From T.R. Knight and Katherine Heigl to Sara Ramirez and Patrick Dempsey to Ellen Pompeo's limited role in season 19, ET chronicles the history of Grey's Anatomy's biggest and most dramatic cast exits over the course of the medical drama's life. Here's a look back at all the stars who have passed through the halls of Grey Sloan Memorial.Ellen Pompeo (Dr. Meredith Grey)<img class="img-full c008"
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alt="Grey's Anatomy" />Liliane Lathan/ABCPompeo is taking a step back in season 19 of Grey's, appearing in only eight episodes as she explores other projects (aka a Hulu drama about orphans) and looks ahead to new challenges. The star and executive producer, who remains one of the series' last original cast members and has
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played Meredith Grey since the series' inception in 2005, explained to ET why she felt it was time to pass the baton, so to speak. (She will still narrate the season.) "It's still Grey's. She's still there in spirit and that's the house that Grey built, so she's always there," Pompeo assured in a September 2022 interview. "She just has to step away for a little bit to do a Hulu show.
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It's a great company to work for and I'm really, really lucky that they've given me the opportunity to do both, and so I had to take it." Though it's unclear how Grey's will transition Pompeo out for the time being, the leading lady's limited presence in season 19 marks a huge turning point for the show, which is approaching the year as a "rebirth.
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"Even if Pompeo's season 19 departure is only temporary, the actress has been candid about the future of Grey's without Meredith at the center of it. "Trying to reinvent the show and continually trying to reinvent the show is the challenge at this point, and listen, the show speaks to a lot of people, and the young people love the show," Pompeo told ET in May 2022.
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"It's inspired so many generations of healthcare workers, so, I think for the young people, it's a really good piece of content and we're going to try to keep it going for the young people, not necessarily with me, but keep it going beyond me."Richard Flood (Dr. Cormac Hayes)<img class="img-full c008" src="
alt="Richard Flood
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Grey's Anatomy" />Eric McCandless/ABCFlood left Grey's in the middle of season 18 following a nearly three-year run. The actor, who initially joined the series in season 16 as a potential love interest for Meredith, exited in the March 3, 2022 episode. "Honestly, I was very happy. I felt it was the right time," Flood said in an interview at the time.
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"When I started, I always thought that three years on something was really as much as I’d like to do. I’m always eager to see what else is out there and try and stretch myself in different directions and do different types of TV and film. Three years was perfect for me, so I was very happy."Greg Germann (Dr. Tom Koracick)<img class="img-full c008"
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alt="Grey's Anatomy" />Ron Batzdorff/ABCGermann's exit in the May 20, 2021 episode of Grey's Anatomy came as a bit of a surprise, as much of the attention had been paid to longtime series regular Jesse Williams' departure in the same hour. So when it was revealed that Germann would also be leaving as a series regular (but
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possibly may return as a guest star down the line), it was a true bummer. "Greg Germann is a comic genius and we are so lucky that he brought his talents to our show these last few years," showrunner/executive producer Krista Vernoff said in a statement to ET the day the news broke.
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"We will miss Greg terribly in the day to day -- but we plan to see Tom Koracick again!" Added Germann: "To have worked with all the incredibly talented people involved with Grey’s over the past few years has been such a privilege. A big thank you to the fans as it has truly been a shared experience!"Germann returned for the Nov. 3, 2022 episode in season 19, which also featured Williams back in the Grey's universe.
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In the hour, Germann's Koracick, who relocated to Boston, went to Debbie Allen's Catherine regarding a personal matter.Jesse Williams (Dr. Jackson Avery)<img class="img-full c008" src="
alt="Grey's Anatomy" />Walt-Disney Television Group via Getty ImagesWilliams' departure was announced ahead of Sarah Drew's
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return on the May 6, 2021 episode in season 17, which reunited Jackson and April and provided closure for fans and for that relationship. The 41-year-old actor's final Grey's episode aired May 20, 2021, though he would later return for the 400th episode a year later alongside Drew.
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“I will forever be grateful for the boundless opportunities provided me by Shonda, the network, studio, fellow castmates, our incredible crew, Krista [Vernoff], Ellen [Pompeo] and Debbie [Allen]. As an actor, director and person, I have been obscenely lucky to learn so much from so many and I thank our beautiful fans, who breathe so much energy and appreciation into our shared worlds," Williams said in a statement to ET.
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"The experience and endurance born of creating nearly 300 hours of leading global television is a gift I’ll carry always. I am immensely proud of our work, our impact and to be moving forward with so many tools, opportunities, allies and dear friends.”Williams stepped back into the Grey's world for the Nov. 3, 2022 episode, where he returned as Jackson, who had since relocated to Boston. Williams also directed the episode.
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Giacomo Gianniotti (Dr. Andrew DeLuca)<img class="img-full c008" src="
/>ABCGianniotti saw his beloved character, DeLuca, receive a hero's sendoff when the doctor -- who had gotten his bipolar disorder under control at the start of season 17 -- died in the March 11, 2021 episode after getting stabbed following a wild goose
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chase of a sex trafficker that led him (and his sister Carina) all over Seattle. There were hints that the Grey Sloan attending was going to recover from his injuries after successfully undergoing emergency surgery, but unexpected complications led him to bleed out and die on the operating table. Gianniotti also appeared on the beach alongside Ellen Pompeo's Meredith Grey to say goodbye.
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Following his character's death, Gianniotti spoke to ET about learning DeLuca wouldn't survive past season 17. "[Showrunner] Krista [Vernoff] and [executive producer] Debbie [Allen] were more emotional than I was, because I think for me it was more shock. I just felt a little taken aback...
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They had probably spent more time with this idea and with this news, so they were already beyond the shock and more into the mourning of a great friend having to leave the show, you know? But it was beautiful and we had a great conversation and we reminisced about all these years working together, how beautiful it's been and how we get to give DeLuca a send-off that is worthy of his character and all that he's given to the show, so I feel
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very happy about the experience."Justin Chambers (Dr. Alex Karev)<img class="img-full c008" src="
alt="Justin Chambers in Grey's Anatomy" />Mike Rosenthal/ABC via Getty ImagesChambers announced in mid-January 2020 that he would be leaving Grey's Anatomy after 1
