Former Star of Fan-Favorite Freeform Series to Return in New Season

It looks like one former star is in for some Good Trouble. On Wednesday, during ABC Networks' presentation at the Television Critics Association press tour, it was announced that Maia Mitchell will be reprising her role as Callie Foster in the season five premiere of the series. Mitchell has portrayed the character in all 104 episodes of the show's flagship, The Fosters, and was one of the stars of Good Trouble before leaving in Season 4 in March of 2022.

When Mitchell's Callie exited the series, she was shown leaving to work for the ACLU in Washington, D.C. — possibly with her love interest, Jamie (Beau Mirchoff) by her side. According to showrunner Joanna Johnson, she hopes Callie's Season 5 return will address what happened with the couple since then, saying "It's a mystery, but we'll find out."

Why did Maia Mitchell leave Good Trouble?

Shortly after Mitchell's exit from the series, it was revealed that she left the show to visit her family in Australia, who she had not seen in years amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"10 years ago, I auditioned for a little pilot called The Fosters. I was 19 with no clue of the luck I had stumbled upon," Mitchell wrote on social media at the time. "Years later, I was able to continue my journey as Callie when we formed the Good Trouble family. Two shows, 156 episodes and a chosen family for life. Lucky me. While I have been so beyond fortunate to have this career and a job that I love, with not an iota of regret, for quite some time I have suppressed an undeniable gravitational pull to return home to Australia to be closer to my nearest and dearest."

"The past two years have been trying, for everyone. I fully recognize the privilege of being able to work and make our show during a global pandemic, but it also meant being separated from my loved ones when we needed each other the most. Thus came the need to create the space to split my time between both countries."

What do you think of Maia Mitchell returning to Good Trouble? Are you excited to see what's next for Callie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Season 5 of Good Trouble will premiere on Thursday, March 16th at 10/9c on Freeform, and will be available on Hulu the next day.