Is ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ Star Rob Kerkovich Leaving the Show?
After many weeks on hiatus, NCIS: New Orleans is back in full swing. So far, the season’s jam-packed with action, tension, and all the Tammy Gregorio (Vanessa Ferlito) and Sebastian Lund (Rob Kerkovich) banter fans can handle. That said, some have a few concerns considering recent developments in the series. Is Kerkovich leaving the NCIS team?
[Spoilers for NCIS: New Orleans Season 6 below]
Rob Kerkovich is one of the original cast members of ‘NCIS: New Orleans’
Only a select few can claim the status of “original cast member” on the set of NCIS: New Orleans. Team lead, Scott Bakula, along with CCH Pounder, and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell are also founding members of the spin-off series.
Rob Kerkovich, who plays Field Forensic Scientist Sebastian Lund, is the fourth star who started with the show in 2014. Kerkovich’s IMDb page lists 132 episodes under his NCIS belt to date.
However, Kerkovich didn’t star in the two-episode crossover event that initiated the NOLA spin-off as part of a backdoor pilot. His first episode, “Musician Heal Thyself,” began his long-running stint as the nervous-talking, Star Wars-obsessed, quirky scientist at the helm of the contracted coroner for Jefferson Parish, Dr. Loretta Wade (Pounder).
It’s hard to imagine an NCIS: New Orleans world without Sebastian Lund’s wit, random facts, or awkward interactions. With season 6 half-over and Sebastian’s fate tied to his acceptance into REACT, Kerkovich’s time on Pride’s team may be coming to an end.
Kerkovich’s life just got a little busier
Sebastian’s been on quite a journey over the last few seasons. After his kidnapping and escape, he realized he wanted more from life. From there, he applied for REACT and stepped out of his lab to become a crucial part of Dwayne Pride’s field team.
In real life, Kerkovich and his wife of nine years, Anjali Prasertong, previously made the big move from Los Angeles to the Big Easy while caring for their son. While Kerkovich continued acting and filming genre mashup short videos, Prasertong recently became a registered dietician after a decade of education.
On Feb. 11, Prasertong announced that she and Kerkovich just welcomed their second child into the world.
“I’m so excited to raise another kid with him,” Prasertong captioned the photo on Instagram.
That said, the man has his hands full. There aren’t any additional projects listed on Kerkovich’s IMDb page as of now, but NCIS: New Orleans is time-consuming in its own right.
Is Rob Kerkovch leaving the show?
Considering Kerkovich’s current storyline on NCIS: New Orleans, it’s hard to say if Sebastian is planning to leave Pride’s team. That would likely mean less of Kerkovich on the show.
While there’s been no official word yet about additional cast members exiting this season, fans know to expect the unexpected. After the sudden and final departure of fan-favorite, Lucas Black, it feels like no one is safe to ride out a season, or series.
Before, Black, Shalita Grant, and Zoe McLellan, also left. Their replacements, Necar Zadegan and Vanessa Ferlito filled the gaps nicely, but it changed the dynamics of Pride’s team immensely.
Charles Michael Grant is slated to join the cast a series regular in the coming episodes to fill Black’s shoes. It’s unlikely Kerkovich will leave just as the show struggles to introduce a new agent. Still, after Black’s jarring exit, it’s in the writers’ hands.
NCIS: New Orleans airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on CBS.
