Summary
- Actress Christina Moore replaced Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman in That '70s Show's sixth season due to Kelly's personal struggles.
- Kelly's departure from the show was reportedly caused by her increased use of alcohol and substances, which led to her leaving to attend beauty school.
- Moore's performance as Laurie was met with mixed reviews, with many feeling that the recasting was distracting and the character's mean traits were softened. Nonetheless, Moore's career benefited from her time on the show.
Actress Christina Moore took over the role of Laurie Forman from Lisa Robin Kelly during season 6, but why did Laurie leave That '70s Show? The That '70s Show Laurie character was the older sister of Eric (Topher Grace) and the daughter of Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp). Laurie came off as extremely manipulative, and her parents didn't have the highest expectations of their daughter, but it was clear she was Red's favorite. Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) was one of Laurie's many secret flings, despite Kelso dating Jackie (Mila Kunis).
However, although Laurie was involved in many plot points, in the middle of That '70s Show season 3, Laurie seemingly disappeared. Laurie actor Lisa Robin Kelly was then written out of That '70s Show cast when her character went off to beauty school. Thanks to her time on the sitcom, Kelly was getting more roles such as Charmed, Jawbreaker, and Clubland. Laurie did return in later seasons of The '70s Show, but Kelly was replaced by Christina Moore. While the choice to recast Laurie was for the best, the That '70s Show Laurie recast has a tragic backstory.
Laurie Was Recast Due To Lisa Robin Kelly's Personal Struggles
Lisa Robin Kelly was set to return for the following season, but sadly, she suffered the tragic loss of a child, which allegedly increased her use of alcohol and substances - the crux of the rumors regarding her exit from That '70s Show. Kelly later revealed that her alcoholism was the real issue (via ABC News). She managed to repair her connections to the series and her character returned in season 5, but that would sadly be the end of her acting career. The scenes with Laurie in the season 6 premiere had to be re-shot due to the casting change, with Kelly's departure preceding Ashton Kutcher's That '70s Show exit.
Meanwhile, Christina Moore left MADtv for the That '70s Show's Laurie recast. Moore previously worked on shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, The Drew Carey Show, and Friends. But Moore's time on That '70s Show ended up being short-lived since she only appeared in six episodes.
Sadly, Lisa Robin Kelly's career or life never fully got back on track after leaving That '70s Show. In 2010, Kelly was arrested for a DUI and she had a history of domestic violence charges. Just before divorcing her husband in 2013, Kelly was arrested for another DUI. A few months later, the actress vowed to get her life and career back on track. Kelly started rehab but tragically passed away in her sleep, and her death was later blamed on an accidental overdose.
How Lisa Robin Kelly's '70s Show Costars Reacted To Her Death
After Lisa Robin Kelly's death in 2013, That '70s Show cast members paid tribute to their costar. This includes That '70s Show Hyde actor Danny Masterson, who took to Twitter to say, "Terrible, awful news. Brilliant on 70s.... See u next time LRK, kisses. RT @sdavis53: #RIPLisaRobinKelly aka Laurie Foreman." Kurtwood Smith, who played Red Foreman, also came out with a statement regarding Lisa Robin Kelly. The veteran actor said, "I am so sorry to hear about Lisa's passing away. I know the last 10 years have been such a difficult struggle for her, but I will always remember the lovely, funny, and very talented young lady I worked with."
Lisa Robin Kelly's agent, Craig Wyckoff, reported that the actress was trying to turn over a new leaf by checking herself into a rehab facility because of alcohol and substance addiction. According to Wyckoff, shortly before her death, she was "hopeful and confident" about her trajectory. This was despite the prevalence of websites and media outlets taking advantage of struggling celebrities like That '70s Show guest star Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears.
Indeed, Lisa Robin Kelly's death occurred at a time when celebrity gossip was at its height. Had Kelly gone through the same thing today, there may have been more help and support available for the actress, both on set and off. The tone of the tabloid media reaction could also have been far less shameful and barbaric. Either way, Lisa Robin Kelly did a great job portraying Laurie on That '70s Show, and she is sorely missed by her friends, family, and costars.
Christina Moore Took Over As Laurie
After Kelly's last appearance, Christina Moore joined the series for the That '70s Show recast. Unfortunately, her performance for the six episodes she featured in wasn't that well received. However, the reception to Moore's Laurie isn't the actor's fault, but the writing and handling of the recasting. The appearance of Moore's Laurie was completely different from Kelly's Laurie that it seemed as if the production didn't even try to make them look similar, which made the recasting way too distracting for audiences. The character's mean traits had also been significantly softened, but Laurie's meanspiritedness and love for chaos is why audiences loved her.
Nevertheless, while Moore was successful before the That '70s Show Laurie recast with MadTV and roles on huge shows like Friends, it was the hit nostalgic sitcom that really helped Moore's breakthrough. Though the actor was only in six episodes, Moore went on to star in the Seth Green comedy Without a Paddle and continued her sitcom work with roles in Will and Grace, Two and a Half Men, and many others. Following that, Moore played Tracy in 90210 and had a main role in the medical drama Hawthorne. There's a chance that Moore could join the That '90s Show season 2 cast too, however slim that may be.
Laurie Was Absent From That '90s Show
That said, That '70s Show spinoff, That '90s Show, not only does not include a recast Laurie, but it never even mentions the character. This is quite unusual considering she's still Red and Kitty's daughter. However, while most of the main cast returned for That '90s Show - including even Tommy Chong's recurring character of Leo, Hyde is also absent in the sitcom, and the That '90s Show cast hasn't mentioned him either though that's for totally different reasons. For now, there's no word yet on whether Laurie will ever get mentioned in That '90 Show season 2.