The Blacklist Shake-Up: Two Series Regulars Exit in Season 9 Finale

The Blacklist‘s cast list is getting shorter.

Friday’s Season 9 finale saw two series regulars leave the NBC drama: Amir Arison — who has played Agent Aram Mojtabai, the tech whiz of the FBI task force, for all nine seasons — said goodbye, along with Laura Sohn, who plays Agent Alina Park. (Sohn joined the cast in Season 7 and was upped to series regular for Season 8.)

In the finale, Aram made an announcement to his fellow task force members at the cemetery where Liz Keen is buried: “After a lot of careful reflection, I have decided to take some time away.” Elsewhere in the episode, Alina Park revealed that she was pregnant and will be taking medical leave.

Arison confirmed his departure in a statement to Deadline: “I have been so honored to play Aram Mojtabai for 9 years on The Blacklist. It is not lost on me how lucky I am to have been able to work and evolve with a role for 9 years with this extraordinary cast, crew, writers and producers.” The actor added that he’s leaving to take a starring role on Broadway in The Kite Runner: “The producers, studio and network have been so supportive of my decision, and Aram remains ‘alive’ with the potential for a possible return at some point.”

As Arison noted, he’ll no longer be a series regular on The Blacklist, but the door remains open for him to return as a guest star in the upcoming Season 10.

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