Chicago Med season 8: Will Torrey DeVitto return as Natalie Manning?

Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) was a tough loss at the beginning of Chicago Med season 7. The character had been a central piece of the show’s puzzle, both through her solo arcs and her romance with Dr. Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss).

It was understandable why she left, especially from a story perspective, but the fans would be remiss if they didn’t speculate about her potential return. Not full-time, perhaps, but at least a cameo role or a guest spot in a single episode.

How likely is this to come true? Well, let’s do some digging.

Why did Manning leave Chicago Med?

Dr. Manning was written out of the show at the top of season 7, but her exit was ordained at the end of the previous season. Torrey DeVitto even posted a farewell message to fans on Instagram, confirming that it was, at the end of the day, her decision to leave.

While DeVitto’s reasoning was left vague, she did allude to “new adventures”, which could suggest that she merely wanted to stretch her acting muscles and pursue different roles after playing the same character for half a decade.

The actress’ busy schedule seems to support this reading. DeVitto is set to appear in the upcoming film Skelly opposite Brian Cox, and she recently starred in the horror film Cold, which she executive produced. She’s also appeared in a pair of Hallmark TV movies: The Christmas Promise and A Rip In Time.

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DeVitto could certainly return to Chicago Med at some point in the future, but the incorporation of recent story arcs have made her inclusion redundant– at least for the time being. The show made the surprising decision to bring back another familiar character, Dr. Hannah Asher, (Jessy Schram), and she has taken over the role of Dr. Halstead’s foil.

While Med could technically support Manning and Asher at the same time, they occupy a similar role within the show and could limit the screen time of an already large ensemble cast. Asher was brought in to smooth the exit of Dr. Stevie Hammer (Kristen Hager), who was ironically brought in to help smooth Dr. Manning’s exit, so there seems to be a revolving door element to their role in the show’s grand scheme.

DeVitto has made it clear that she holds no ill will towards the cast and showrunners, meaning the door will always be open for her to make a guest spot if she chooses, but the show isn’t hurting to replace her the way it was early on in season 7. It’s found its groove, so we expect showrunners will keep the ace that is the Manning cameo up their sleeve for another season.

For the latest Chicago Med season 7 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Med category at One Chicago Center.