Ken Leung Discusses Eric Tao’s Departure as Industry Edits Out Political Figure
London, Monday, 16 February 2026.
Following Eric Tao’s dramatic exit in the February 15 episode, cast members revealed a costly decision to digitally erase a Donald Trump figurine from the entire season.
The Dissolution of SternTao
Yesterday, February 15, 2026, marked a seismic shift for HBO’s financial drama Industry with the premiere of the season four episode “Dear Henry.” [2][4] In a plot twist that dismantles the show’s central business partnership, managing director Eric Tao, played by Ken Leung, was blackmailed out of the finance sector, effectively ending the boutique firm SternTao. [1][2] The dissolution of the partnership saw Eric sign over his share of the business to his protégé-turned-rival Harper Stern without explanation, following a confrontation with Tender CEO Whitney Halberstram regarding a compromising relationship with a minor. [2][4] This exit forces a restructuring of a firm where the operating overhead for their hotel suite “office” alone was estimated between $15,000 and $100,000 per month. [1]
A Costly Visual Revision
While the on-screen narrative focused on the collapse of Eric’s career, off-screen revelations from the cast have highlighted a curious intersection of production economics and political imagery. In interviews conducted prior to the episode’s airing, Ken Leung and co-star Myha’la disclosed that the production team spent a significant amount of money to digitally erase a Donald Trump figurine from the series. [1] The figurine, which had previously appeared on Eric Tao’s Bloomberg monitors during the first season, was painstakingly removed from every frame of the current run. [1] This technical adjustment represents a meticulous investment in curating the show’s visual environment, removing a polarizing symbol from the character’s workspace.
Analyzing the Exit
The character’s departure appears to be a definitive creative choice rather than a cliffhanger. Leung noted that he had requested a “materially different” arc for season four, grounding his performance in the Samuel Johnson quote: “He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.” [4] The actor described the final sequence, filmed to Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” as a moment where the character finally walks away from the “gladiator arena” of finance. [2][4] As of today, Leung remains uncertain if he will return for a potential fifth season, leaving the future of the series to rest squarely on the remaining partners at SternTao. [2]