Summary
Various former cast members are set to return forGrey’s Anatomyseason 21, with some of them entirely unexpected while others’ return was heavily hinted at by their characters’ storylines in the medical drama.Having been on the air since 2005,Grey’s Anatomylost plenty of its cast members, playing central and secondary characters, through the years. AlthoughGrey’s Anatomybecame famous for killing off its characters, not all of them exited the show via a brutal accident, making it possible for them to return. Some already did, as Arizona’s return in season 20 and Addison’s in season 19 proved.
Although previous characters’ exits resulted in them often not returning, even in key moments when they should have been present like Cristina’s absence in the aftermath of Derek’s death,that wasn’t the case for recent ones.Indeed, despite having as exit episodesGrey’s Anatomyseason 19, episodes 14 and 15, Maggie returned in season 19’s finale and again in season 20, episode 9. Maggie wasn’t the only character returning, with Meredith doing so in plenty of episodes despite Pompeo having had a reduced role sinceGrey’s Anatomyseason 19, episode 7, opening the doors for others to do the same.
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6Ellen Pompeo As Meredith Grey
MAGIC’s Last Member In Grey’s Anatomy Will Have A More Prominent Role In Season 21
Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith has often been the heart ofGrey’s Anatomy, with the medical drama using her perspective and journey as a doctor to introduce Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital and all those who were part of it. With her surname even being present in the medical drama’s name, it would be impossible to think ofGrey’s Anatomywithout Meredith Grey. Still,Grey’s Anatomyhas long been an ensemble show, making it possible for her role to be reduced and nonetheless return to tell Meredith’s story whenever Pompeo is available to reprise it, even without Meredith being at the show’s center.
Pompeo is set to appear in at least seven episodes inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21, upping her participation in season 21 massively after two seasons with a reduced role, essentially putting Meredith’s story back to the forefront. This change also works perfectly with Meredith’s main storyline inGrey’s Anatomyseason 20, which saw her pursuing her secret Alzheimer’s research with Grey Sloan Memorial’s discretionary funds despite Catherine forbidding her from doing so in season 20’s premiere.
WithGrey’s Anatomyseason 20’s finale kickstarting a war between Grey Sloan’s doctors and Catherine Fox, due to their insubordination in general but also in particular, as Teddy and Amelia both knew and participated in Meredith’s study, Meredith’s story will undoubtedly central inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21. This makes Pompeo’s return as Meredith particularly interesting to watch, asGrey’s Anatomyseason 20’s Alzheimer’s study story pushed Meredith right in the eye of the storm.
5Scott Speedman As Nick Marsh
Meredith’s Love Interest Will Be In More Episodes Compared To Season 20
After having first appeared as Meredith’s patient who heavily flirted with her inGrey’s Anatomyseason 14, Scott Speedman returned as her love interest Nick Marsh in season 18. Speedman was present in the majority of episodes inGrey’s Anatomyseasons 18 and 19, but he appeared in only four out of 10 episodes inGrey’s Anatomyseason 20. However,Speedman is set to reprise his role as Nick Marsh inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21, appearing in at least five episodes.
Speedman was present in the majority of episodes inGrey’s Anatomyseasons 18 and 19
While Nick was presented inGrey’s Anatomyprimarily as Meredith’s love interest, with their relationship still being the thing justifying his presence in Seattle and Boston, he became more important and an integral part of Grey Sloan Memorial’s ranks inGrey’s Anatomyseason 19.His role as director of the residency program essentially forced Nick to be at the heart of Grey Sloan, interacting with residents, interns, and all key managerial roles within the hospital, even pushing him closer to Owen and Winston, with whom he often collaborated in classes for the interns.
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Following Meredith to Boston inevitably terminated Nick’s role at Grey Sloan, but the events ofGrey’s Anatomyseason 20’s finale hinted that he can be part of season 21 in a meaningful way. Indeed, Meredith’s anger at his decision to get Bailey to the hospital without telling her first highlighted their problems, butGrey’s Anatomyseason 20’s finale also included Nick admitting he would follow Meredith everywhere but would prefer to go with her as equal partners. The new stage in their relationship thus hints at more collaboration between them, hopefully making Nick a bigger part of Meredith’s decisions.
4Jason George As Ben Warren
Station 19’s Firefighter Ben Warren Will Return As Grey Sloan’s Resident
Having been a part ofGrey’s Anatomysince season 6, Jason George quickly became more central to the medical drama’s story due to his character’s romance with Miranda Bailey.Becoming part of Jo’s same class of residents made it possible to explore interesting storylines by juxtaposing Ben’s bond with Miranda,their superior, with his loyalty to his fellow residents, making him a key character ofGrey’s Anatomybefore his departure from Grey Sloan kickstartedGrey’s Anatomy’s spinoffStation 19, with Ben as the main link between the two shows.
Ben’s career change from surgery resident to firefighter was a major part of bothGrey’s AnatomyandStation 19, impacting the first due to Miranda’s anxiety storyline and the second in the way Miranda’s issues with Ben’s new career affected him. ThroughoutStation 19’s seven seasons, Ben improved in his role and even Miranda became better at handling her fear of losing him, simultaneously becoming part of the big firehouse family. However, Ben’s love for medicine never disappeared, instead making Jason George’s return toGrey’s Anatomypossible with a storyline cleverly introduced over time inStation 19.
