Did Chris Lowell want his character Dell on Private Practice to die?

It was a tear-jerker season 3 finale last night for the ABC medical drama Private Practice as the all around good guy and much loved Dell, played by Chris Lowell, died from injuries suffered in his automobile accident while rushing Naomi’s pregnant daughter Maya to the hospital.  In typical Dell fashion his death was a heroic one in which he refused treatment while helping save Maya.

In an interview with TV Guide Chris Lowell explains that his break from the show was amicable and that he is ready to move on with the next phase of his career:

TVGuide.com: All cards on the table: Did you want to leave the show? Was it a contract thing? Or were you surprised when you found out?

Chris Lowell: I’d say it was a very, very mutual separation and a totally positive one. Shonda and I had a conversation about how it was difficult to find a way to utilize Dell in each episode. Neither of us wanted to have these episodes where Dell is bringing files or whatever. We devised this formula where we’d do less episodes, but he would be featured more in those episodes, which is obviously something that I was happy to hear. Then it was a matter of figuring out how Dell should leave the show or if he should leave the show. I wanted Dell to go big and in a fun way, so Shonda was open to all sorts of ideas.

From the beginning, I knew I really wanted [Dell] to die because I’ve never been killed on a show before, so I wanted to experience that. At first, they were hesitant about it because they had [Dell’s former wife] Heather’s death planned, and they were having trouble finding a way to do it without it being so dark. The way they’ve done it is really poetic. It’s a really beautiful way to go out. I’m happy this is my last episode.

TVGuide.com: How did you feel when you found out the season finale would be the end for Dell?

Lowell: I knew about two weeks prior how it was going to happen. All of us on the show knew this was going to be my last episode. I remember actually getting the script and it rocked my world. We had the table read and we got to my last monologue and I totally lost it. I was a complete mess, a waterfall. Everyone else was too. It was really emotional. These guys are my family. I love them.

Well there is the scoop straight from the horse’s mouth.  According to his comments it sounds like the cast of Private Practice are just as torn up about losing the lovable nurse / midwife of Oceanside Wellness Center  as the fans of the show are.  Executive Producer Shonda Rimes said it was a difficult decision to cut Lowell from the show but that there wasn’t much of a story line left for a midwife.  I bet that will upset all the midwives out there!

When TV Guide asked Lowell what was next for him it sounded like he was ready for a ittle R & R:

“I moved out of my apartment and I’ll be flying to New York. I’m going traveling for the summer and then moving to the Big Apple.”

As for the future of Private Practice actor Paul Addlestein said, “We don’t have an official pickup, but we do know when we’re starting [production] again, so figure that one out.”  I guess just like in the case of Lowell we’ll just have to wait and see.