’s final episode in front of the camera. The actor will be stepping behind the camera to direct the 16th episode of the season. Tee had a six-year contract that ended this year, and he made the decision not to renew it in order to spend more time with his family and pursue other creative opportunities.
“Playing Dr. Ethan Choi on Chicago Med has been such a gift and a blessing,” Tee told Deadline. “I am forever grateful to our fans and my colleagues both in front of and behind the camera as I embark on a new journey. I am forever indebted to Dick Wolf, NBC, and Universal Television for choosing me.”
“What we’ve been planning for Dr. Choi’s sendoff is fitting, and it’s beautiful,” he added. “I think the fans are going to absolutely love it. It’s going to bring a little bit of the new Ethan and a little bit of the old. Know that episode 9 is going to be an amazing one.”
Later in the same interview, Tee opened up about how proud he is of his on-screen character, Ethan Choi. While he has been in the industry for decades, Chicago Med was a game-changing role for him.
“I’ve thought a lot about what Dr. Choi represents. As far as my career path, it was the school of hard knocks for a long time,” he said. “I took what the industry granted me as far as opportunities were concerned. At that time, the box I was allowed to play in around 20-plus years ago, was very limited; it was very stereotypical, and cliche like playing the Asian bad guy archetype. I have nothing against it; I was able to build a career but it never propelled me to a level of which I knew I was capable. Then literally, as I’m playing Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the villain of all Asian villains, my phone rings and it’s my agent asking me if I want to go to Chicago.
“Ethan Choi represents to me the first time I’ve actually played a protagonist in such a strong way and he catapulted me into a different arena, one where I feel the perception of not only myself but Asian Americans had been changed. Just having an Asian face as a leading man was a stepping stone if not the ladder.”
Are you disappointed to see Brian Tee leave Chicago Med? Let us know in the comments!
