Top 10 Stars Who Refused to Come Back for TV Reunions

“Beverly Hills, 90210” (1990-2000)

For 10 years, Tori Spelling portrayed the stylish Donna Martin on the Fox series “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Nearly a decade after the show’s conclusion, a reboot was announced, intending to reunite some of the original cast, including Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling. Initially, Spelling delayed her appearance due to childbirth. However, she ultimately chose to leave the show, after learning she would be paid less than Doherty and Garth. Spelling had requested her $20,000 per episode salary to be increased to match her co-stars’ $40,000 to $50,000 pay, but her plea was rejected. Nevertheless, she later reprised her role in another reboot titled “BH90210,” which unfortunately was canceled after one season.

“Heroes” (2006-10)

Zachary Quinto rose to prominence as the psychopathic villain Sylar on the TV series “Heroes.” Initially a recurring character in the first season, Sylar evolved into a central figure in subsequent seasons, earning the adoration of many fans. Hence, when the show was given a second life in the form of the revival miniseries “Heroes Reborn,” fans were eager to see Quinto back on their screens. But while he initially expressed interest in returning, Quinto left many disappointed when he ultimately announced that he would not be stepping back into Sylar’s shoes. According to the actor, he needed to “cultivate other outlets” for himself. Considering his extensive list of credits since, it seems he made the right choice.

“Gilmore Girls” (2000-07)

The 2016 Netflix revival of “Gilmore Girls” gave fans a perfect conclusion to the beloved comedy-drama series. Well… almost perfect. Although the miniseries reunited nearly all of the original cast, there was one glaring omission. Chad Michael Murray, who had played bad boy Tristin Dugray, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he had been replaced with another actor, Anton Narinskiy. While it was initially reported that Murray simply “declined an invitation to appear,” the actor later clarified that he was unable to do so as he had just welcomed his first child at the time. Nevertheless, he commended the work of Narinskiy, who portrayed the character in his place, stating that he delivered a “good job.”

“The Hills” (2006-10)

Lauren Conrad was one of the first individuals to benefit from the reality TV boom in the early 2000s. Her rise to fame began in 2004 with her appearance on “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County,” and was further solidified with her own spin-off series “The Hills.” However, as the seasons progressed, Conrad grew disillusioned and decided to exit the show before its final season. Therefore, it wasn’t all that surprising when the series was revived in 2019 as “The Hills: New Beginnings,” and Conrad declined to participate. The fashion designer cited a focus on her family and a desire for privacy as her reasons, options she likely wouldn’t have had while filming a reality show.

“Community” (2009-15)

Decades after breaking out on the first season of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” Chevy Chase experienced a career resurgence when he returned to the network for the show “Community.” Chase played the arrogant millionaire Pierce Hawthorne, until his abrupt departure from the series in its fourth season. His exit came after an on-set incident in which Chase reportedly uttered racist remarks. With the announcement of a feature-length “Community” film in 2022, speculation arose about Chase’s potential involvement. However, series creator Dan Harmon dismissed those speculations, stating that he was unsure if it was even legally possible for Chase to appear. Despite this, the film will see the return of all other main cast members, including Joel McHale and Donald Glover.

“Twin Peaks” (1990-91; 2017)

Sometimes, an actor retires from show business and simply has no desire to return. That seemingly was the case with Canadian actor Michael Ontkean, who portrayed Sheriff Harry S. Truman in the first two seasons of “Twin Peaks.” When talks surfaced about reviving the show, Ontkean, who had retired from acting, was approached to reprise his role. Initially keen on the idea, Ontkean eventually lost interest and declined the offer, opting to remain retired. The role was eventually replaced with Truman’s brother Frank, portrayed by Robert Forster. Interestingly, Forster was originally hired as Harry Truman for the show’s 1990 pilot, but he had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts, leading to Ontkean being cast.

“Frasier” (1993-2004)

A spin-off series itself, “Frasier” enjoyed a successful 11-season run, garnering numerous awards and propelling its main cast to household name status. This included David Hyde Pierce, who received critical acclaim and won four Emmy awards for his portrayal of Frasier’s younger brother Niles. Although his stint on the show was a success, Pierce ultimately came to the realization that he wasn’t quite interested in repeating the performance. Hence, when a revival of “Frasier” was ordered on Paramount+, the actor chose not to reprise the iconic role. Nonetheless, he remains grateful for his time on the original series. Even without his involvement, the revival premiered to generally positive reviews, and was promptly renewed for a second season.

“iCarly” (2007-12)

The 2021 revival of the Nickelodeon sitcom “iCarly” was missing one key figure: Jennette McCurdy. The actress portrayed the tomboyish Sam Puckett in all six seasons, and returned to star alongside Ariana Grande in the spin-off “Sam & Cat.” Years later, McCurdy disclosed that during her time on “iCarly,” she faced severe maltreatment from her own mother. This contributed to her decision to quit acting in the late 2010s, following her mum’s passing. When she was approached to reprise her role for the revival series, McCurdy declined, preferring not to be reminded of her past experience. Instead, she directed her energy towards her one-woman tragicomedy show “I'm Glad My Mom Died,” which she later adapted into a best-selling book.

“Full House” (1987-95)

This house was apparently too full for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The former child stars, who made their acting debut sharing the role of Michelle Tanner on “Full House,” were noticeably absent from the 2016 Netflix revival “Fuller House.” Following their time on the show, the Olsens continued to act in movies and TV before eventually retiring to focus on their fashion brands. Due to their prolonged hiatus from acting, the sisters turned down the offer to return, stating that it was also bad timing. The show’s executive producer confirmed their absence, but expressed that they’re still cherished as part of the “Full House” family. Here’s hoping they can find time for the second spin-off “Fullest House.”

“Sex and the City” (1998-2004)

After portraying Samatha Jones throughout all six seasons of “Sex and the City” and its two feature films, Kim Cattrall decided she was done with the character. A proposed third film was retooled into the revival series “And Just Like That…,” which premiered in 2021. Since Cattrall had already declined to appear in the third movie, she reportedly wasn’t even approached to reprise her role for the show. Nonetheless, she has stated that it wouldn’t have altered her decision. Despite her initial opposition, Cattrall ultimately made a brief cameo in the second season finale. However, due to her strained relationship with the rest of the cast, she filmed her scene separately, without interacting with any of her former co-stars.