Indeed, Ben’s peculiar path informed much of his career as a firefighter, quickly becoming interested in an elite qualification that eventually made it possible for Station 19 to get their own PRT, even involvingGrey’s Anatomycharacters in the surgeries that could be performed on location thanks to it.Station 19season 7’s issues with an injury first and his focus on medicine later eventually madeBen Warren’s return toGrey’s Anatomypossible, justifying it in a cyclical way, asBen madeStation 19possible with his career move to firefighter, before ending the spinoff by returning toGrey’s Anatomy.
3Kali Rocha As Sydney Heron
Original Grey’s Anatomy Character Comes Back After Being Absent For 17 Years
First introduced inGrey’s Anatomyseason 2, episode 15, Kali Rocha played Sydney Heron in eight episodes over three seasons. Appearing the most inGrey’s Anatomyseason 3, Sydney was not too closely related to MAGIC norGrey’s Anatomy’s other protagonists, but she made an impact with her bubbly personality, which was a departure fromGrey’s Anatomy’s key characters', even those beyond the show’s own twisted sisters, Meredith and Cristina.Rocha returning as Sydney for three episodes inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21marks a change for the medical drama, whose characters it brought back were often central ones.
Avoided for her cheeriness, Sydney’s impact was considerable in relation to Cristina Yang, who she called out when Cristina had Burke second-guess Sydney’s path with a patient in her OR, and Izzie Stevens, asSydney was Izzie’s peer counselor after Denny’s death. Sydney’s last appearance inGrey’s Anatomyseason 4 was on a date with Derek Shepherd, during one of the off times of Derek and Meredith’s relationship.
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It’s unknown what Sydney’s role will be inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21, but given her being a resident of Miranda’s same year, the medical drama will undoubtedly bring her back as an attending. With only Webber, Bailey and Meredith as the characters Sydney knows onGrey’s Anatomyseason 21, any interaction with them would be entertaining, but especially one with Bailey would be so, given their rivalry for the chief resident position in season 3.
2Midori Francis As Mika Yasuda
One Of The Show’s New Interns Will Leave Grey’s Anatomy In Season 21
Being still part ofGrey’s Anatomyhardly makes her a former cast member, butMidori Francis will return to the medical drama only to wrap up her character Mika Yasuda’s story in season 21. One ofGrey’s Anatomyseason 19’s new group of interns, Mika had plenty of impactful stories overGrey’s Anatomyseasons 19 to 20.
From her debts forcing her to get a second job highlighting the terrible pay for interns to her love story with Taryn Helm, Mika shone in the new interns' group, even making some dub MikaGrey’s Anatomy’s Meredith replacement.Grey’s Anatomyseason 20 even heavily hinted at a romantic connection between Mika and Jules, which could be a huge storyline given both characters’ centrality.
It’s unknown howGrey’s Anatomywill wrap Mika’s character arc in season 21.Mika’s centrality might foretell a sad ending to her story, especially considering how well her life was going in season 20even taking into consideration her breakup with Taryn. While not much is known about how Mika’s story will conclude inGrey’s Anatomyseason 21, at least Midori Francis is confirmed to return for that, hopefully making the ending of her character’s story satisfying and worthy of how beloved and central toGrey’s Anatomywas Mika since her first appearance in season 19.
Midori Francis also played Lily inDash & Lily,which earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination.
1Jake Borelli As Levi Schmitt
Longtime Grey Sloan Resident Will Appear In Season 21 To Wrap His Character Arc
Jake Borelli’s return also follows a pattern similar to Midori Francis’s, as he is, too, still a cast member of the medical drama technically, butGrey’s Anatomyseason 21 will include Levi Schmitt’s exit, having Borelli return only to conclude his character’s story. Borelli first appeared as Levi Schmitt inGrey’s Anatomyseason 14, becoming infamous as Glasses among interns and attendings alike because of his glasses falling inside a patient during surgery.
Borelli first appeared as Levi Schmitt inGrey’s Anatomyseason 14, becoming infamous as Glasses among interns and attendings alike because of his glasses falling inside a patient during surgery.
Levi’s storylines often took center stage sinceGrey’s Anatomyseason 14. Among them, his journey as a gay man part of the Jewish community was often tackled, along with his on-and-off romance with Nico.Another big story focused on Levi’s choice to drop out after killing a patient, impacting the residency program as a whole in addition to Levi’s career. Levi’s return to Grey Sloan and his new role as co-chief resident thus makes it particularly interesting to see howGrey’s Anatomyseason 21 will choose to manage his exit.
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Two major Grey’s Anatomy cast members Jake Borelli (Levi Schmitt) and Midori Francis (Mika Yasuda) are unfortunately exiting the series in season 21.
WithGrey’s Anatomyseason 20 finally introducing Levi choosing a specialty and doing the best he could to obtain a recommendation to make his choice a reality, it’s unclear howGrey’s Anatomywill end his story. Still, the medical drama has the chance to makeGrey’s Anatomyseason 21 Levi’s swan song, hopefully doing so in a way that does justice to another key character who has been part of the medical drama for several years.
Grey’s Anatomyseason 21 premieres on Thursday, September 26 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
Grey’s Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
