Katherine Langford leaving 13 Reasons Why; why it’s the right time
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Langford explains why now was the right time for her to depart this show and the role that she has played on it over the course of the past two years — a decision that really could have come down after season 1 given the way in which Hanna died:
“For me, we told Hannah’s story so fully in Season 1 … In a way, doing that scene in episode 13, I’ve so often referred to it as it was the hardest scene because it’s the scene where I had to let her go. I think coming back this season was challenging because it was playing her but not really her.”
The season 2 version of Hannah was in many ways Clay’s version of Hannah, as most of her appearances were tied to him struggling to come to grips with her death. Yet, the finale offered up a sense of closure for him, something that Langford explains further in a really beautiful way:
“It was kind of like being in purgatory for Season 2, and then being able to officially say goodbye to her … It definitely felt like time. For me, letting Hannah go was in Season 1; Season 2 was for Clay to let her go. It was being able to assist Clay on that journey.”
With this closure in mind, it should be interesting to see what Langford does next. We feel like on some level, it may be appealing for her to go out and try to pursue some lighter material, given precisely how dark and challenging doing 13 Reasons Why can be. It tests you emotionally in a wide array of different ways that aren’t always the easiest to explain.
Do you think now is the right time for Katherine Langford to leave 13 Reasons Why, especially since keeping her around would really feel forced, more so than anything? Share right away in the attached comments!
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