- Virgin River casting bombshell reveals 2 actors leaving the long-running series.
- The shake-up sees longtime series stars Marco Grazzini and Lauren Hammersley depart.
- New season 7 cast members include Cody Kearsley, Austin Nichols, and Sara Canning.
Virgin River‘s small-town population has officially dwindled by two.
Entertainment Weekly can confirm that two major actors will leave the show ahead of a planned season 8, with Marco Grazzini and Lauren Hammersley departing the long-running drama series.
The news broke the same day season 7 debuted its 10-episode installment on Netflix, in which Grazzini plays a significant role as the returning Mike, a local police officer who helps Brie (Zibby Allen) as she goes on a mission to locate the missing Charmaine (Hammersley) after a grisly discovery in Thursday’s season premiere.
Netflix
Grazzini first joined the show — an adaptation of writer Robyn Carr’s novel series — in season 3, with his character eventually forming a romantic bond with the aforementioned Brie.
Hammersley’s role as Charmaine (a prior love interest of lead actor Martin Henderson’s Jack) debuted alongside the program in 2019. Hammersley was among the main cast through season 4, and she recurred from seasons 5 to 7.
The actress appears in only two season 7 episodes, with minimal screen time in both.
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EW has reached out to representatives for both stars for comment.
Virgin River‘s season 7 comes after a well-received run for the beloved series, which follows a nurse, Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge), who moves to a small California town to start a new life following the death of her husband.
There, she meets the charming Jack, whose family and friends in Virgin River form a unique bond with Mel as she integrates into life in the picturesque, heavily forested hamlet.
Courtesy of Netflix
As two cast members leave the show, Virgin River welcomed new additions to its lineup for season 7 as well. The Vampire Diaries actress Sara Canning joined the project this year, as did One Tree Hill alum Austin Nichols.
The biggest season 7 addition, however, is that of Clay (Riverdale‘s Cody Kearsley), a mysterious rodeo rider who moseys into town with a problematic past.
Virgin River season 7 is now streaming on Netflix.
