Ellen Pompeo, who’s had an eventful journey spanning decades at Grey Sloan Memorial, shared that she isn’t quite ready to hang up her scrubs for good. In an interview with El País published on April 13, she expressed that such a move would be irrational both emotionally and financially. She pointed out that the show was streamed over a billion times in the year 2024, implying significant financial gains for the companies involved from using her image, voice, and likeness.
55-year-old, mother of Stella Luna (15), Sienna May (10), and Eli Christopher (8) with husband Chris Ivery, stated that leaving Grey’s Anatomy would be a misstep after dedicating 20 years of effort, as she would no longer generate income.
She went on to say, “It seems unfair to me that others are reaping profits from my efforts. Moreover, the show holds significant emotional value for many people. I wish to maintain an attitude of appreciation towards it.
Besides her, another original cast member, Chandra Wilson who plays Miranda Bailey since the show’s debut in 2005, also feels bound to continue in the Shonda Rhimes-produced series. In an interview with People magazine in April 2023, she shared that she intends to remain a part of the show until its final episode.
Despite being a dedicated fan, Ellen’s involvement with “Grey’s Anatomy” has somewhat waned over the years. She’s been less frequent in recent seasons 20 and beyond, choosing to prioritize her role as an executive producer and other projects during that period.
This change also encompasses her most recent significant part in Hulu’s “Good American Family,” a venture which provided an opportunity for her to test her acting talents once more.
For the past two decades, I’ve been immersed in one character, and honestly, I never thought there was room for change,” I expressed to El Pais regarding my upcoming role, influenced by the true story of Natalia Grace. “My fans have come to know me in this role, so if I wish to captivate them as a fresh character, I must ensure I convincingly embody this new persona in every aspect.
When it comes to her long-running role as a fictional surgeon, she’s not alone in reducing her screen time on Grey Sloan. Stick around to learn about other actors who’ve ventured outside the realm of Grey’s Anatomy…
In the third season, Burke left Cristina at the altar without a trace, eventually winning a Harper Avery award at another location. Later, he settled in Zurich, Switzerland, where he founded a high-tech hospital. He got married, had children, and by season 10, as he prepared to retire, he invited Cristina to take over his hospital.
In the aftermath of allegations that Isaiah Washington used a derogatory term towards his costar T.R. Knight during an on-set disagreement with Patrick Dempsey, Washington chose to depart from the series. His attempts at damage control only deepened the controversy until he was ultimately dismissed from the show. However, it seems that reconciliation occurred between Washington and ABC, as they permitted him to rejoin the cast in 2014.
What about Washington’s comments regarding the incident? Later on, he publicly apologized, further stating in another release, “I must also acknowledge that there are matters I need to reflect upon deeply within myself. I have sought assistance to help me with this.
Since he left “Grey’s Anatomy”, he has appeared as Thelonious Jaha on the CW’s “The 100” until his character was killed off in season five, and later played a role in the critically praised “P-Valley” on Starz.
As a devoted admirer of the storyline, let me share my interpretation: In the narrative, I found myself following the journey of a character named Izzie Stevens. She was diagnosed with cancer, married Alex Karev, bravely fought and conquered the disease, but then seemed to vanish in season six. Eventually, she reappeared, confessing that Seattle wasn’t her forever home anymore. Later on, we learned that Alex received divorce papers, and now it’s revealed that Izzie had secretly given birth to his twins. She currently resides on a ranch in Kansas and has become a surgical oncologist.
Katherine Heigl stopped being a part of the series around 2008 when she chose not to be nominated for an Emmy because she felt the content wasn’t worthy. By 2010, her character was no longer seen. In the subsequent years, she expressed a desire to reprise her role, but creator Shonda Rhimes refused. “I’m finished with that tale,” she stated to TVLine in 2015.
Initially gaining fame as a rising romantic comedy actress, Heigl later appeared in several more romcoms before transitioning to television with the series ‘State of Affairs’, followed by ‘Doubt’ and more recently, she played an arc on ‘Suits’ and starred in ‘Firefly Lane’ until its conclusion in 2023.
