Strolling away from The West Wing on the peak of its success was “one of the best factor” Rob Lowe ever did, the actor has typically declared within the years since his 2002 exit. He left the hit NBC drama partway by season 4, saying in a press release on the time that “it has been more and more clear, for fairly some time, that there was not a spot for Sam Seaborn,” the White Home Deputy Communications Director he performed, “on The West Wing.”
Lowe has grow to be more and more candid about his departure since, even evaluating the expertise to an “abusive” relationship on a current episode of Penn Badgley’s“Podcrushed” podcast. “I may see them having first girlfriends and being in a relationship that was abusive and taking it,” he stated of his sons. “‘She’s the favored lady, all people likes her, she’s stunning, it should be nice’—all of the issues that folks would say about making The West Wing to me. ‘It’s so widespread, it’s so superb, it should be superb.’ However I do know what it’s like, and if I couldn’t stroll away from it, then how may I empower my children to stroll away from it?”
He added, “I walked away from the most well-liked lady at college, however I additionally knew that it was a brilliant unhealthy relationship, and it was one of the best factor I ever did.”
Lowe has addressed why he parted methods with the Emmy-winning present on quite a few events. In his 2012 memoir, Tales I Solely Inform My Associates, Lowe remembers assembly with collection creator Aaron Sorkin to air grievances about his pay and storylines. “I inform him ‘I do know that Sam Seaborn is the a part of a lifetime. I really like this half not like something I’ve ever encountered. However I feel it’s bullshit that I’m the one actor on the present who hasn’t been given even a penny increase,” he writes. Lowe says he went on to recommend that if extra money was not potential, meatier materials is likely to be. “However I wish to keep if we are able to develop this half creatively. If there is no such thing as a monetary future, let’s make a inventive future,’” he writes, including, “When our assembly ends with none plan, I do know it’s time to transfer on.”
In 2015, Lowe informed GQ: “I by no means had any points with Aaron. To his credit score, Aaron writes what he needs to write down, and he’s not telling anyone, ‘I’m going to ensure you two nice [story lines].’ And I cherished The West Wing. However man, it was grueling.” He went on to notice that the present was filmed close to the Associates stage: “We might roll in at, like, 6 within the morning, and the ‘buddies’ would are available in, of their Ferraris and Lamborghinis, like, at 11:30 a.m., and by midnight they might have shot their present. They’d be gone and we’d be there till 6 within the morning. The solar would rise. That may by no means occur in TV at this time. By no means. They’d by no means pay for the additional time. It was a second in time, each by way of the economics of the enterprise and the way profitable the present was.”
Lowe informed Empire in 2014 that he has “even much less remorse now” about leaving when he did as a result of Sorkin would depart the collection simply six weeks after his personal exit. “The universe works in mysterious methods and for me it labored out completely. With all respect to all people else, Aaron is and was The West Wing, full cease,” Lowe informed the outlet. “There’s no West Wing with out him.”
Alas, the idealistic political drama would air for one more three seasons with out Sorkin’s involvement. Lowe went on to reprise his function for 2 episodes throughout The West Wing’s ultimate season in 2006 and as soon as once more for 2020’s HBO reunion particular to profit “When We All Vote.”
