‘Where Are All Of The Actors?’ Shonda Rhimes Recalls Pushing For Diversity In Grey’s Anatomy Casting

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This year marks the 20th anniversary of *Grey’s Anatomy*, with its 22nd season set to premiere next month. While plans for a celebration at the Emmy Awards didn’t pan out, the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, is reflecting on the show’s achievements over the past two decades. *Grey’s Anatomy* has always been recognized for its diverse cast, and Rhimes remembers making diversity a priority.

In the HBO Max documentary *Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television*, Shonda Rhimes shared a story about early 2000s casting. She explained that she didn’t specify the race of any characters when writing scripts, and was surprised to find that only white actors auditioned for the parts.

I repeatedly asked why we weren’t seeing a diverse cast. They kept sending actors who all looked alike – they were all white. I vividly remember confronting the network president and telling them I wouldn’t create a show with an entirely white cast.

The executives told her they never intended for that to happen, and they immediately started making calls to fix it, Shonda Rhimes explained. Fortunately, the talent agencies were able to help, she added.

Suddenly, we had a huge influx of talented actors, which was fantastic. It was exciting to see performers who hadn’t previously been given opportunities beyond minor roles.

Shonda Rhimes feels ashamed that her work, particularly *Grey’s Anatomy*, is remembered for simply increasing opportunities for people of color in front of the camera. She believes it’s a sad reflection on the television industry that it took so long to achieve this level of diversity.

Before *Grey’s Anatomy* began in 2005, it was rare to see three Black actors – Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber, and Isaiah Washington as Preston Burke – in leading roles as prominent hospital staff. Creator Shonda Rhimes has spoken about how proud she was of this groundbreaking representation. As she put it:

I was determined to create a show I could be proud of, one that wouldn’t make me feel ashamed to air on television. I didn’t want to have to justify a lack of diversity – like explaining to my parents, and especially my dad, that the cast was all white simply because that’s ‘how TV is made.’

Over its twenty years on ABC, *Grey’s Anatomy* has consistently showcased a diverse cast, including characters of different races and LGBTQ+ and nonbinary individuals. The show has also addressed important social issues such as hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, racial inequality, gender discrimination, and abuse.

If Shonda Rhimes hadn’t prioritized a diverse cast for *Grey’s Anatomy* two decades ago, the show would be very different, and television overall has benefited from that decision.

You can watch all 21 seasons of *Grey’s Anatomy* on either Netflix or Hulu. Season 22 will premiere on ABC on Thursday, October 9th at 10 p.m. Eastern Time, and will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.

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2025-09-16 13:38