‘Arrow’ Season 7 Spoilers: Why Did Echo Kellum Want Curtis To Leave?

“Arrow” had a surprising midseason exit on Monday night. Season 7, episode 13 showed Echo Kellum’s Curtis deciding to leave A.R.G.U.S. for a job in Washington, D.C. He signed over his company to Felicity and packed his bags, but it was the actor who decided that Mr. Terrific’s time was up.

“I had a conversation with [then-showrunner] Marc Guggenheim in Season 6,” Kellum told Entertainment Weekly. “It was my idea. I have kids — I have a 12-year-old — and it was just starting to feel like I should be back home more.”

The American actor emphasized that The CW’s “Arrow,” which shoots in Vancouver, was keeping him away from his family for most of the year. “I guess it’s really a family decision overall, just to be a little closer to my kids,” he added. “I’ve been around my kids more during the school parts of the year the most that I have been in the last four years, even in the past month. It was definitely not an easy decision.”

Kellum added that acting isn’t his top priority anymore. Though it’s difficult to say goodbye to Curtis, who he has played since Season 4, he revealed that he is looking forward to moving in a new direction.

“But I think for me, it just boiled down to family, and also I just wanted to try a couple of creative ventures in my life. I’m working on music, directing, and writing now,” he said. “I still love acting, but it’s something I’m not looking at as the top thing of my career anymore. I’m looking at my career in a different light.”

Still, it isn’t the end for Curtis. Kellum said he is happy to return to “Arrow” as a guest star. In his note to fans on Twitter, he assured them that Mr. Terrific wasn’t gone forever.

“This has been the most exhilarating experience I’ve ever had and I will definitely pop in here and there (you haven’t seen the last of Curtis Holt [smile emoji]) in the future,” he wrote.

“Arrow” Season 7 airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.