Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for the FBI Season 3 premiere.
The FBI: Most Wanted team is going to be down another member.
In a surprising turn, just one day after the Season 3 premiere, Kellan Lutz, who plays Kenny Crosby, has confirmed he will be leaving the series. This comes just after a major turn involving the character.
Why is Crosby leaving FBI: International?
A former soldier, Kenny Crosby was a major character of FBI: Most Wanted since its backdoor pilot in the first season of FBI in 2019. His military experience was top-notch as he also balanced some personal issues.
The Season 2 finale had Crosby visiting team leader Jess (Julian McMahon) when the ex-husband of Jess’s girlfriend Sarah came with a gun and shots were fired as the show cut to black.
The FBI: Most Wanted Season 3 premiere was part of the epic three-part crossover with the FBI Season 4 premiere and the debut of FBI: International. In Part 1 of the crossover, Crosby was called in by Maggie (Missy Peregrym) and OA (Zeeko Zaki) to track a suspect who was a former army friend.
Now a mercenary tied into a ruthless pedophile ring, the man opened fire on Crosby, badly wounding him. This had Jess briefly angry with Maggie. He revealed that he and Crosby had killed Sarah’s ex in self-defense, with Crosby still affected by it.
The show appeared to have Jess claiming Crosby had died in the hospital, but it turned out that it was a trick to get the gunman to talk. The crossover ended with Crosby awake in his bed and seemingly ready for a full recovery.
Instead, this will be the last time fans see the character.
Lutz leaving a hole in FBI: Most Wanted
Shortly after the crossover finished, Lutz posted a message on his Instagram page, confirming his exit. He cited the difficulties he’d endured in 2020 from the loss of a daughter in pregnancy to the global pandemic all playing a role in his leaving.
“Crosby won’t be chasing down any bad guys for a little while. 2020 was a lot for everyone to say the least. For me it started with losing my first daughter, then nearly my wife, and both grandfathers among other things, all in the middle of a global pandemic on the opposite side of the country from my family, friends, and entire support system. If 2020 taught me anything it’s how important family truly is. After a lot of prayer and reflection I made the difficult decision to move my growing family back to [California] so our daughter could grow up with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, just a short drive away.”
Lutz thanked the show and the cast and made it clear he would love to return one day.
“One thing that I kept hearing over and over when I booked this job was how much of a family Dick Wolf shows are, and that couldn’t be more accurate. They’ve supported me in the lows and celebrated with me in the highs and I will forever be grateful for everything they’ve done for me. I will miss the show, my costars, production, and most importantly my character Kenny Crosby, who is named after one of the grandfathers I lost earlier this year, but I have so much peace knowing I made the right decision for my family.I hope Crosby is able to pop in and out here and there in the future but for now Crosby-over and out.”
Lutz’s departure comes after Nathaniel Arcand left the show midway through Season 2, with the exit confirmed over the summer. Also, the Season 3 premiere stated that Hana was visiting her ill mother in Spain to explain Keisha Castle-Hughes being absent as the actress gave birth over the summer.
The Season 3 premiere did have the team gaining a new member in Agent Kristin Gaines (Alexa Davalos), with Episode 2 no doubt to address Crosby’s absence. Obviously, his wounds will be a viable excuse for the character not returning for some time with Jess trying to soldier on.
There’s no word if another replacement will be coming, but it’s for sure that the FBI: Most Wanted team will be missing a key member as Season 3 goes on.
FBI: Most Wanted airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS.