The Walking Dead is a massively popular post-apocalyptic zombie series that famously focuses on Deputy Rick Grimes and his resilient fellow survivors. The critically-acclaimed, groundbreaking horror hit was a ratings knockout for AMC, and swiftly became one of the most buzzed about and passionately followed programs on television.
Over its sensational 11 seasons and 177 episodes, fans were put through the emotional ringer as some of their most beloved heroes experienced trauma, heartbreak, and much-needed happiness. TWD was notorious for killing off fan-favorite characters and never shied away from doing so in brutal and gut-wrenching manners.
Actress Sarah Wayne Callies portrayed Rick’s wife and the mother of his children Lori for the show’s first three seasons, and while her character was never a cherished survivor, Callies nonetheless garnered praise for her compelling performance. Her departure in 2013 left some fans shocked, with many wondering what caused her to make the decision. With that being said, let’s dive into why she left The Walking Dead.
Who Is Sarah Wayne Callies?
Sarah Wayne Callies made her on-screen debut in a 2003 episode of the police procedural series Dragnet, before landing her first starring role as Detective Jane Porter in the short-lived adventure drama Tarzan. The actress went on to land guest appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and NUMB3RS before rising to widespread prominence when she was cast as Dr. Sara Tancredi in the smash hit Fox serial drama Prison Break. Callies was the first to audition for producers and subsequently became the first to sign on as a principal cast member.
She portrayed the Fox River prison doctor for the drama's first two seasons, becoming the romantic love interest of inmate Michael Scofield and a notable fan-favorite. Audiences were left in shock when her character was killed off prior to the third season (having been written out over contract disputes) before she was ultimately brought back for the fourth season due to an overwhelming demand by fans. Callies stayed for the show's final two seasons and returned for the 2009 television film, before going on to nab one of her most memorable roles to date.
Breakthrough Role of Lori Grimes
In 2010, Callies was cast in the lead role of Lori Grimes in the AMC adaptation of the post-apocalyptic comic book The Walking Dead, having first learned about the project after stumbling upon the horror series while in a comic book store in Vancouver. She appeared as the main protagonist Rick Grimes' wife and the mother of Carl and Judith. The character found was in a toxic love triangle after she began a relationship with Rick's partner Shane Walsh before making the stunning discovery that her husband was actually alive. Despite immediately breaking it off with Shane and being overwhelmed with relief that Rick is alive, Lori finds herself in a dangerous tug-of-war between the two powerful presences.
Upon its sensational debut, The Walking Dead quickly became the highest-rated TV show in AMC history, riveting audiences with its dynamic characters, gripping storylines, spine-tingling special effects, and chilling villains. Fans watched with bated breath as sheriff's deputy Rick and his band of fellow Atlanta survivors took on the flesh-eating walkers and searched for sanctuary in a desolate landscape. Callies was a series regular for the first three seasons of the show before her character Lori met a tragic (but anticipated) demise.
A Heartbreaking End
After battling against the undead and losing both new and old friends including Dale and Shane, Lori is devastatingly killed after giving birth to her daughter Judith. She had become pregnant in the previous season despite the true identity of the baby's father remaining a mystery. When her pregnancy is revealed to the other survivors, the unexpected news causes a further rift between Rick and Shane and subsequently spreads tension within the group. By the time the third season rolls around, both Rick and Carl have grown very distant from Lori as they seek refuge in an abandoned prison.
While her death in the fourth episode of the season sparked a ripple effect of shock among fans, those who read the comic books anticipated the character's brutal end. In the comics, Lori is tragically shot in the back by one of the Governor's minions/soldiers as she is running away with Judith in her arms. She ends up horrifically falling on the baby and consequently suffocating and killing her daughter, which makes the manner of her death in the show far less gruesome and preferable.
Instead, Lori ends up dying during labor after successfully giving birth to Judith, and poor Carl makes the agonizing decision to step up and be the one to fully take care of Lori before she can reanimate. Callies was well aware of Lori's fate in the comics and fought for a different outcome, as revealed to Collider.
"I knew from the get-go that Lori died in the comic books, so I came to this job assuming that she had an expiration date. There was the death of Shane (Jon Bernthal) and the death of Lori. To me, those were very difficult things to get around. Frank (Darabont) said, ‘I’ve never had a leading lady argue her way off the show.’"
Callies The Walking Dead Departure and Recent Work
Callies always knew that her role in The Walking Dead was temporary, and she set out to make sure that Lori's fate did not directly reflect on that of her baby Judith. She went to bat for both characters and was able to say goodbye to her on-screen counterpart with dignity and satisfaction. Lori's death helped shape Rick's future character arc and story and brought on a major emotional breakdown for her husband. Callies told The Hollywood Reporter the following.
"I argued that it was necessary to kill Lori and I feel very strongly that for all of the other deviations we may have from the comic book, killing Lori does something to Rick that is vital for the story and can’t be done any other way.”
Since departing the juggernaut series in 2013, Callies has kept herself quite busy and has appeared in a slew of successful film and television projects. The actress portrayed Katie Bowman in the sci-fi drama series Colony from 2016 to 2018, in addition to roles in Letterkenny, Unspeakable, and Council of Dads. Her most recent small-screen performance was in the 2023 drama The Company You Keep. She also stuck with her horror roots and starred in chilling films like Pay the Ghost (alongside Nicolas Cage) and The Other Side of the Door, as well as in the satirical drama The Show.
Callies has since reflected on her time on The Walking Dead (for which she won a Satellite Award), calling it a "tremendous, tremendous experience" and that "everybody was just taking these huge risks, which was thrilling to be a part of — absolutely thrilling."