In the fourth season, young intern Norman found himself facing misunderstandings about his role due to his mature appearance. Instead of an attending physician, he was actually an intern. A series of incidents followed: first, he inadvertently informed a patient that she was dying, and later, he suffered a stroke. After undergoing surgery to remove the blood clot, Norman made the decision to transfer to the psychiatry department.
Edward Herrmann, a highly recognized actor, is primarily remembered for his role as Richard Gilmore on the show “Gilmore Girls.” He also made appearances in numerous episodes of “The Good Wife,” “Harry’s Law,” and even “American Dad” before passing away in 2014.
In the series, Sydney temporarily replaced Bailey during her maternity leave and was known for her high spirits. Her bubbly personality often irritated others. At one stage, she went out on a date with Derek, but later faded from the scene around early season four. However, she made a brief return to her role in season 21, which aired in 2024.
Recently, Kali Rocha has been featured prominently on Disney’s shows “Liv and Maddie” and “Man with a Plan,” as well as an upcoming episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” in 2024.
Among the most heartrending shows on this list, towards the end of season five, George made a fateful decision to join the army as a trauma surgeon. As he was heading out to fulfill his duty, he bravely saved a woman from being run over by a bus, but unfortunately, he was struck himself. In critical condition, he arrived at the hospital so severely injured that no one immediately recognized him until he managed to write his nickname, “007”, on Meredith’s hand using his finger. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to save him, and George tragically passed away.
Following a series of challenging backstage periods (such as Isaiah Washington reportedly uttering offensive language regarding him), Knight found difficulties with certain storylines involving George and was displeased by George’s minimal screen time at the start of season five, leading to his request to terminate his contract.
In 2017, the Knight made a comeback to Shondaland by featuring in an episode arc of The Catch. He has also been seen on shows like The Good Wife, 11.22.63, and Genius, among others. In 2019, he began voice acting for the series The Bravest Knight, but left in 2024. From 2020 to 2022, he worked on the HBO Max series The Flight Attendant alongside Kaley Cuoco.
He also returned to Grey’s for one episode to meet Meredith during her COVID-19 coma in season 17.
In the early fifth season, Erica Hahn ended both her relationship with Callie Torres and her job at the hospital after learning that Callie had failed to disclose an incident involving Izzie Stevens. Izzie, in a desperate attempt to save Denny Duquette’s life, had severed his LVAD wire, which happened to be from one of Erica’s patients. When Callie refused to report this situation, Erica decided to walk away.
Brooke Smith made appearances in various shows like Bosch, Bates Motel, Supergirl, The Good Doctor, Chicago Med, and The Good Fight, as well as the 2019 movie Bombshell.
Most recently, she had arcs in Ryan Murphy‘s Grotesquerie, The Recruit and The Hunting Party.
During the early part of season six, our intern went missing, while Brandon Scott has recently appeared in shows like “Dead to Me” on Netflix, “13 Reasons Why”, “This Is Us”, and “The Good Doctor”.
Despite the frequent turmoil that many Grey’s interns seem prone to, Megan might opt for the scalpel instead. She found herself in a complex love situation involving both Steve and Pierce. While she was with Pierce, she ended up having an affair with Steve, which led to Pierce contemplating harming Steve. Megan then discovered she was pregnant with Steve’s child, eventually married him, and has not been seen since season six, following Derek Shepherd’s decision to rehire her.
As a die-hard admirer of Molly Kidder, I can’t help but share the highlights of her career since her stunning performance in ‘Grey’s’. In 2010, she graced our screens with a captivating guest role on ‘Outsourced’. Fast forward to independent films, and she’s been making appearances that have left fans like me eagerly awaiting more. Interestingly, in the year 2025, she even made an appearance as an extra in ‘Ghosts’, demonstrating her versatility yet again!
In the television series, Joe Williamson, who was once a part of the love triangle involving Megan, Pierce, and Steve, found himself let go during a round of layoffs in season six. Since then, he has been seen on shows like “Here and Now” and the 2019 film “Ford v Ferrari,” starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon.
