After five seasons of Superstore, America Ferrera is leaving Cloud 9. NBC has announced today that Ferrera, who stars as Amy in the series and is also one of its executive producers, will leave the show at the end of its currently airing fifth season. Superstore will still continue on without Amy, however, as the network has already picked up the show for a sixth season, and will just have to find a way to make do without its central romance, though of course it has already expanded in different directions from its original premise. Still, in Cheers terms, the show will probably have to find the Rebecca to replace Ferrera’s Diane.
In addition to acting, Ferrera has already directed several episodes of Superstore, and recently produced Netflix’s Gentefied. It seems likely that she was interested in moving on to other projects and expanding her career. “The last five years on Superstore have been some of the most rewarding, enriching and enjoyable years of my career,†Ferrera said in a statement. “Producing, directing and acting with this wonderful cast and crew has given me opportunities to grow as a person and storyteller. I’m so grateful to my partners at NBC and Universal Television for the support and belief they have always placed in the show, and I’m most thankful to the brilliant Justin Spitzer for creating the funny, smart and relevant world of Superstore and inviting me to be a part of it. As I start the next chapter for my family and career, I wish only the best, and much continued success, to my beloved Superstore family.†Superstore’s fifth season will end on April 16.