Why These 'Grey's Anatomy' Stars Were Written Off The Show
Since Grey's Anatomy first aired in 2005, more actors have left the show then stayed on throughout its 18-season run. Some actors were let go due to backstage drama, some were dramatically killed off and others were written out with heartbreaking goodbyes.Some of that behind-the-scenes turmoil that caused former Grey's Anatomy stars to be written out from the hit Shondaland drama is practically as dramatic and compelling as any on the ABC show's on-screen plots. Here are some reasons certain actors and characters were written of Grey's Anatomy during the 17 years it has been on air.Spoiler Alert! This article contains spoilers from Grey's Anatomy seasons 1-18
7 Isaiah Washington Was Written Out Of 'Grey's Anatomy' Over Homophobia
During the early first three seasons of Grey's Anatomy, Isaiah Washington starred as Dr. Preston Burke. While his character was well-liked, he was less popular behind the scenes.
Washington reportedly uttered a homophobic slur on set, which caused an issue with cast member T.R. Knight, who came out as gay shortly after. While Washington initially denied the accusations, the actor later released a statement apologizing for what he said.
In 2007, Washington was confirmed to not be returning to the drama. He came back for a cameo in season 10 but has not appeared since.
6 Kate Walsh Left 'Grey's Anatomy' For A Spin-Off
Kate Walsh's Dr. Addison Montgomery appeared as a guest star in the first series of the medical drama before being promoted to the main cast in seasons 2 and 3.
Unlike many other actors on this list, her departure wasn't due to any behind-the-scenes drama. In 2007, Walsh left to enjoy her own spin-off show Private Practice. It saw Dr. Montgomery in a new location with new characters. She regularly made appearances through the fourth to eighth seasons of Grey's Anatomy. Private Practice ended after six successful seasons. During season 18 of Grey's Anatomy, Kate Walsh reprised her role as Addison Montgomery for a couple of episodes.
5 'Grey's Anatomy' Writers Struggled With Brooke Smith
Brooke Smith's dismissal from the ABC show caused a fair amount of controversy. Smith played Erica Hahn, who first appeared as a recurring character in season 2, before becoming a guest star in 3 and then a part of the main cast for season 4 and 5. Hahn received a great deal of attention when her character announced that she was a lesbian. Smith revealed that the network considered this scene "one of the best they ever shot on the show."
Everyone was surprised when Smith was shortly later written out of the show because "they couldn't write for her character anymore."
Addressing the controversy, creator Shonda Rhimes claims that Brooke Smith was "obviously not fired for playing a lesbian," but instead the writing team "did not find the magic and chemistry with Brooke's character would sustain in the long run." Brooke Smith was ultimately let go after the fifth season.
4 Katherine Heigl Left 'Greys Anatomy' To Be A Mother
Katherine Heigl is probably one of the more famous actresses to come out of Grey's Anatomy, becoming a household name thanks to her Emmy-winning performance as Dr. Izzie Stevens. Her seven-season stint on the medical show was followed with rumors that she was difficult to work with.
The year after winning Best Actress, Katherine Heigl refused to submit her name for Emmy consideration. Heigl went on to take her name out of consideration, which caused tension with the network. She was accused of taking a shot of the creators and writers but claimed her reasons was misconstrued.
"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention... I could have more gracefully said that without going into a private work matter. It was between me and the writers. I ambushed them, and it wasn’t very nice or fair," the star admitted much later.
Heigl says the real reason she quit the show in 2010 was because she had become a first-time mother. "I started a family, and it changed everything,” she said. “It changed my desire to work full-time. I went on family leave and just got to be a [mom], and it changed my whole perspective."
3 Eric Dane Left 'Grey's Anatomy' To Join 'The Last Ship'
Eric Dane, who played Mark Sloan chose to join TNT's The Last Ship after years working on Grey's Anatomy. The actor, who now appears in Euphoria, was killed off at the start of season 9 after suffering from the plane crash. Shonda Rhimes admits it was "the right time for his storyline to end," th.ough she called Dr. Sloan one of the hit show's "most beloved" characters
It appears no drama went down, the actor saw an opportunity to take his career in a different direction and felt like the TNT drama was an opportunity that couldn't be missed.
“Grey’s Anatomy is a world — it’s not about any one individual actor. And the storylines were sort of, you know, heading in different directions. So it was an opportunity for me to go and I was interested in something different. I loved doing Grey’s Anatomy. I would have done it until the final episode. But this was something I couldn’t pass up," he explained
2 Patrick Dempsey's 'Grey's Anatomy' Plot Ran Out
The death of Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey was one of Grey's Anatomy most shocking deaths. The actor was a main fixture, playing a lead role through multiple seasons. During season 11, fans were left devastated by the decision to have the character killed off.
In an interview, the actor revealed he felt it was the right time to leave, believing that 10 years was "a long time to be on a show" and felt it was "very hard" to keep the plot engaging enough for one character after so many years. There were rumors there were disagreements between Patrick Dempsey and Shonda Rhimes, which lead to the character being killed rather than leaving to possibly come back in the future. However, Grey's Anatomy fans were given a special McDreamy treat during season 17 of the show while Meredith Grey was in a coma.
1 Sara Ramirez Wanted To Explore More Options
Sara Ramirez's Dr. Callie Torres became a recurring character in season 2, before joining the lead cast the following season. Ramirez felt that by the time season 13 came around, she wanted some time away from the show. The decision came as a shock to everyone, including Shonda Rhimes, who only found out a few days before the news became public knowledge.
While Rhimes claimed in 2018 that ABC wouldn’t let Ramirez return because of her gig on Madam Secretary, Ramirez denied the claims. "For the record @CBS has been nothing but gracious and generous to me. They are open to Callie coming back! The ball is in @ABCNetwork's court," she tweeted at the time.
According to sources behind the scenes Grey's Anatomy, there was "no bad blood" regarding the decision, and the choice to leave was entirely her own. Although her character has the potential to return in the future, she has yet to make a comeback on the show.
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