Renee Felice Smith said farewell to NCIS: LA after 11 seasons on Sunday’s finale, which also marked co-star Barrett Foa’s last episode. The American crime drama ‘NCIS LA’ recently said goodbye to one of its major cast members, Nell Jones. Discover why Nell left NCIS LA.
Smith’s Nell struggled with the thought of permanently taking over Hetty’s post as operations manager, a position she’s held unofficially for much of the season. When it came time to make a final choice regarding her future at NCIS, she elected to take a chance and move to Tokyo with Foa’s Eric to open a new office.
With her tenure on NCIS: Los Angeles coming to a close, Renée Felice Smith is ready for her next chapter–perhaps literally, since she is also a novelist. Smith’s Nell Jones decided in the CBS drama’s Season 12 finale not to formally sign on as the “new Hetty”/Operations Manager but to follow partner Eric B
Renee Felice Smith in NCIS: LA (Credit: YouTube)
eale on an adventure to Tokyo to head up his tech business. But, before driving out into the sunset, Nell briefly reconnected with the season’s long-missing Hetty in co-star Linda Hunt’s first on-set appearance of the season.
It’s also unclear what’s going on with Hetty. Will she be back to lead the club next season? Will a new cast member be hired to fill that position, as none of the team members are interested? That’s a narrative for a new season, and fortunately, NCIS: Los Angeles got renewed for a 13th season, so there’s still time.
Renée Felice Smith left NCIS Los Angeles for what reason?
This year, CBS announced that the drama series, along with NCIS New Orleans, has been renewed for another season. While this news delighted fans, many were surprised to learn that an actor who plays one of the program’s key cast members is departing the show. According to the Daily Mail, the actor Renée Felice Smith, who plays the frumpily dressed Nell Jones on the program, has left the show.
Nell Jones has been uninterested in her job for quite some time. She is frank about her dissatisfaction with her job at NCIS, even confiding in her coworker Agent Kensi Blye. Throughout Season 11, Jones is concerned about her partner, Eric, because she is unaware that he is working on a covert assignment on the orders of Operations Manager Hetty Lange. Although Nell understands he has a duty not to divulge his aim, she remains distant.
These tiny hassles eventually led to Nell’s resignation letter. Hetty refuses to accept her resignation in Season 11. Season 12 provides Nell with the perfect opportunity to move on as Eric Beale finally secures funds to develop his software firm’s worldwide headquarters. Because of her partner’s relocation to Tokyo, Nell quits her job and follows.
According to sources, Renée Felice Smith left the famous television program in order to devote more time to her other hobbies. Showrunner R. Scott Gemmill stated in a May 2021 interview that Renée, being a motivated individual, frequently took time off for her other endeavors. As a result, the end of Season 12 looked like the ideal time to let the actor pursue her other interests.
Her character’s story arc, like Renée’s, had a happy conclusion in the series’ storyline. He did, however, imply that Nell and her companion, Eric Beale, might return to a future episode. During season 11 of NCIS: Los Angeles, fans could observe Nell become restless by the absence of lover Eric Beale. Beale did not tell her where he was going, so she, like the rest of the crew, was in the dark.
When Beale returned, Nell learned that Operations Manager Hetty Lange (Linda Hunt) had dispatched him on a secret assignment that he could not reveal to anybody, even Nell. While Nell was aware of her boyfriend’s profession, she couldn’t help but feel distant from him. She even warned him that because of this exceptional hiatus, they needed to slow down their relationship.
However, Nell was going through a lot more than what was seen. She eventually confessed to Agent Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) that she no longer enjoyed going to work in the morning. Nell handed in her resignation letter at the end of Fortune Favor’s The Brave, shocking the viewers. But Hetty refused, telling Nell to take some time off, relax, and figure out what she wanted to do next. While Nell agreed she would not appear in the rest of the season.
Renee Felice Smith in NCIS: LA (Credit: YouTube)
Where is Renée Felice Smith Today?
Renée addressed her departure in May 2021, saying that while she enjoyed Nell’s character growth in season 12, it was time for her to pursue new interests. After her departure, the actor stated she would concentrate on writing and directing. She even said that she was already working on a TV project.
With Renée and her husband, Chris Gabriel, set to release their picture book ‘Hugo and the Impossible Thing’ in March 2021, the actress has declared a desire to pursue storytelling as a career and, perhaps, achieve success.
Following her departure from ‘NCIS: Los Angeles,’ Renée played Laura Lee in the short film ‘Someone to Carry You,’ which is now in post-production. The actress and her spouse have also been marketing their children’s books. Renée appears to be taking some time off right now to be with her family before moving on to other pursuits.
Why does Nell dress so shabbily?
Nell’s unusual fashion choice drew a lot of attention when she first appeared in NCIS, LA. However, her shabby dressing style speaks a lot about her character and her heritage. Nell, also known as the Nellverine, is well-known among her teammates for her unquestionable ability to tackle opponents twice her size. Her quick-witted comebacks and eye for broad-shouldered frocks won her many followers. The shabby attire complements Nell’s personality features. Thus the showrunners must have given the character that peculiarity.
