Summary
Fans ofScandalwere probably confused when Harrison Wright was suddenly off the show, but Columbus Short has since come out about the real reason he exited the series. The hit political thrillerScandallasted for seven seasons before its series finale on June 12, 2025, which closed the book on Olivia Pope’s (Kerry Washington) career as a DC political operative and fixer. By the end of the show, somecharacters onScandalhad received their fitting endswhile others may have got the short end of the stick.
Harrison Wright was unceremoniously written off the show in the season 3 finale"The Price of Free and Fair Elections". Harrison was a main character on the show as a Senior Associate at Olivia’s firm. A charming and smooth operator, Harrison was not able to talk his way out of a confrontation with Rowan (Joe Morton) when he discovered Rowan was responsible for killing the president’s son. Though a gun is held to Harrison, his death isn’t shown, and it isn’t until the season 4 premiere that it’s revealed he died, a consequence of Columbus Short’s real-world behavior.
10 Best Actors You Forgot Were In Scandal
Scandal is best known for its great writing and cast, but there are several great actors who guest-starred on the show and are often forgotten.
Columbus Short Was Fired From Scandal For Behavioral Issues (Caused By Substance Addiction)
Short Also Received A Restraining Order From His Then-Wife
According to several sources, including Short himself,his on-set and off-set behavior is what caused his character to be written off theScandal. Short struggled with substance abuse issues while working onScandaland often found himself late for work on set. Co-star Darby Stanchfield even filed a complaint (viaThe Wrap). This caused Short’s storylines to become weaker asScandalprogressed. In an episode of the Shondaland rewatch podcast,Unpacking the Toolbox, co-star Katie Lowes talked with Short about his behavior,
“You were pissed that you would go to table reads and there wouldn’t be a real Harrison juicy storyline. And she [Shonda Rhimes] would say, ‘You’re not ready to do it.'”
Things came to a head in March 2014, when Short was arrested for allegedly knocking a man out during an altercation at an L.A. restaurant. He faced four years in prison and a month later, he was off the show (viaTHR). Additionally, Short received a restraining order from his then-wife, Tuere Short,who claimed he threatened her during another altercation. He pleaded not guilty. About that time in his life, Short said,
“I was doing cocaine and drinking a lot, and trying to balance a 16-hour work schedule a day, and a family, and I just lost myself back then.”
Troubling news stacked up for Short during that period, including the dissolution of his marriage and the loss of a friend. He said,
“I was going through a lot, going through a lot in my marriage, I had a lot of loss, tragic loss, so it’s tough. Last year, one of my best friends died, he killed himself, Lee Thompson Young, and that kind of started a spiral. I found out when I was on set, and it really just, it took my legs out from under me.”
It was clearly a difficult time for the actor. However, by December 2014, it seemed like Short was ready to get back in the acting saddle,
“I’m really ready to get back to work.”
A professional dancer, Columbus Short previously choreographed Britney Spears’s Onyx Hotel Tour.
Columbus Short Has Continued To Steadily Act Since Leaving Scandal
Short Would Love The Chance To Be In Another Shondaverse Show
Since leavingScandal, it seems that Columbus Short has kept his word about being ready to get back into acting.He’s worked steadily since 2014and though none of his roles have been as notable as Harrison Wright onScandal, they prove he’s committed to his craft. He’s starred intheTrue to the Gametrilogy of moviesas Quadir Richards, played MLK, Jr. inRemember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story, and appeared in an episode ofWicked Cityamong smaller performances.
True to the Game(2017)
Wicked City(2022)
The Handler
What Short would really like to do is get back into the Shondaverse, saying in 2014,
“As far as Shonda’s shows, I would love nothing more to go back to Scandal. It’s my family.”
Rhimes had originally offered Short a role onPrivate PracticebeforeScandal, but Short turned it down,
“Shonda had, a couple of years before, had offered Private Practice. And I was like, I do not want to do television, I want to be a movie star. I’m on a movie star track.”
Clearly, Rhimes had long had an interest in the actor if she liked him enough to offer Short the role inScandalafter being told no forPrivate Practice. Only time will tell if the TV titan is willing to giveColumbus Shorta third chance.
Scandal
Cast
Scandal centers on Olivia Pope, a crisis manager specializing in safeguarding the public images of influential clients by concealing secrets. Her team excels in solving high-profile problems, but struggles arise when dealing with their personal issues. Released in 2012, the series highlights the complexities of managing private and public lives.
