Missy Peregrym's Unprecedented FBI Departures and Triumphant Returns: The Untold Story

Summary

Missy Peregrym, who plays Maggie Bell in FBI, was temporarily written out of the series twice due to her real-life pregnancies.

Maggie makes her comeback in season 5, having successfully recuperated from her injuries, and resumes her partnership with OA.

Missy Peregrym, known for her role as Maggie Bell in the CBS crime drama series FBI, shares the spotlight with her co-star Zeeko Zaki, who portrays Omar Adom "OA" Zidan. However, fans may have noticed that Peregrym's character is absent in several episodes across different seasons of the show. This raised questions among viewers about why Maggie was written out of the series not just once, but twice.

As the title suggests, FBI revolves around the criminal division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York City. Maggie Bell and OA serve as the central federal agents, partnered together. In season 5, they are joined by the rest of the team, including Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto), Isobel Castille (Alana de la Garza), Stuart Scola (John Boyd), and Tiffany Wallace (Katherine Renee Kane). It is common for characters to come and go on a television show, and FBI is no exception. Thankfully, the temporary absences of Peregrym's Maggie can be easily explained.

Maggie Bell Was Temporarily Written Out Of FBI Twice For Missy Peregrym's Maternity Leave

During Missy Peregrym's pregnancy, the writers of FBI strategically organized the episodes to accommodate her maternity leave. Peregrym shared the news of her first child with husband Tom Oakley in October 2019. Consequently, her character made her final appearance in season 2, specifically in episode 17, which aired on March 10, 2020. Peregrym then gave birth on March 21. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, season 2 was cut short, making it unclear whether the writers planned for Peregrym to return before the finale or in the season 3 premiere, which ultimately occurred.

In season 4, Peregrym took another temporary leave of absence when she became pregnant with her second child. Similar to her previous absence in season 2, her maternity leave coincided with the end of season 4. Her last appearance was in episode 18, which premiered on April 19, 2022. However, this time, Peregrym did not return to the CBS television series until episode 7 of FBI season 5. Her daughter was born on June 6, 2022, and her return to the show debuted on November 15 of the same year.

How FBI Explains Maggie Bell's Absences In Seasons 2 & 4

When an actress becomes pregnant in real life, it is common for writers to incorporate the pregnancy into their character's storyline. However, this was not the case for Missy Peregrym's character, Maggie Bell, in FBI. Instead, the writers created a new story for Maggie to explain her absence at the end of season 2. They devised a plot where Maggie would take on a temporary undercover assignment, which required her to be away from the FBI field office in New York City. This opportunity came from the FBI Assistant Director in Charge, making it an offer that Maggie couldn't refuse. The assignment was designed to last only a few months, allowing Peregrym to return to FBI swiftly.

In FBI season 4, Peregrym's maternity leave was tackled by the writers in a more dramatic manner. In the series, Maggie and OA were working on a case and pursued two men who possessed sarin gas, an extremely lethal chemical weapon. During their encounter, Maggie managed to apprehend one of the men, but during the struggle, a canister containing sarin gas fell, exposing Maggie to its toxic elements. As a result, she sustained injuries and was hospitalized until Peregrym's maternity leave concluded, which was in FBI season 5.

When & How Missy Peregrym's Maggie Bell Returns In FBI Season 5

After experiencing a close encounter with death during season 4, Missy Peregrym's character, Maggie Bell, was unable to fully recover until episode 7 of FBI season 5. Sustaining severe injuries, Maggie had to take a seven-month medical leave, and it wasn't until ten episodes later that she gained clearance from the FBI to resume her duties. Despite still having a few weeks of medical leave remaining, Maggie was eager to get back to work and swiftly rejoined OA in their partnership. Naturally, her partner had concerns about her well-being, and those concerns were justified. Eventually, however, Maggie and OA reached an understanding, and their partnership resumed seamlessly in FBI season 5.