Why did Toni leave Girlfriends, the iconic character played by Jill Maries

Why did Toni leave Girlfriends, the iconic character played by Jill Maries

Jill Maries is renowned for portraying Antoinette 'Toni' Marie Childress Garrett in the acclaimed series Girlfriends. But why did Toni leave Girlfriends? Jill's departure from the show was a surprise in May 2006 because she had been part of it since its inception and had given six years of her life to it. As a result, fans have always been curious about what prompted her exit.

Jones attends the 18th Annual NAACP Theater Awards in California (L). She attends the "mPowering Action" platform launch in Los Angeles.
Jones attends the 18th Annual NAACP Theater Awards in California (L). Jill attends the "mPowering Action" platform launch in Los Angeles. Photo: Jason LaVeris, Paul Archuleta (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Jill Maries (Toni) is an accomplished actress, former professional dancer, and cheerleader from the United States. She rose to prominence following her roles in TV series and films such as Drool (2009), Sleepy Hollow (2013-2015), and Ash vs Evil Dead (2015-2016). But why did Toni leave Girlfriends at the end of season 6?

Jill Maries' profile summary

Full nameJill Marie Jones
GenderFemale
Date of birth4 January 1975
Age50 years old (as of 2025)
Zodiac signCapricorn
Place of birthDallas, Texas, United States
Current residenceDallas, Texas, United States
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityAfrican-American
ReligionChristianity
SexualityStraight
Height in feet5'6"
Height in centimetres168
Weight in pounds132
Weight in kilograms60
Body measurements in inches 32-26-32
Body measurements in centimetres81-66-81
Hair colourBlack
Eye colourDark brown
MotherGloria Underwood Jones
Relationship statusSingle
EducationDuncanville High School, Texas Woman's University
Profession Actress, former professional dancer, cheerleader
Net worth $7 million
Instagram@itsmejillmarie
Facebook@MsJillMJones

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Who is Jill Maries (Toni)?

Jill Marie Jones was born on 4 January 1975 in Dallas, Texas, United States, to Gloria Underwood Jones and an unknown father. Her parents divorced when she was young. Unfortunately, Marie's mom, Gloria, died in 2024 from an unspecified disease.

She attended Duncanville High School. Marie later went to Texas Woman's University. The Dallas native is a prominent actress, former professional dancer and cheerleader. Jones served as the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader for two years and Dallas Mavericks Dancer for one year.

Five facts about Jill Maries.
Five facts about Jill Maries. Photo: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Marie made her acting career debut in 2000 when she played the Cheerleader Captain in the TV series City Guys. The American actress has since appeared in over 25 TV shows and movies. Some of her big projects include Drool, Sleepy Hollow, Ash vs. Evil Dead, and Girlfriends.

Why did Toni leave Girlfriends?

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She left the show in season 6 in May 2006 to pursue a movie career. This was after Toni's 6-year contract on Girlfriends ended, and she opted not to renew her contract for seasons 7 and 8.

During an interview with BlackFilm in December 2007, the actress stated:

I think if Toni came back, and when I say no, I say it because there are brilliant writers on 'Girlfriends'. There is so much more that you can do. For me and my career, my contract was up after six seasons, and there's a whole film world that I wanted to experience, and that's what I've been doing.

Girlfriends is an American sitcom television series that premiered on 11 September 2000 and ended its eighth and final season in February 2008. The show's first six seasons aired on UPN, while its last two were on The CW.

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The TV series revolved around the lives of four African American women as they navigate careers, relationships, friendships, and personal growth in Los Angeles. They are Joan, Toni, Maya, and Lynn, portrayed by Tracee Ellis Ross, Jill Marie Jones, Golden Brooks and Persia White, respectively.

Where did Toni go in Girlfriends?

After a protracted custody battle between Morgan's mother and Todd, the former couple agrees to settle their differences for the sake of their son. As a result, Toni moves to New York with Morgan to be closer to his father after season six. The purpose of this twist plot was to give Toni (Jill Marie Jones) a graceful exit from Girlfriends as one of the four main characters.

Does Toni ever come back on Girlfriends?

Jill Marie Jones attends the Hollywood Unlocked 3rd Annual Impact Awards at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
Jill Marie Jones attends the Hollywood Unlocked 3rd Annual Impact Awards at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by Kevin Winter
Source: Getty Images

Toni did not return to Girlfriends' seasons 7 and 8 following her departure from the TV series season 6. Although the other characters mention Toni in the early episodes of season 7, she does not appear on-screen since she is no longer part of the storylines.

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Due to the dynamic void left by Jill's departure, the show's last two seasons mainly focus on the storylines of Joan, Lynn, and Maya, including their struggles and triumphs without Toni's presence.

Why did Girlfriends end so abruptly?

The hit TV series was abruptly cancelled after its last episode was aired on 11 February 2008. The Girlfriends' cancellation was due to declining ratings; hence, it would have been too expensive for the TV show to re-enter production.

FAQs

  1. Who is Jill Maries (Toni)? She is an actress, former professional dancer, and cheerleader best known for her role in the TV series Girlfriends.
  2. How old is Jill Maries? The actress is 50 years old as of 2025. She was born on 4 January 1975.
  3. What is Jill Marie's nationality? Jill is an American national.
  4. Why was Toni written off Girlfriends? She was written off Girlfriends after she left the show in season 6 to pursue a movie career.
  5. Who is Jill Maries dating? Maries is seemingly single as of this writing.
  6. Does Jill Maries have a child? She does not have children.
  7. Why did Jill Maries leave Girlfriends? The American former professional dancer left Girlfriends in season 6 to pursue a career in the movie industry.
  8. Did Toni ever come back on Girlfriends? The American actress never returned to Girlfriends' seasons 7 and 8.
  9. Why did Girlfriends end so abruptly? The TV series went off the air due to low ratings.
  10. What is Jill Marie's height? She is 5 feet 6 inches or 168 centimetres tall.

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Jill Maries starred as Toni in the popular TV show Girlfriends between 2000 and 2006. Why did Toni leave Girlfriends? She left at the end of season six, just two seasons short of when Girlfriends finished, because she wanted to pursue a movie career.

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Authors:
Peris Wamangu avatar

Peris Wamangu (Lifestyle writer) Peris Wamangu is a reporter with more than four years of experience as a content writer. Peris joined Yen in 2024. Before that, she worked with Legit's team from 2021 to 2024. Peris graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi in 2019. She enjoys writing about various topics such as fashion, currency, biographies, entertainment and business. In 2023, Peris finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. Email: wamanguperis@gmail.com