Baz (Scott Speedman) was the right-hand man of Janine “Smurf” Cody (Ellen Barkin) during the first two seasons of “Animal Kingdom,” but fans were shocked when the character was shot to death during the Season 2 finale — on Smurf’s orders. This left a big hole in the cast for the rest of the show’s run, which was ultimately filled with flashbacks in which Baz was played by another actor. At the time, Speedman’s departure was blamed on creative choices.
“The series is based on the Australian film by David Michod and the Baz character dies in the first 15 minutes of the movie. So that’s where we thought we were going and then we realized we had more material for Baz, more stories we wanted to tell, so we put it off a little bit,” explained executive producer John Wells to Entertainment Weekly. He added that Speedman was warned that his role would not last for the entire span of the show, so he was braced for Baz’s death.
But there might have been a different reason for Speedman’s departure. During a profile of Barkin published by The Huffington Post after Smurf met her maker during Season 4, it was revealed that Speedman wasn’t written out of the show — he asked to leave to pursue other projects and was killed off without further problems. In any event, the actor has definitely managed to keep his career going since “Animal Kingdom” closed shop.
Scott Speedman has kept up a lively career since Animal Kingom closed up shop
Scott Speedman landed on his feet after departing “Animal Kingdom.” He immediately returned to his regular gig on “Grey’s Anatomy,” where he has been playing Nick Marsh, boyfriend of Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) since 2018, a role he’s held on a recurring basis while acting on other sets. He had a lead role in the short-lived Peacock thriller “Teacup.” Speedman also appeared in the movies “Crimes of the Future,” “Cellar Door,” and “Sharp Stick.”
More recently, a pilot in which Speedman starred, “RJ Decker,” was picked up by ABC in the fall of 2025. A sunny procedural mixed with humor, Speedman plays the title role. Decker has transformed himself into a PI after experiencing disgrace while working as a newspaper photographer. Decker’s past as an ex-con helps him out with his cases, which tend to be unusual. He’s surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, including a wife, an ex-girlfriend, and a rich woman who’s bankrolling the whole operation. The show should debut during the 2026-2027 season.