Since the first Grey's Anatomy episode aired on ABC in 2005, the long-running series has seen some memorable characters come and go. With a total of 17 seasons and over 300 episodes, Grey's Anatomy features an inexhaustibly large cast. Some characters were killed off, while others were moved off to different hospitals for the sake of the plot.
In this list, we're revisiting some of the most memorable characters of Grey's Anatomy and look at how the talent behind the character has been doing since departing the show. This is a massive spoiler alert for you and it's best to stop reading if you aren't caught up on the show.
10 Sarah Drew Made A TV Comeback
Despite not being a complete fan favorite, Sarah Drew's April Kepner stole our hearts in her relationship with Jesse William's Jackson Avery. The character made her last appearance on the show in 2018 during the 14th season finale.
The actress has been trying to get back to onscreen since being dumped by Grey's. Fortunately, Drew has gained several TV movies under her belt and has spent a lot of time raising her two children.
9 Sandra Oh Developed Dramedy 'The Chair' With Netflix
After years of being Meredith's sidekick, Sandra Oh's character Cristina Yang departed the hospital to replace her former fiance as head of a hospital in Switzerland. After Grey's, hopped into a few other popular series, including the hit show Killing Eve.
Today, Oh, alongside actress Amanda Peet, has been developing a dramedy with Netflix titled The Chair. Hollywood Reporter noted that the show has filled out the cast, announcing Nana Mensah, David Morse, Bob Balaban, and Everly Carganilla to feature as regulars.
8 Katherine Heigl Still Has A Strange Relationship With The Show
It's no secret that Katherine Heigl holds a perplexing relationship with Grey's Anatomy showrunners and writers. From her time on the show, she gained a negative reputation as an actress who's "difficult to work with," and her 2008 Emmy drama against the show somewhat backfired at her career.
Fortunately, Heigl managed to turn things around. She recently starred in the final two seasons of Suits and became a regular in Netflix's Firefly Lane (2021).
7 Justin Chambers Tries To Live A Lowkey Life
Thanks to Justin Chambers' fantastic portrayal of Alex Karev, the character will undoubtedly be the most missed from the show after he departed last year.
Off the screen, Chambers has been trying to live a low-key life far from the Hollywood glam. His social media hasn't been updated since 2019, and he hasn't signed with any major roles since leaving Grey's Anatomy.
6 T.R. Knight Landed Several Other TV Series
T.R. Knight's reappearance during a season 17 episode of Grey's Anatomy was shocking to many who still haven't forgotten George's gruesome death during season five. Knight was an amazing actor who even landed a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2007.
After departing Grey's Anatomy, Knight made several cameos in mini-series: The Catch (2017), God Friended Me (2019), and The Comey Rule (2020). He also appears as one of the main characters in HBO's The Flight Attendant (2020).
5 Patrick Dempsey Shifted His Focus
Although Patrick Dempsey's character, Derek Shepherd died roughly five years ago, he's still remains one of everyone's favorite.
After Grey's Anatomy, Dempsey shifted his focus into his auto-racing career. Currently, as CNN Entertainment reported, he's also gearing up for the Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted, which will come out on Disney+.
4 Nora Zehetner Found 'The Right Stuff'
Despite only being in ten episodes of Grey's Anatomy, everyone remembers Dr. Reed Adamson from the sixth season of the medical drama. After her dramatic exit from the show, Nora Zehetner jumped into the comedy series Maron three years later, along with landing other small roles.
Her latest work is National Geographic's original series, The Right Stuff. The series is a TV-adaptation of a Tom Wolfe book.
3 Mary McDonnell Starred In Popular Crime Dramas
Mary McDonnell's stay at the hospital was brief, as she was a guest star to Grey's Anatomy. Her memorable character, Dr. Virginia Dixon, was written off after only three episodes, at a time when the hospital was searching for the new head of the cardio department.
McDonnell was a seasoned actress before her appearance on Grey's and she had no trouble finding more work after her stint. McDonnell became a regular in the fifth, sixth, and seventh seasons of The Closer and Major Crimes.
2 Kate Walsh Empowers Women
After years of jumping from one small role to another, Kate Walsh was a breakout star in Grey's Anatomy and its spin-off Private Practice as Dr. Addison Montgomery.
As US Weekly reported, the 53-year-old actress uses her voice for a good cause, as she took her time out of the spotlight to team up with the No7 beauty brand for the Unstoppable Together campaign. It helps women reenter the workforce during the alarming concern of the ongoing pandemic. You might also recognize her face in Netflix's hit show, 13 Reasons Why, as Hannah Baker's mom.
1 Jessica Capshaw Hints At A Possible Return
One of the most significant departures of Grey's Anatomy during recent years was Dr. Arizona Robbins. She left the hospital in season 14 for New York.
However, Jessica Capshaw, the actress behind the character, has recently hinted at a possible return to the medical drama hit. A recent social media post dated January 12 got fans into a tizzy about her possible return. In the mean time, fans can see Capshaw in the fun romantic comedy Holidate.
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