She quit! Jennifer Morrison announces departure from TV's Once Upon A Time after current sixth season

By Sameer Suri For Dailymail.com

Published: 11:43 EDT, 8 May 2017 | Updated: 14:46 EDT, 8 May 2017

Jennifer Morrison announced on Instagram this Monday that the current sixth season of Once Upon A Time would be her last on the show.

The star said she was 'invited' to stay on as principal character Emma Swan, but she 'decided that creatively and personally, it is time for me to move on.'

She clarified: 'If ABC Network does in fact order a season 7, I have agreed to appear in one episode, and I will most certainly continue to watch ONCE UPON A TIME.' 

Exeunt: Jennifer Morrison announced on Instagram this Monday that the current sixth season of Once Upon A Time would be her last on the show

Exeunt: Jennifer Morrison announced on Instagram this Monday that the current sixth season of Once Upon A Time would be her last on the show

Since the first season of the fantasy drama, Jennifer's played Emma, a Boston bail-bond agent who discovers she's Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter.

In her Instagram announcement of her departure from the show, she began her caption: 'As I reached the end of my 6 year contract on ONCE UPON A TIME, I was faced with a significant decision.'

Of the show's network and creators, she wrote: 'ABC, Eddy Kitsis, and Adam Horowitz very generously invited me to continue as a series regular.'

Onto the next phase: Though she was 'invited' to stay on as series regular character Emma Swan, she 'decided that creatively and personally, it is time for me to move on'

Onto the next phase: Though she was 'invited' to stay on as series regular character Emma Swan, she 'decided that creatively and personally, it is time for me to move on'

Despite the top brass' largesse, 'After very careful consideration, I have decided that creatively and personally, it is time for me to move on.'

Yet and still, 'Emma Swan is one my favorite characters that I have ever played. My 6 years on ONCE UPON A TIME has changed my life in the most beautiful ways.'

Jennifer's continued: 'I am absolutely blown away by the passion and commitment of the Oncer fans. I am so honored to have been a central part of such a special show,' thanking 'Adam, Eddy, and ABC for giving me the gift of playing Emma Swan.'

'I am so honored': Vaunting 'the passion and commitment of the Oncer fans,' Jennifer's (right) also thanked ABC and the show's creators Edwart Kitsis (left) and Adam Horowitz (center)

'I am so honored': Vaunting 'the passion and commitment of the Oncer fans,' Jennifer's (right) also thanked ABC and the show's creators Edwart Kitsis (left) and Adam Horowitz (center)

Throwing the show's admirers a bone, she wrote: 'As I move on to other creative endeavors, I will continue to attend the fan conventions whenever my professional schedule allows. I always look forward meeting the fans.'

Moreover, 'If ABC Network does in fact order a season 7, I have agreed to appear in one episode, and I will most certainly continue to watch ONCE UPON A TIME.'

Closing out: 'The creativity of the show runners has always inspired me, and I cannot wait to see the ways that they continue to develop and reinvent the show,' she chucked in the hashtags: '#Onceuponatime #EmmaSwan #UglyDucklings'.

Shown with co-star Colin O'Donoghue: She's clarified that 'If ABC Network does in fact order a season 7, I have agreed to appear in one episode....'

Shown with co-star Colin O'Donoghue: She's clarified that 'If ABC Network does in fact order a season 7, I have agreed to appear in one episode....'

Deadline cited 'rumors' in March that Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas - who play Emma's parents and are, in fact, married in real life - might depart the show when their contracts expire at the end of the current season as well.

In fact, the entire original cast will reportedly see their contracts run out at the close of the present season, though it's possible there will still be a seventh.

Channing Dungey, president of entertainment at ABC, had given an interview to Deadline in January and dropped a few possible hints about the show's future.

Pictured on Sunday's episode: Since the first season of the fantasy drama, Jennifer's played Emma, who discovers she's Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter

Pictured on Sunday's episode: Since the first season of the fantasy drama, Jennifer's played Emma, who discovers she's Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter

Dungey thinks creators Edward and Adam  'would put a little bit of a bow here, and then there is a next piece that comes after that, so they are trying to figure out what that is and how that works.'

She did say: 'There will be a little bit of closure in this particular narrative regardless of what happens with Season 7.'

Dungey added of the show's creators: 'I think that, having had worked on Lost, they have a very good sense of the engagement with fans and wanting to end the story in the right way.' 

More expiring contracts: Deadline cited 'rumors' in March that Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas - who play Emma's parents and are, in fact, married in real life - might depart the show

More expiring contracts: Deadline cited 'rumors' in March that Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas - who play Emma's parents and are, in fact, married in real life - might depart the show

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