Steve became part of a romantic triangle within the internship, eventually getting married to Megan and becoming a parent. Despite the layoffs, he managed to last until season eight, but then mysteriously disappeared from the show.
Since his enigmatic absence from Grey’s, Mark Saul has also made appearances on various television shows such as Franklin & Bash, Mom, The Great Indoors, Grace & Frankie, Modern Family, and I Think You Should Leave.
In the merger with Mercy West during season six, Nurse Olivia lost her job, but made a brief reappearance in season 14 when her child accidentally swallowed a toy while she was in Seattle visiting her parents. Coincidentally, her son received medical attention from Alex, who had previously given Olivia syphilis. During this time, Olivia also had an opportunity to converse with Jo, Alex’s then-fiancée.
Since her departure from Grey’s Anatomy in 2009, Sarah Utterback has made several TV appearances. Notably, she was featured on shows like Reception and Mysteries of Laura. In the year 2024, she landed a minor role in the series 9-1-1.
Graciella, the intern who disappeared during the hospital shooting in season six, has been consistently busy. Recently, she’s been featured in an arc on How to Get Away with Murder, and made appearances on shows like S.W.A.T., The Good Doctor, American Housewife, Animal Kingdom, Snowfall, Criminal Minds, NCIS: LA, Anger Management, Bones, and the 2019 miniseries Reckoning. In a 2024 episode of Tracker, she was portrayed as Rona.
In season six, Nora became the unfortunate victim when Gary Clark, armed with a gun, entered the hospital with the intention of murdering Derek. Tragically, she lost her life instantly after being fatally shot in the head by him.
Nora Zehetner made guest appearances on Mad Men following her departure from Grey’s Anatomy, and more recently played key roles in Designated Survivor and the series The Right Stuff. In 2025, she was cast as Melissa in Grosse Point Garden Society.
During the filming of season six, Percy unfortunately met his end. Unlike other deaths, his was prolonged as he found himself trapped with a patient (Mandy Moore’s character) and Bailey in a room. He was shot at point-blank range. Despite Bailey’s valiant efforts to save him, the elevators ceased functioning during the evacuation, sealing Percy’s fate.
Since then, Robert Baker has thrived in his acting career, making appearances on shows like Riverdale, Modern Family, The Originals, and more recently as Otis Graves on Supergirl. In 2025, he returned to the medical field, guest-starring on an episode of St. Denis Medical.
OBGYN Lucy apparently seized a remarkable opportunity in Africa, which Alex had been unaware of due to their lack of discussion about moving abroad. Consequently, Lucy relocated to Africa before Alex did and subsequently disappeared from the show following season seven.
Currently, Rachael Taylor is primarily recognized for her role as Jessica Jones’ friend Trish in the Netflix series “Jessica Jones” and “The Defenders”. Additionally, she made an appearance in a 2024 episode of the show “Hacks”.
Initially portrayed as Derek’s bitterly estranged spouse, Addison later gained popularity with viewers, leading to her own spinoff. She was last seen on Grey’s Anatomy during the somewhat contentious musical episode of season seven, where she played a crucial role in saving Callie after her car accident. Additionally, she made appearances in episodes such as one from 2012, where Meredith imagined her mother was alive and wedded to Richard, while Derek and Addison were still unhappy together. She resurfaced again for an arc in 2023.
She ended Private Practice married to Jake (Benjamin Bratt) with a son, Henry.
She subsequently made appearances in “Fargo”, starred in the brief series “Bad Judge”, portrayed a grieving mother in “13 Reasons Why”, and contributed to the apocalypse in “The Umbrella Academy”. Currently, she stars in the 2020 show “Emily in Paris” and made an appearance in a 2025 episode of “Optics”.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Lexie, Meredith’s vivacious half-sister, met an untimely end in one of the most emotionally wrenching storylines the series has ever produced – the devastating plane crash. Tragically, she didn’t survive the journey back to the hospital (originally known as Seattle Grace), having been fatally injured when part of the plane came crashing down on her while Mark Sloan, her beloved, wept for her loss. During Meredith’s coma due to COVID-19, Lexie and Mark reappeared, suggesting they had reunited in some other realm as their love continued beyond this life.
