Halston Sage is best recognized for her role on the Fox sitcom The Orville as Lieutenant Alara Kitan. Why Did Halston Sage Leave the Orville? is the question that the vast majority of her supporters have had since her left. Kitan was the Chief of Security of the titular starship.
Her home planet, Xelaya, has a stronger gravity than other worlds, giving her exceptional power in comparison to the rest of her crew.
During the first season, she was a prominent character on the show and progressed from naive newcomer to essential member of the staff. However, Halston Sage abruptly quit the program in an emotional episode that shocked Orville fans.
Let’s look at why Halston Sage departed The Orville, how it impacted the show, and what Sage is up to now.
Why Did Halston Sage Leave the Orville
Neither The Orville writers nor Halston Sage have revealed why Sage quit the program, only stating that it was in the best interests of the show.
Characters can be written off in shows because it is the natural course of the tale or because there is a disagreement with the actors who play them.
So, when Alara Kitan was killed off in Season 2, Episode 3, viewers were intrigued as to why. Unfortunately, Halston Sage did not provide a specific reason for departing the show.
Someone asked Sage if she opted to quit The Orville during a 2019 Television Critics Association event. Halston Sage simply stated, “It wasn’t a choice.” It was the right decision for the show at the moment.”
Initially, no one at Fox provided an explanation for the choice to delete Sage’s character.
However, Sage’s character made a brief appearance in the season 2 finale. In a 2019 interview, David A. Goodman was asked if Sage’s presence suggested she will return to the program.
“Halston is a friend of the show,” Goodman said in response. “We love her and would definitely want to figure out ways that she can come back.”
Unfortunately, he went on to clarify that Halston was not “coming back as a regular.”
Nonetheless, there didn’t appear to be any bad blood between Halston Sage and the other people connected with the event.
“We love that character and we love her,” added Goodman. “And so if there is an opportunity to bring her back story-wise, I think she would be open to it and we would love to have her back.”
Halston Sage appears in the season 3 finale, despite the fact that she has yet to return permanently.
How Did Halston Sage’s Departure Affect The Orville?
“We love that character and we love her,” added Goodman. “And so if there is an opportunity to bring her back story-wise, I think she would be open to it and we would love to have her back.”
Halston Sage appears in the season 3 finale, despite the fact that she has yet to return permanently.
Her sole options for recovery are to return to Xelaya or to undergo gravity therapies invented by the Chief Engineer of the Orville.
Alara resolves to resign from the Orville and return to Xelaya, ostensibly for good, in order to heal the damaged connection she had with her family as a result of her career decisions.
Lieutenant Tharl, played by Patrick Warburton, initially took over as Chief of Security for two episodes.
Lieutenant Talla Keyali, played by Jessica Szohr, is introduced as Alara’s permanent replacement in Season 2, Episode 5. She is also from Xelaya, but her background is more militaristic than Alara’s.
What Is Halston Sage Doing Now?
Halston Sage continues to feature in projects throughout Hollywood after her departure from The Orville.
After her final episode as a permanent cast member on The Orville in 2019, she played Zoe Martlin in Mindy Kaling’s film Late Night.
Halston Sage has also appeared in The Last Summer and X-Men: Dark Pheonix.
Following The Orville, her next long-term effort was the HBO series Prodigal Son. She portrayed Ainsley Whitly, the sister of Tom Payne’s primary character, Malcolm Bright.
Sage’s only TV show after The Orville ended in 2021, with Prodigal Son. She did, however, star as the lead in The List, a rom-com that will be available on VOD on August 22, 2023.
Fans of Halston Sage’s portrayal of Alara Kitan on The Orville have lots of other opportunities to see him in action.
Final Words
In season 2, Alara Kitan (Halston Sage) decided to leave the ship and stay on Xelayan with her family, surprising admirers. Because Xelayans have superhuman strength outside of their solar system, Alara was The Orville’s muscle.
Talla Kelayi (Jessica Szohr) joined The Orville as a new Xelayan officer, but fans still mourned Alara. Halston Sage returns to Fox in a new role on the serial killer drama Prodigal Son, albeit in a completely different role.
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