14 DAY TRIAL // Season 8 of the incredibly popular medical drama “House M.D.” is definitely all about change. After several shocks and changes, fans are getting ready for another one: Thirteen is gone for good.
Though this hardly comes as a surprise since Olivia Wilde, who plays Thirteen, was mostly gone these past couple of seasons because of her budding acting career, it’s still sad news.
The video below offers a preview of last night’s episode, which marked the last appearance from Thirteen. It also comes with some thoughts from Wilde and leading man Hugh Laurie.
Again, diehard fans of the show who are also familiar with the actors’ other projects probably saw this coming many months ago, when Wilde first began taking leave of absence to star in feature films.
Now that she’s a bona fide film actress, she doesn’t have the time to work on the TV series as well. Plus, she says, Thirteen couldn’t last that much longer on House’s staff because of her illness.
She was bound to leave, since she’s been slowly realizing she doesn’t have that much left to live – and she wants to be able to enjoy the few years she still has, which she obviously can’t do while working for House.
Wilde is grateful for the opportunity she was given when she was cast on the show.
“It’s been an extraordinary time on the show for me. My work has gotten so much better from learning from Hugh and the other actors and working with this writing staff,” she says.
“I see it as a chapter, a really important chapter in my life, and one that will affect me for my entire career. It’s a strange feeling thinking I won’t be coming here every morning, but all I feel is gratitude. My film career is thanks to House,” Olivia adds.
Hugh Laurie is equally saddened to see her leave, but he stresses that the announcement should hardly come as a shock.
“There is a great sadness that Olivia is leaving us and moving on… Although it never came as any great surprise to anybody. Olivia was like a gunpowder fuse that was lit 15 years ago,” the British actor says.
“Olivia is a real delight to be around and we will miss her very, very much. She’s obviously headed for great things,” he adds.
Check out the video to see Olivia for one last time on “House M.D.,” as well as to hear her thoughts on the departure.