The Good Doctor’s Melendez actor lifts lid on heart-wrenching show exit and doomed romance with Claire
THE Good Doctor’s Nicholas Gonzalez has lifted the lid on his heart-wrenching show exit as Dr. Neil Melendez and his doomed romance with Claire Brown.
The hit ABC drama's season three finale featured plenty of drama and tears as Melendez died from septic shock.
The dishy doctor had sustained injuries in the earthquake in part one of the two-part finale, but thankfully he still had time to say his goodbye's to Claire (Antonia Thomas) before he died.
Speaking to about his exit, Nicholas said: "I'm a fan like everyone else, first and foremost.
"I read it obviously from the angle of my character a lot of times, but with this, I was just embroiled in the story, wanting to see what was going to happen across the board, but wondering how it was going to be.
"You know, it's hard when you look at a goodbye because there's so many different ways you want it to happen and there's so many different people you'd love to be involved.
"By no means is it a Neil Melendez farewell episode. That's part of it, but it's not centered around it by any means. So I was what I think some people might be, heartbroken in some ways.
"It's tough to say goodbye to a character like that I felt was just a moral, upstanding, clear-cut, honest person that we never sullied, not in the least bit, and that's tough in this day and age.
"I'm proud of what we did with him, but yes, it was tough to finally read those final words."
Fans were even more devastated by Melendez's death as it came just as Claire realised she was in love with him.
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Speaking about their doomed romance, Nicholas said: "It's a difficult thing to grapple with as well — does she tell him?
"All these questions that then come up about how do you treat this because we've created this character that is really unsullied and it's a tough question of how that could have been pursued in any way other than one of them having to quit their job and moving hospitals.
"It's not something cute happening in break rooms and stuff; it's a real thing like the relationship that Melendez and Lim go into, which was a thought-out, mature relationship that was handled the right way, but it still created an issue that neither of them was comfortable with.
"I think you can be a little more creative, but this, I think, gives us an out there."
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