Stella's Shocking Departure: The Morning Show Bids Farewell to a Fan-Favorite

In a surprising development, the fan-favorite character Stella, played by Greta Lee, has departed from the Emmy-winning Apple TV series The Morning Show. In the sixth episode of season four, titled "If Then," Stella's gamble with AI technology implodes when the CEO of the media company at the heart of the series suffers a public breakdown.

Showrunner Charlotte Stoudt explains that Stella's exit was a long time coming, as the character grappled with her relationship with technology and her own identity. After Stella's affair with the husband of her new boss Celine Dumont (played by Marion Cotillard) is exposed during the malfunctioning AI presentation, the CEO walks out on the media empire she had been devoted to rebuilding.

Stoudt says it was an emotional decision to write Stella off the show, as the character had become like family to the cast and crew. Lee herself confirms that the departure was a mutual decision, as the demands of the show had become increasingly difficult to manage alongside her other projects.

As Stella boards a plane alone at the end of the episode, the future remains unwritten for the character. However, Lee envisions Stella plotting her comeback, unable to let go of her vision for redefining the news industry. While it's the end of the road for Stella on The Morning Show, the character's legacy as an innovative thinker and fighter lives on.