Julianna Margulies reveals George Clooney saved her ER character from death

Julianna Margulies revealed that her character, Carol Hathaway, was originally meant to die in the pilot episode of "ER." During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, she shared that George Clooney's influence changed this outcome. Margulies auditioned for a different role but was asked to read for Hathaway, with a warning that the character would die. The death scene was filmed but was shot from Clooney's character's perspective, making it more impactful for viewers. Test audiences reacted strongly to Hathaway's potential death, leading producers to keep her alive. Margulies left "ER" in 2000 after six seasons, while Clooney remained for five seasons, returning for a finale cameo.