Julianna Margulies Reveals Why She Decided to Leave 'ER' After Being Offered $27 Million to Stay

Julianna Margulies is getting candid about leaving ER.

In an upcoming episode of Oprah Winfrey‘s Super Soul show, the 54-year-old actress revealed why she turned down a $27 million offer to stay on the show for two more seasons.

Click inside to find out why she decided to move on…

Juliana had starred on the medical drama for six seasons as Carol Hathaway alongside George Clooney and was ready for a new challenge.

“I was going back to New York to go and do this play and then all this money came up,” she recalled. “Everyone I asked said, ‘You’d be crazy [not to]. Take the money, take the money.’”

However, she had already made up her mind about leaving the show.

“I felt very alone because I had already planned what I was going to do before they had offered me that money. I had my life planned,” Julianna explained.

Confused about whether or not she should take her friends’ advice, Julianna decided to look for a sign from the universe for an answer.

“I had heard a friend got some spiritual books and I had been studying some Buddhism, so I went [to a bookstore],” she said. “And I ran my finger down a shelf and I picked out a book, Awakening the Buddha Within.”

“I brought it home and I said nothing. I walked into my bedroom, I opened the book, I closed my eyes and I went like [points to a line in a book]. And I opened my eyes and the line was, ‘I knew I wanted to learn more, not earn more,’” she continued.

She ultimately left the show, which went on without her for another nine seasons before coming to an end in 2009.

George Clooney and Julianna recently shared their concerns about a potential revival of the show.