Eight years ago,Grey’s Anatomyfans were taken aback by a shocking development. Out of nowhere, ABC announced that series veteransSarah DrewandJessica Capshaw(who played doctors April Kepner and Arizona Robbins) would not be returning forSeason 15 of the medical show. This was revealed after the season had wrapped, meaning that the characters got no farewell whatsoever. In a recent participation on the podcastCall It What It Is, Drew commented on her public reaction to the announcement.
In 2018, Drew spoke out to fans who werebaffled by her exitand suggested that she was blindsided by the decision, and was as surprised as everyone else. On the podcast — which is hosted by her former costars Capshaw andCamilla Luddington), the actor stood by what she said, but elaborated on the feeling that she thinks got exacerbated by the media:
“What I wastryingto describe was… [I] was unceremoniously let go in a way that felt mean and unjust, and,becauseof that, the outpouring of love was so enormous it was like you were sitting there watching people [eulogize you].”
Drew Also Comments On Her Brief Return toGrey’s Anatomy
Ever since she left, Drew was invited to return twice to the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital — in seasons 17 and 18 — and she also talked aboutthe guest appearanceson the podcast. She stated that she “had zero anxiety” about going back to the sets of the series because “they’re not responsible for my livelihood anymore. They’re not responsible for my success or my joy.” Drew added that now, returning to the place shespent nine yearsworking feels like “a fun spot” to drop by.
After exitingGrey’s Anatomy, Drew became a frequent collaborator ofthe Hallmark channel, and starred in a slate of romcoms for the network. Drew attributes the change to a specific storyline fromGrey’s Anatomy: theseasons-long romanceof her character April Kepner with Jackson Avery (played byJesse Williams). Drew told Capshaw and Luddington that before acting on that romantic arc, she only got to play “awkward, grating, annoying, ugly duckling, not-beautiful people” and only afterGrey’sthat she started to be perceived as a strong romantic lead.
Drew enteredGrey’s Anatomyin Season 6 and was part ofsome of the series' most game-changing arcs, including the merging of two hospitals and the clash between interns. Her character went through a series of great storylines, including conflicts of religious beliefs,death of a childand alcoholism.
Grey’s Anatomyis currently in Season 21. You can listen to the full episode of the podcaston iHeart.
Grey’s Anatomy
A high-intensity medical drama which follows Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis. They seek comfort from one another, and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
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