Julianna Margulies Will Not Be Part of The Morning Show Season 4
Julianna Margulies is reportedly not returning to the fourth season of Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, as per a report from Variety. According to a source, her screen presence in season 4 was significantly reduced, and she offered only one episode appearance, so she turned down the offer.
The source also disclosed that the showrunner has approached her about a possible return in the fifth season.
Margulies joined The Morning Show in the second season, and she played the LGBTQ character of Laura Peterson, who was a journalist and fell in love with Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon). The two of them played as a couple in the second season, and they ended their relationship at the beginning of season 3 when Laura learned Bradley tried to cover her brother’s involvement in the Capitol attacks, which happened on January 6. But Laura’s story continued in the remaining episode of season 3.
After the finale of the third season, showrunner Charlotte Stoudt shared with Variety the plans for Margulies character in the future season. She said, “We’re very, very, very early in the room, but I think I’d want to explore [Laura] more,” and continued, “Not just, ‘I’m Laura and I love Bradley, and she occasionally drives me crazy!’ I think there’s there’s more to Laura than that.”
The source also noted that the decision regarding her appearance for only one episode was made before her controversial statement about the war in Gaza through ‘The Back Room With Andy Ostroy’ podcast in November.
On that podcast, she shared her thoughts about black and LGBTQ people who were speaking out against Israel for their attack in Gaza. She said, “As someone who plays a lesbian journalist on The Morning Show, I am more offended by it as a lesbian than I am as a Jew.”
She also added, “The fact that the entire Black community isn’t standing with us to me says either they just don’t know, or they’ve been brainwashed to hate Jews.”
She has been criticized for her comments in the podcast, and later she made an apology by stating, “I am horrified by the fact that statements I made on a recent podcast offended the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities, communities I truly love and respect.”
She further added, ”I did not intend for my words to sow further division, for which I am sincerely apologetic.”
The production of The Morning Show season 4 will start in July, and the new face added to the cast list is Marion Cotillard.