Why George Clooney Left His Role As Dr. Doug Ross On ER

In recent decades, TV viewers have been treated to slew of hunks in primetime, including Tom Selleck ("Magnum P.I."), John Stamos ("Full House"), and Patrick Dempsey ("Grey's Anatomy"). However, one of the dreamiest actors to truly capture audiences was Oscar-winner George Clooney on the popular medical series "ER." Created by "Jurassic Park" author Micheal Crichton, the show followed a group of doctors who worked in a Chicago emergency room. Clooney — with his permanent five o'clock shadow and bedroom eyes — made millions of hearts flutter as the bad boy pediatric surgeon Dr. Doug Ross. 

In a 1994 interview with Extra, Clooney opened up about joining the show, which put him on the map in the Hollywood sphere. "We are the luckiest group of people in the world. Everyone's really great and sweet, and that's rare, you know, in this business," he said. Throughout the first four seasons of "ER," fans tuned in every week to catch a glimpse of Clooney and his fictional character saving lives. However in the summer of 1998, viewers were thrown for a loop when the "Batman & Robin" star announced he was leaving "ER" after its fifth season, per The Washington Post. Join us as we take a deeper look into why Clooney stepped away from the renowned medical drama.

On February 18, 1999, George Clooney said goodbye to his character, Dr. Doug Ross, during episode 15 of "ER" Season 5. At the time, it was reported that his departure coincided with his five-year contract coming to an end. However, expired contract obligations weren't the only reason behind him hanging up his medical scrubs. In an interview with SFGate, "ER" executive producer John Wells revealed that Clooney's growing success in the film world was a factor, adding that he lost millions of dollars balancing the show and his movie projects. In 1996, Clooney broke into the film industry with his action horror film "From Dusk till Dawn." The movie resulted in Clooney becoming an in-demand leading man, starring in movies like "Batman & Robin" and "One Fine Day."

In an interview with BAFTA's Life in Pictures interview series, "The Descendants" star said 1998's "Out of Sight," filmed during his "ER" tenure, was the feature that kicked off his transition from TV darling to movie star. "People look at it now and think it was a hit. It was a bomb. You know, it didn't make a dime... but it was a critical darling," he explained. "It changed my career in terms of from that point on, I was gonna be allowed to make movies. And I wasn't before that. It was all up in the air of if I was allowed to move from TV to film."

Even though George Clooney stepped away from "ER" in 1999, it wasn't the last time fans would see his dreamy character, Dr. Doug Ross. For the sixth season, he made a cameo appearance in the penultimate episode, "Such Sweet Sorrow," which was Julianna Margulies' last appearance as Nurse Carol Hathaway. For those who may have forgotten, the on-again off-again relationship of Doug and Carol was one of the most popular storylines on the show. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Clooney opened up about the moment, which was kept under wraps. "We shot the scene in the back of a house that no one lived in anymore and got back on the plane," he explained. "The rest of the cast didn't know. The only people who knew were Julianna, John Wells, our cinematographer, our sound guy, and one grip, I think."

Clooney also appeared in the 19th episode of "ER's" final season. Despite it being over 10 years since the show ended, the beloved talent still has nothing but good things to say about the show. While appearing on "The Drew Barrymore Show" in 2022, Clooney revealed that he still has a close bond with his cast mates. "I guess it was the friendship I have with all of them and that I continue to have," he explained. "They're really good friends. And so I feel that [show] was a job of a lifetime. And it changed my career."