14 DAY TRIAL // British actor Hugh Laurie, now starring in Fox's critically acclaimed medical drama “House M.D.,” will no longer appear in television roles once the series comes to an end, which, as far as we know, could be when season 8 wraps.
In a recent interview cited by the Daily Mail, Laurie says that, while he's amassed a lot of experience being on the show (the equivalent of 56 feature films, he estimates), he doesn't see how he could take his career as television actor farther than this.
Laurie grew on US and international audiences as Dr. Gregory House, the harsh, brutally blunt, inconsiderate and brilliant diagnostician, in the Fox series. He's been in it for 8 seasons.
“House M.D.” also made Laurie the highest paid actor in television several years in a row, while turning him into the idol of millions of fans.
There's no topping that, he says, so the best retreat would be to bow down gracefully while he's still at the top of his game.
“I think I have been rather spoiled here. I can't imagine there will be another [show] quite like this,” Laurie says in the interview cited by the British tab.
“I think I am extremely lucky to have had the one shot that I have had at it and I wouldn't go looking for lightning to strike twice,” he adds, explaining why he wouldn't want to do another TV role.
Convinced that he's “no longer a desirable commodity for TV,” Laurie would rather he focused on his music, producing or long feature films once “House” came to an end.
This way, he wouldn't leave any room for comparisons.
“I think I will probably be as interested by either writing or producing or directing, or some other aspect. I find the whole field of it fascinating,” he says.
The above remarks are being interpreted by fans as a way of preparing the world for the inevitable and much talked about end of “House.”
For months, there's been a lot of speculation about how Fox wouldn't renew the series once season 8 is over because it's no longer as profitable as it was a couple of years back.