Chyler Leigh first appeared in the show named “Taxi Brooklyn,” which had a humorous title. Later, she portrayed the tough character Alex Danvers on “Supergirl.” Since 2023, she has been starring as Kat Landry in Hallmark’s production titled “The Way Home.
In season eight, Mark, more commonly known as McSteamy, didn’t perish instantly in the plane crash, but rather was taken to a hospital where he lived for several days despite his critical injuries. The hospital has since been named in honor of both Mark and Lexie, following the purchase by the survivors of the plane crash who pooled their lawsuit winnings. In a touching scene, it’s suggested that Mark and Lexie reconnected after death when they appeared together to visit Meredith during her coma.
Eric Dane departed from his show to take on a leading role in TNT’s “The Last Ship,” which concluded after five seasons in November 2018. Currently, he is acting alongside Zendaya on HBO’s series “Euphoria.” The third season of the show is expected to air soon.
Do you recall the OGYN resident who dated Jo during season nine? Their relationship ended dramatically when he discovered secrets she had kept from him. The argument escalated into a physical altercation, causing Jason to fall and hit his head, resulting in a hospitalization. Despite Alex’s persuasion, Jason chose not to press charges against Jo. Since then, he has not made another appearance.
Later in his career, Charles Michael Davis played significant roles in shows such as “The Originals” (on The CW), “Younger” (TV Land), “For the People” (ABC), and “Chicago P.D.” (NBC). More recently, he made an appearance on an episode of “Legacies” in 2022.
In the heart-wrenching season 10, I lost a cherished character – the quirky and selfless intern named Heather. During that monstrous storm, in an act of heroism reminiscent of Richard Webber himself, she tragically gave her life while trying to help him.
Tina Majorino most recently appeared on CBS’ Scorpion and an episode of The Good Doctor.
As a devoted disciple, I found Dr. Herman transforming into an unusually rigorous mentor in the field of fetal surgery, Arizona. Initially, she appeared quite reasonable until I discovered about Nicole’s colossal terminal brain tumor. Amelia managed to remove the tumor, yet it was Herman who eventually relinquished her sight and departed during season 11. However, in a surprising turn of events, she reappeared towards the end of season 14 to aid Arizona in bidding farewell from the show. This was accomplished by offering her substantial grant funds to establish a women’s health center in New York City.
In 2016, Geena Davis appeared in the Fox show “The Exorcist” before reprising her role on “Grey’s”. Lately, she has been seen frequently on Netflix’s “GLOW” and the revamped animated series “She-Ra”. Nowadays, she focuses more on producing, taking on the executive producer role for “Mission Unstoppable With Miranda Cosgrove”.
After the plane crash, Cristina Yang experienced a very difficult period in her life and it took considerable time for her to fully heal. Later on, she found out that she would never be able to win the Harper Avery award at the hospital where she worked, which made her consider moving on. Her former love, Preston Burke, then invited her to Zurich to manage a state-of-the-art hospital he had opened so he could retire with his family. In season 10, Cristina eventually decided to leave, sharing one last dance with Meredith before going.
Currently, Sandra Oh is making waves as one of the leading TV actresses. She plays Eve in the highly praised BBC America series “Killing Eve,” which earned her a Golden Globe. Similarly to Geena Davis, she also appears in Netflix’s “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.” Additionally, she uses her voice for a character on Robert Kirkman’s animated show, “Invincible.
Initially an overconfident intern, Shane later became a full-fledged resident who worked excessively, almost to the point of exhaustion. However, he developed a close relationship with Cristina and requested to accompany her to Zurich – a request he eventually fulfilled.
Gaius Charles, famously known for his role as Smash Williams in Friday Night Lights, has previously starred in Aquarius and Taken, and more recently can be seen on The Walking Dead: Dead City.
Over a few challenging seasons, Derek Shepherd took up work under President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., inviting Meredith and their family to join him. However, she declined, and they spent some time apart until he chose to rectify the situation by returning home to perform his duties remotely.
