Law and Order: Criminal Intent was the second spin-off of the iconic franchise but why did Detective Zach Nichols actor Jeff Goldblum leave?<\/p>\n
The NBC and USA Network series kicked off in 2001 with Chris Noth reprising his role as Mike Logan but following his departure in 2009, a replacement was needed.<\/p>\n
What no one expected was for Jurassic Park and The Fly actor Jeff Goldblum to join the cast as Detective Zach Nichols.<\/p>\n
Goldblum hadn\u2019t been seen on TV since 2007 when he starred in NBC\u2019s short-lived drama Raines which was passed over for a full season order.<\/p>\n
His stint on the show was short and sweet though as he remained for just two seasons with the season nine finale showing Zach getting back in touch with his estranged father.<\/p>\n
Read more: The real reason Tamara Tunie left Law and Order SVU as Melinda Warner<\/strong><\/p>\n After the emotional storyline regarding the reunion with his dad, it seemed the Criminal Intent writers were ready to continue building up Goldblum\u2019s character of Nichols.<\/p>\n It came out in August 2010, weeks after the series nine finale aired, that the 70-year-old had decided he no longer wanted to star in the legal drama.<\/p>\n At the time, Goldblum\u2019s representatives told Variety how he was leaving \u201cdue to the uncertainty\u201d surrounding its future and wasn\u2019t part of a \u201cnegotiating tactic\u201d to earn more money or get more screen time.<\/p>\n Looking back, the star\u2019s concerns were valid with declining ratings following the exit of original stars Kathryn Erbe and Vincent D\u2019Onofrio at the start of season nine.<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> USA Network hadn\u2019t said anything about renewing or cancelling the show, several months after the usual season of renewals.<\/p>\n The network then extended the window of contract signings for an extra month before making a massive announcement.<\/p>\n They had resigned Erbe and D\u2019Onofrio to reprise their roles as Alexandra Earns and Robert Goren respectively.<\/p>\n This ensured Criminal Intent returned for another outing but it was after season 10 aired that the drama was cancelled for good.<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n Of course, Goldblum remains a big name in Hollywood with some major roles since his days in the world of Law and Order.<\/p>\n He went on to star in further movies from the Jurassic Park franchise, Thor, Hotel Artemis, Isle of Dogs, The Mountain and Asteroid City.<\/p>\n West End fans will also be delighted to see him take on the role of the Wizard in the 2024 film adaptation of Wicked.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/20\/590x\/secondary\/Law-and-Order-Criminal-Intent-Actor-jeff-goldblum-exit-zach-nichols-5019975.jpg?r=1697649200677\")
<\/p>\nWhy did Jeff Goldblum leave Law and Order: Criminal Intent as Detective Zach Nichols?\u00a0<\/b><\/b><\/h2>\n
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