Billy Keikeya was a supporting character in the hit TV series Battlestar Galactica, played by Paul Campbell until his character was killed off in season 2. There can be multiple reasons for a character to leave a show before it ends, especially in supporting roles on TV productions, but with Billy, there seemed to be reasons beyond scheduling or creative differences. The character had a respectful send-off, with an emotionally satisfying arc to his character, but there's more to Campbell's departure from the show than storytelling reasons.
Battlestar ran for 76 episodes from 2004 to 2009 across 4 seasons, following the last human survivors in a convoy as they attempt to evade their Cylon pursuers. Billy was the personal assistant to President Laura Roslin, spying on the military, and later becoming her liaison. Billy forms a mentor relationship with Roslin that later develops into a pseudo-maternal one, giving his death more emotional weight. He forms a romantic attachment to Dee Dualla, an officer aboard Galactica, and proposes to her on the very episode he is written out of. However, a love triangle with Lee "Apollo" Adama, has Dee reject his offer in favor of the leading character. This leads Billy to compare himself to Lee, and the trait he chooses to encapsulate is heroism. The main plot, or the Cylon's plan to destroy humanity, created a hysteria that motivated the act of terrorism behind Lee, Billy, and Dee becoming Hostages. Billy dies in the attempt to rescue Dee, taking a fatal shot to the chest.
This was as good of a sendoff as any supporting cast member could ask for. Billy was layered well into the many plot layers of the show, his social awkwardness was relatable and endearing, and had meaningful connections to the main characters. The show writers seemed to care about the character, giving him a passable arc and a good amount of screen time. The character's death was also well-handled, not sparking controversy like Dee's suicide in season 4. However, the actor behind the character, Paul Campbell, wasn't working for the showrunners because of his notable lack of commitment to a long-term contract. Campbell had to weigh the option between multiple projects after season one of Battlestar and hesitated to commit to the entire series before it was even renewed for a second season. Therefore, while his character's death was well-executed, it was actually brought about by circumstances beyond narrative control.
The majority of the cast signed new contracts enthusiastically while Campbell hesitated which resulted in the character being cut. The other project Paul was involved with didn't work out and He blames himself for the missed opportunity saying "It was kinda my choice in a way... It wasn't really a surprise, but I wasn't expecting it to happen the way it did." The young actor had to live with the decision and yet doesn't resent the show, admitting to watching Battlestar Galactica to its controversial three-part finale and even making later appearances.
It would be easy to judge Campbell's decision in hindsight, given the success of Battlestar, but there are many factors for young actors who are trying to make a name for themselves. Picking a show that's low risk for cancellation is a gamble. Even great scripts, stellar casts, and brilliant uses of budget haven't saved shows like Firefly from being cut short. Another undeniable factor is the possibility of being locked into the sci-fi genre, as so many actors have, jumping from one show to another with very few breaking out into higher profile acting careers. This would no doubt be living in the back of Campbell's mind when faced with the ultimatum.
There's no doubt Paul Campbell regrets his decision, or lack thereof, and having his character Billy cut from Battlestar Galactica. Campbell did make a later appearance, as the showrunners had several actors, like Richard Hatch, reprise their roles, and remains professionally positive about his dismissal. Campbell's career continues with many acting credits to his name with mainly minor roles but remains active to this day, currently looking for a new project. Much like his character Billy, Paul Campbell was forced to take a risk, and when the dice rolled against him he accepted the consequences.