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It looks like it’s the end of the road for The Good Doctor’s Claire Brown. Antonia Thomas, the actor who plays the role, recently announced she will be departing the series after four seasons. Here’s everything Showbiz Cheat Sheet knows.

‘The Good Doctor’ star Antonia Thomas is leaving the show

Freddie Highmore and Antonia Thomas
Freddie Highmore and Antonia Thomas | Jeff Weddell/ABC via Getty Images

Thomas shared that she will no longer be part of The Good Doctor cast. Season 4 will be it for the actor. Part of the reason is the long seasons. She also says she would like to explore other career opportunities. If you’re a big fan, you’ll be happy to know that Thomas is open to returning as a guest star. She told Deadline that exiting the show was a tough decision for her to make. However, she knew this was the right move for her.

“I think, ultimately, for me, it’s about coming to the point where I think we’ve really run the gamut of different things that Claire can have gone through, and I’m now really excited to explore different creative opportunities,” says Thomas in her Deadline interview. “For me, as an actress, having versatility and creativity has been something that’s been really, really important.”

Thomas points out that she is used to shorter TV seasons, so The Good Doctor was a huge project for her. “I’ve come from the British system where you play a role, you film it for a couple of months because seasons are only six episodes long, and then you can do something else,” says Thomas. “I think after dedicating four years to Claire and her journey and really, really exploring the character, I am just now ready to try something new, ultimately.”

Claire Brown on ‘The Good Doctor’

Antonia Thomas on 'The Good Doctor'
Antonia Thomas on ‘The Good Doctor’ | Jeff Weddell via Getty Images

One storyline we will miss is the one featuring Claire and her father, Miles (Marcuis Harris). It was heartwarming to see Claire make such great strides in their relationship. Things started out rocky because Miles abandoned Claire and her mother when she was a little girl. Claire had a tough time when Miles came back into her life seeking forgiveness. However, with time, Claire managed to forgive him and start over.

During The Good Doctor Season 4 Episode 18 (titled “Forgive or Forget”), Claire told him she not only forgave him, but also needed him in her life. This was big for Claire because she once told him she didn’t need a father. She eventually realized that even though Miles hurt her, she sill needs a father figure in her life.

Antonia Thomas’ rise to fame

Thomas made one of her first television appearance in the 2009 British series Misfits. She played the character Alisha Daniels until 2011. The following year, Thomas made her film debut in the movie 8 Minutes Idle, in which she played the role of Adrienne. That year, she also joined the series Homefront as recurring character Tasha Ravely. Her other acting roles include appearances in Lovesick, The Musketeers, Sunshine on Leith, and Hello Carter. Thomas began playing Dr. Claire Brown on The Good Doctor in 2017.

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