Today’s announcement might come as a shocker to each fan of the beloved American TV show “Grey’s Anatomy”: as the news outlet Deadline reported just now, the cast will definitely lose some of its members, again, when the show returns for its 15th season.
According to the website, this decision involves the long-term cast members Jessica Capshaw as well as Sarah Dew, both of whom have been on the show for almost 10 years. The two will be written out at the end of the current season, according to the sources. Said decision was made by the producers. The sources also mentioned that the two actresses are the only ones departing the ever-changing ensemble. Lead actress Ellen Pompeo will most definitely stay, having already signed a two-year contract whose deal includes producing fees as well as an increased salary.
Showrunner Krista Vernoff explains in an interview that “as writers, our job is to follow the stories where they [the characters] want to go and sometimes that means saying goodbye to characters we love. It has been a joy and a privilege to work with these phenomenally talented actresses.”
Executive producer Shonda Rhimes further stressed the cultural importance of having had both characters, one being a Lesbian mom and the other being a devout Christian, on the show. “It’s always hard for me to say goodbye to any of my characters. Both Arizona Robbins and April Kepner are not only beloved but iconic — both the LBGTQ and devout Christian communities are underrepresented on TV. I will be forever grateful to both Jessica and Sarah for bringing these characters to life with such vibrant performance and for inspiring women around the globe. They will always be a part of our Shondaland family.”
Capshaw joined Grey’s Anatomy in season 5 as a recurring character called Dr. Arizona Robbins, a love interest for the then regular character Callie Torres. She was promoted to the status of a series regular in the upcoming season. Sarah Dew entered the show in season 6 as the recurring character Dr. April Kepner. She was promoted to series regular in season 7.
While the show has not been officially renewed for a 15th season, chances are very likely that it will happen since the ratings are satisfactory and stable.
Cast member Sarah Drew tweeted to express her sadness about the decision but also mentioned that a detailed statement of hers will arrive at a later time. Read the full tweet below:
https://t.co/IIBdRdCH9D pic.twitter.com/K9rdrcJXGx
— Sarah Drew (@sarahdrew) March 8, 2018
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