Lucas Black Had ‘Concerns’ About Industry Destroying Families & Refocused His ‘Priorities’

Apr 13, 2022 by apost team

“NCIS” is a television series that follows a fictional team of special agents, their work and their personal lives. The show combines elements of military dramas and police procedural genres, making for an extremely impactful show that has gone on to become a fan favorite and phenomenon. It has also sparked a few spin-off series, including “NCIS: New Orleans.”

The latter premiered back in September 2014 following the 12th season of “NCIS” and was on air until May 2021, making it the first show in the franchise to come to an end. However, that doesn’t mean that fans still aren’t talking about all of the twists and turns that came along the way, including losing one of the most beloved characters from the series – Special Agent Christopher LaSalle played by Lucas Black.

Black was born on Nov. 29, 1982, in Decatur, Alabama. He made his film debut before he was even a teenager, appearing in Kevin Costner’s “The War” in 1994. The actor’s career continued to escalate as the years went by, making him a leading man in Hollywood in both films and television shows.

Black was on “NCIS: New Orleans” from 2014 to 2019, leaving the show before it came to an end. Many fans mourned the loss of their favorite character and wondered what led the actor to make the decision to leave the franchise, especially since he had also been on the original “NCIS” series. For the actor, it was a personal choice to leave the franchise that helped bring him so much fame and recognition.

As an actor, Black is best known for his television roles in the series “American Gothic” and “NCIS: New Orleans.” In film, Black has found notable success with movies such as “Flash,” “Friday Night Lights,” “42” and “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” He has also appeared in other films in the “Fast and Furious” franchise.

His time in “42” was monumental for his career and helped further establish Black by showcasing more of his talents. According to AL, he was a four-sport athlete in high school, playing football, basketball, baseball and golf. In the film, he portrayed the Brooklyn Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese alongside Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed Jackie Robinson.

In his personal life, Black has been married to his wife Maggie O’Brien, a lawyer, since 2010. The pair have three beautiful children together, who can sometimes be seen in Black’s videos on his personal YouTube channel.

His wife has talked about how down to earth Black really is despite being famous for so long. “Lucas is not what people would consider a stereotypical celebrity,” O’Brien said. “He’s confident, but he’s not someone you think of as a diva that you have to pet and boost their ego all the time. He’s very confident in who he is, so he doesn’t need me to bring that to him.”

Black has been in the entertainment industry since he was a child, something that Black has definitely shown gratitude for. Speaking with The Marriage Adventure in 2020, he said, “I was very blessed to be able to have the opportunity to grow up in the industry.” 

apost.com

However, Black added, “It’s not as glamorous as you might think it is. It’s portrayed as red carpet, fancy dresses, and getting everything you want, or it seemed like you wanted at the time.”

During an interview on “Legacy Starts Today with Lee Domingue,” Black talked about how grateful he was to be cast on “NCIS: New Orleans,” but spoke about the potential setbacks. “I think all throughout my career, there was a concern because I would observe how the entertainment industry would destroy families and destroy marriages,” Black said. 

He also talked about how difficult it was to be away from his family due to working such long hours and having to travel at times. On top of that, Black’s days off were mostly spent just resting from the previous and preparing for the week ahead. However, he appreciated how family-oriented the “NCIS” franchise was.

The actor was on “NCIS: New Orleans” for six seasons and left fans shocked when his character, Agent LaSalle, was killed off in the sixth season. This was how Black ended his time with the franchise as he had plans in store for his future.

According to Showbiz CheatSheet, Black ultimately left the popular TV series to spend more time with his family and really focus on what matters most to him. “The show has been so good to me over the years, exceeding my expectations and goals,” he explained. “But this job isn’t for me, there are a lot of priorities in my life that get sacrificed for me to be here but it’s time for me to focus on those priorities in my life.”

Have you watched any of the films or shows Lucas Black has starred in? What do you think about his choice to leave “NCIS: New Orleans” early? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.