Actors Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe are leaving “Parks and Recreation,” marking the first major cast loss since the long-running comedy debuted on NBC in 2009.
“Parks and Recreation,” which was created by the “The Office” producers Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, was largely seen as a spinoff of “The Office,” following an office of dysfunctional government employees in a fictional Indiana town.
Amy Poehler leads the series as the plucky local politician Leslie Knope. Jones joined as her first co-star, playing the well-intentioned Ann Perkins. Lowe came aboard in the second season and plays the overeager bureaucrat Chris Traeger and the friend and love interest of Jones’ character Amy.
The two actors will leave after the 13th episode of “Parks and Recreation,” which is set for a 22-episode sixth season this fall.
According to Deadline, NBC is sorting out a deal with Lowe for a potential new series, while Jones is set to focus more on her producing career, “setting her production company with Will McCormack at Warner Bros. TV and tapping Wonderland Sound and Vision’s Jeff Grosvenor to run it.”
Rashida Jones is the daughter of the iconic music producer Quincy Jones and ex-wife, actress Peggy Lipton.
