Stana Katic finally broke her silence on social media after fans expressed their disappointment over her departure from "Castle."
On Twitter, the 37-year-old actress thanked her fans for supporting her eight-season stint as Kate Beckett in the police procedural series.
The actress also told E! News that she is very thankful for the experience of being on the show.
"Rather than distract from what was an amazing experience I would just like to say that I'm very grateful to ABC for giving me the opportunity to be a part of a much beloved show. Thank you to the fans," she said.
News about Katic's exit after "Castle" season 8 was announced by ABC and ABC Studios on Monday via a statement through Deadline. The network also revealed that co-star Tamala Jones will not reprise her role as medical examiner Lanie Parish in the series if it will be renewed for season 9.
"Kate Beckett has been a beloved character on our hit series Castle for the past 8 years. We are grateful for Stana Katic's talent and dedication to the series and we hope to continue our relationship," the network said in the statement. "Tamala Jones has also been an integral part of the series and we are grateful she was a part of Castle."
The report claimed that the network decided to let the actresses go because of budgetary reasons. Their co-stars and the crew are as devastated as their fans upon learning the news of Katic's sudden exit from the show.
On Twitter, actor Jon Huertas said that he felt terrible after learning the news online. He also revealed that he and Seamus Dever are still unsure about their status on the show after the current season.
Even series creator Andrew W. Marlowe was deeply saddened by the news.
Nathan Fillion, Katic's co-lead on the show and who portrays the titular role, also revealed his thoughts on the latest casting development. He thanked her for portraying the role of Beckett in the series and said that the actress will be truly missed.
But sources reportedly told Us Weekly that Katic's departure from the show was due to the growing conflict between her and Fillion.
"Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion completely despise each other. They will not speak when they are off set, and this has been going on for seasons now," the source told the publication. "This season, it got so out of hand they made Stana and Nathan go to couples counseling together," the source added.
But a spokesperson for Katic reportedly denied the rumors, saying that the co-stars have no issues with each other.
ABC has yet to announce a renewal of "Castle."
