Ali Wong Appeared in Several Episodes of 'American Housewife' via Video Call — Why?
Updated Feb. 23 2021, 8:14 p.m. ET
The cast of American Housewife underwent a major shakeup after actress Carly Hughes quit in November 2020, and some fans believe that further changes might follow.
Rumors about Ali Wong's departure started to emerge in January 2021, after the actress — who portrays Doris — appeared in several episodes via video call. So, why is Doris not in person on American Housewife?
Doris (Ali Wong) hasn't appeared in person in several 'American Housewife' episodes.
Ali plays Doris, a character who possesses the wisdom to give exceptional and at times hilarious, advice. Ali appeared in several Season 5 episodes via video call, leaving fans to wonder about when — and if — she might appear on American Housewife in person again.
According to the script, Doris is out of town, which is why she was absent from several second breakfasts.
Some believe that the new predicament could foreshadow Ali's departure from the show. The majority of fans think that the somewhat unconventional solution was put in place due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
One possible explanation holds that Ali was unable to return to the set because of her busy timetable. As the studios opened up, projects started operating on different timelines, resulting in unexpected scheduling clashes.
A prolific stand-up comedian, actress, and writer, Ali landed roles in six different productions in 2020 alone.
She appeared in Ellen Yee's role in Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. She provided the voice-over for Officer Gore's character in Dan Scanlon's family comedy, Onward, Super Super Big Doctor in Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe, and Ali in Big Mouth. She also starred in Love, Victor.
In her stand-up sets, Ali often jokes about how she likes to keep it busy, frequently providing a rare glimpse into her work life and various endeavors.
Although her IMDb page doesn't list new movies or TV shows for 2021, there's a chance that Ali shifted the focus to other projects, which, in turn, might have made it less plausible for her to return to the set of American Housewife in person.
The last project Ali promoted on Twitter was Season 2 of Tuca & Bertie, which is coming to Adult Swim in 2021. It's uncertain what her plans might hold. Likewise, she has yet to address the rumors about her potential departure from American Housewife.
The cast of 'American Housewife' underwent some major changes only recently.
Sarah Dunn and Mark J. Greenberg are no longer producing the show, while Kenny Schwartz and Rick Wiener received sensitivity training after Carly's exit in the fall of 2020.
"I was no longer able to work in the toxic environment that was created on American Housewife. I made the decision to leave to protect myself from that type of discrimination. As a Black woman in entertainment I feel the responsibility to stand up for what I deserve, what we all deserve – to be treated equally," Carly explained in a statement shared with Variety.
Julia Butters, the actress who played Anna-Kat, left the show after the Season 4 finale. It's understood that she wanted to expand her repertoire. She will appear in the forthcoming movie The Gray Man.
Catch new episodes of American Housewife every Wednesday at 8.30 p.m. ET on ABC.