Scott Speedman’s ‘Animal Kingdom’ Exit: Did He Ask to Quit the Show, or Was It for the Plot?

The 2010 Australian film Animal Kingdom gripped viewers with its dramatic rendition of an intense true-crime story. It also introduced a ton of viewers to Ben Mendelsohn, who went on to give incredible performances in Mississippi Grind, Killing Them Softly, and The Place Beyond the Pines.

The movie also spawned a popular TV series set in a coastal city, with principal photography largely taking place in Oceanside, Calif. The gangster drama logged six seasons. Longtime fans of the show are curious, however, as to why Scott Speedman departed the show after the events of its Season 3 premiere.

In 2018, Entertainment Weekly spoke with the show's executive producer, John Wells, about Speedman's exit.

Wells told the outlet that the reason for Speedman's character, Baz, being cut from the show wasn't due to any on-set drama or a decision to specifically remove the actor from the narrative.

Rather, it was to keep Animal Kingdom in line with the source material around which the original story revolves. Viewers who watched the Animal Kingdom film will remember that Baz's character dies within the first 15 minutes of the movie.

Wells thought that there were intriguing directions for Baz's character to go in the series and said that from the jump, he let Speedman know that his involvement in the project probably wouldn't be for five or six years.

The Animal Kingdom EP states that production knew the direction it was going to take with Baz's character about a year before he was ultimately killed off. Additionally, he said that offing such a prominent person in the series like Baz forces audiences to feel the weight of their consequences more.

After all, they're heavily involved with criminal activity, and there is a danger to engaging in this type of lifestyle. Additionally, he says that Baz's absence also leaves lingering consequences for everyone else in the series, as Baz was integral in planning and coordinating the family's maneuvers.

Wells went on to state that Baz's death was the nucleus of the plot of Animal Kingdom's third season. "Baz was central to the planning and the leadership of the family, and so a lot of what the season is about is: How will that void be filled, particularly with Smurf in jail? Who is going to do what? Can we still do this? Should we continue to do it? What is J's part in it? How can Smurf try to control some of it from in jail? That's the whole direction that we're going in the series this year."

However, The Direct writes that Ellen Barkin said in an interview with HuffPost that Speedman had specifically asked to leave the series. She also added that male actors on the show "were treated with much more respect" than she was.

Moreover, Barkin relayed that she had been asked to leave the show "for four years" and was always met with resistance whilst doing so. On the other hand, all Speedman had to do was ask, and his wish was ultimately granted.

It should be noted that the announcement of Speedman's departure from Animal Kingdom had come up rather quickly. Deadline even published an article mentioning that the actor would be joining the cast of Grey's Anatomy, highlighting that he would be handling starring roles in two high-profile shows. However, it seems that Speedman pivoted to the medical drama instead.