Chicago Med is facing another cast shakeup as Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut confirms she will not be returning for season 12.
Chestnut, 34, who has played Naomi since season 9, revealed the news in response to a fan on TikTok.
When a viewer asked whether she would be coming back to the NBC medical drama, Chestnut simply replied, “And no.”
Her answer comes after some uncertainty surrounding Naomi’s future on the series.
Chestnut appeared during seasons 9 and 10, leading some viewers to wonder whether the character had quietly been written out. Those concerns appeared to ease when Naomi returned in season 11.
Executive producer Allen MacDonald previously said the show had never intended to permanently remove the character.
“We love Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut; she’s phenomenal,” MacDonald said while addressing speculation about Naomi’s absence.
At the time, he explained that story developments involving Dr. Hayes may have made it seem like Naomi was gone for good, but said the plan had always been for her to return.
MacDonald even hinted that the creative team hoped to expand Naomi’s storyline.
Chestnut’s latest confirmation, however, means that will not continue into season 12.
Her departure comes as the wider One Chicago franchise experiences several other major changes.
Before season 15 of Chicago Fire, reports confirmed that longtime cast member Joe Miñoso would be leaving the series, although he is still expected to appear in several episodes.
Behind the scenes, longtime Chicago Fire showrunner Andrea Newman also exited after more than a decade working on the drama.
Newman had been involved with the show since shortly after its pilot and eventually became sole showrunner in 2023.
She described working on Chicago Fire as one of the highlights of her career and praised the cast, crew and production team she worked with over the years.
Dermot Mulroney is also reportedly leaving after his brief return as Dom Pascal in the season 14 finale.
With several departures across the franchise, the upcoming seasons of Chicago Med and Chicago Fire appear set to bring significant changes to the One Chicago universe.
