One other authentic “Gray’s Anatomy” character has flatlined.
Certain, Justin Chambers’ surprise exit from ABC’s long-running medical drama has left followers reeling — nevertheless it’s removed from the primary time they’ve been shocked by a star character’s sudden departure.
Chambers’ Dr. Alex Karev was a staple of the present for 15 years, which premiered in 2005 when the principle characters had been interns at a Seattle hospital. Now, solely Dr. Meredith Gray, performed by Ellen Pompeo, 50, stays among the many authentic interns within the collection created by Shonda Rhimes.
The 49-year-old actor introduced he could be leaving the present to pursue different gigs, though Page Six reports that the actor was additionally in search of remedy for “stress, despair and life-coaching,” in response to one supply. “There’s a lot happening with [‘Grey’s Anatomy’] behind the scenes proper now.”
However this season isn’t the one one with extra drama than the confines of Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital. The present has seen an unusually excessive quantity of eyebrow-raising scandals and solid departures, lots of which despatched shock waves via the world of TV.
In spite of everything these years, the mounting losses haven’t accomplished a factor to wreck : “Gray’s Anatomy” continues to be on community TV within the coveted 18 to 49 demo.
Right here’s a glance again on essentially the most high-profile departures in “Gray’s” historical past — which, must be famous, doesn’t embrace Pompeo. She’s at the moment the highest-paid actress on a TV drama and is safely signed on for the show’s upcoming 17th season. However then once more, as historical past proves, nobody’s secure in Shondaland.
Katherine Heigl
Heigl, 41, performed Izzie Stevens on “Gray’s Anatomy” from 2005 to 2010 (profitable an Emmy in 2007) and in her downtime, she grew to become the queen of rom-coms, with films similar to “Knocked Up” (2007), “27 Attire” (2008) and “The Ugly Fact” (2009). However the yr after her Emmy win, she didn’t submit herself due to the standard of the writing — she mentioned she didn’t really feel that the fabric warranted consideration.
After that much-publicized controversial remark, it was over. She reached an settlement with Rhimes to be launched from her contract.
Izzie by no means formally died on the present, however her storylines became increasingly outlandish: getting most cancers, getting fired from her job and divorcing Alex (Chambers). Heigl got a rep for being troublesome to work with and hasn’t recovered since.
Patrick Dempsey
In one of many greatest shockers, McDreamy himself bought the axe. Dempsey, 53, was as soon as one of many faces of the present, starring as Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd for 11 seasons (2005-2015). He was unceremoniously written off by way of a tragic automobile crash, leaving followers critically McBummed.
Though he and Rhimes each publicly acknowledged they had been cordial and that he wished to go away, co-star Ellen Pompeo later appeared on “Pink Desk Discuss” where she said, “We haven’t spoken since he’s left the present.”
“I feel after a sure time period, regardless of how a lot cash you make, you need management out of your individual schedule,” he told People about his departure in 2015.
Sara Ramirez
Ramirez, 44, who performed Dr. Callie Torres for 11 seasons, reportedly stunned Rhimes herself when she introduced her departure from the present in 2016. Rhimes informed Vulture that this departure was completely different from all of the others. Speaking at Vulture Festival that year, Rhimes mentioned, “It wasn’t a giant, deliberate factor. I had a distinct plan going after which Sara got here and mentioned, ‘I really want to take a break.’ “ She left after Season 12. Fairly than dying, Callie was written off by her shifting to New York.
Isaiah Washington
In October 2006, backstage rumors surfaced that Washington, 56, who performed surgeon Preston Burke, reportedly used a homophobic slur to refer to his co-star T.R. Knight in an argument with Dempsey. Knight got here out publicly as homosexual following the incident, and Washington issued an apology. Quick ahead to the Golden Globes in January 2007, the place “Gray’s” was named Greatest Drama.
On June 7, 2007, ABC introduced it had determined to not renew Washington’s contract, and that he could be dropped from the present — although he did return for an episode in 2014. That one, coincidentally, marked the departure of yet one more excessive profile actor on the present, Sandra Oh, 48. So far as anybody is aware of, Oh left to pursue different alternatives. In 2019, she gained a “Greatest Actress” Golden Globe for her efficiency within the smash hit “Killing Eve.”
T.R. Knight
Knight, 46, was solid as Dr. George O’Malley and appeared in Episode 1. O’Malley labored his manner up from intern to resident, having a serious love storyline with Izzie (Heigl). In 2009, two years after Isaiah Washington left the present after his feedback concerning Knight, “Gray’s” wrote Knight’s character out of the present.
The departure was sluggish and painful. Knight mentioned he watched his character gradually get less airtime. By that time, he and Rhimes had been experiencing what he known as a “breakdown in communication.” He was surprisingly candid in explaining why he requested to go away the present.
“My five-year expertise proved to me that I couldn’t belief any reply that was given [about O’Malley],” he told Entertainment Weekly. “And with respect, I’m going to go away it at that.”
Brooke Smith
Smith, 52, was introduced on the present in 2006 to play the workaholic attending surgeon — who occurred to be a lesbian. The character, Dr. Erica Hahn, sparked up a romance with Callie (Ramirez), main as much as a passionate (community TV!) kiss. She was booted from the present in 2008, reportedly in an effort to tone down the LGBTQ storylines on the present, according to E!
Rhimes denied that Smith’s sexuality was her purpose for leaving the present — definitely “Gray’s Anatomy” hasn’t shied away from queer characters, she identified. However, the departure despatched the message that it’s “OK to be homosexual — simply not too homosexual,” said NPR’s TV critic Andrew Wallenstein.
Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew
One man’s ceiling would appear to be one other man’s ground on “Gray’s Anatomy.” Jessica Capshaw, who had been on the medical drama for 10 seasons as Dr. Arizona Robbins, and Sarah Drew, who performed Dr. April Kepner for 9 seasons, were written out at the end of Season 14. The timing of the double exit because it coincided with star Ellen Pompeo signing a brand new two-year deal that paid her as a lot as $20 million a yr.