Julianna Margulies says she cried after she and George Clooney filmed his last scene as an ``ER'' regular. Next year, her colleagues could be shedding tears over her. The actress, who plays Clooney's girlfriend, nurse Carol Hathaway, said she will leave the NBC drama set in a Chicago emergency room after the 1999-2000 season. "I want to go back home to New York. I'm homesick. I want to get back on the stage and do some independent films,'' Ms. Margulies said Wednesday on "The Howie Mandel Show." Clooney's final weekly appearance as Dr. Doug Ross airs Feb. 18, although he hasn't ruled out occasional guest spots. Ms. Margulies' contract will keep her on the air through May 2000, NBC said.