In season 11, just like how he and Mer found happiness once more, he was headed to wrap up some outstanding issues when he stumbled upon a catastrophic traffic accident. He spent numerous hours tending to the injured victims, but as soon as he climbed back into his own vehicle, he was struck by a truck. The medical team at the hospital where the ambulance transported him were not equipped to handle trauma and neglected to perform a head CT scan, ultimately resulting in his demise.
Patrick Dempsey explained that he chose to depart from the series due to finding it challenging to maintain engaging storylines, and he desired additional time with his family. After his departure from Grey’s Anatomy, he has appeared in films such as Bridget Jones’ Baby, a miniseries titled The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, the series Devils, and commercials that remind us of his past role as a television doctor. Currently, he can be seen in the series Dexter: Original Sin.
He shockingly returned to Grey’s for a series of dream sequences in season 17.
Leah Murphy, the unfortunate character, endured numerous challenges prior to her dismissal during season 10, as it turned out that the rigors of being a surgeon were beyond her capabilities. However, unexpectedly, she made a comeback in season 13, joining forces with Maggie. A short while later, much like before, she vanished once more from the series.
Apart from her role in “Grotesquerie” in 2024, Tessa Ferrer was also part of the Hulu adaptation of the World War II miniseries “Catch-22,” which aired in 2019 alongside George Clooney.
Callie departed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital when her somewhat contentious partner Penny received an exclusive scholarship in New York. Initially planning to stay in Seattle due to a heartbreaking custody dispute with Arizona, things changed as Arizona reconsidered and escorted Callie, along with Sofia, out of town at the end of season 12.
Sara Ramirez decided to move on for a new role on CBS’ show “Madame Secretary.” Since then, they have been seen portraying the controversial character Che Diaz in HBO’s “Sex and the City” sequel series called “And Just Like That.” In 2024, they lent their voice to Amber in the animated series “Velma.
Penelope’s experience at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital was challenging right from the beginning. She debuted as Callie’s new girlfriend, carrying the stigma of being one of the doctors blamed for Derek’s death, and had to deal with a rather cranky Meredith. Matters only worsened when she landed an esteemed position in New York, causing Callie to follow suit, which ignited the tumultuous custody fight between Callie and Arizona. As of late, we learned that Penelope and Callie had split up (explaining Arizona’s relocation to New York), a relationship that was ultimately destined for failure.
Samantha Sloyan gained prominence with her role as Leigh in ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, and has been featured on shows like ‘SEAL Team’ and ‘The Rookie’. In 2025, she returned to the hospital setting by becoming a part of ‘The Pitt’.
In Season 13, Minnick stepped in as Richard Webber’s replacement for teaching the residents, but her rigid adherence to rules and lack of consideration for others resulted in widespread dislike, even leading to Meredith’s suspension. Her extreme focus on protocol caused her to overlook informing the police that a resident was missing during a fire, which nearly cost Stephanie’s life. Eventually, her actions led to her dismissal from the hospital.
Later on, Marika Dominczyk teamed up with her husband Scott Foley, a former cast member of Grey’s Anatomy, in the brief-running ABC series Whiskey Cavalier.
At the conclusion of season 13, Stephanie opted to venture out and discover fresh experiences, having survived a fire ordeal, followed by several months of fatigue and mourning the loss of her partner Kyle, who was portrayed by Wilmer Valderrama.
Jerrika Hinton made her appearance in the brief-running HBO drama titled “Here and Now” during 2018, and subsequently became part of the cast for the Amazon series “Hunters,” playing a character that hunts Nazis. In the year 2024, she portrayed Lycia in the production named “The Accused.
In the early stages of season 14, Nathan decided to depart from Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital because his long-held dream finally materialized when his fiancée, Megan Hunt, who had been held captive for ten years, returned. The two of them, along with the child Megan had adopted during her time abroad, relocated to Los Angeles. This development marked an unfortunate end to Nathan’s growing relationship with Meredith, but it provided a heartwarming conclusion for Riggs.
Martin Henderson, who you might recognize from Britney Spears’ “Toxic” music video, has continued his acting career and will be seen in the series ‘Virgin River’ up until 2024.
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