Grey’s Anatomy

The world of Hollywood is a fickle one . It ’s a humankind where today ’s unknown region can become tomorrow ’s bright stars , and where today ’s adult name can become tomorrow ’s monitory tale . There ’s no rhyme or grounds   for who makes it big and who never succeeds in the long run .

When it comes to the ever - amplify cast ofGrey ’s Anatomy , it really does seem totally random and hit or miss when you look at who ’s made it to the A - list and whose career sadly never took off .

There ’s no logic of career longevity behind any part of it , as not every member of the original casting has exert increasing levels of achiever .   However , not every refreshed aspect makes it big , either , often instead pull in one’s horns to the obscurity from which they briefly emerged into the hall of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital .

Grey’s Anatomy Poster

Then again , Hollywood is really volatile . Just because certainGrey ’s stars have worked their way up to the A - list so far , that does n’t entail they ca n’t tumble from their lofty positions at any time .

Also , even if sure cast member have yet to make it handsome , they ’re really just one standout role away from changing it all .

With that said , here are10Grey ’s AnatomyStars Who Became A - Listers ( And 5 Whose career Flopped ) .

Katherine Heigl Rachael Taylor Jeffrey Dean Morgan

A-List: Sara Ramirez

From time of year two through season twelve , Sara Ramirez starred onGrey’sas orthopedic surgeon Calliope " Callie " Torres . Whip smart and unabashedly confident , Callie , through Ramirez ’s portrayal , transcended from the unenviable post of romantic road block to in full constitute and inspirational heroine .

Through Callie ’s narrative significance , Ramirez began to make a strong name for herself within the world as well .

In addition to her oeuvre on the minuscule silver screen , Ramirez has invite a Tony Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for her theatre career , and has released a self - titled EP as well .

Callie looks angry at Arizona in Grey’s Anatomy

A-List: Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Denny Duquette is a perfect instance of a character who over - bide their welcome and left a turned taste in many fans ' mouths as a upshot of it .

antecedently a sad , loveable character with a bittersweet ending , Denny ’s continuance on the series was over - extended through cringe - suitable plot twist after plot of land gimmick .

If one successful matter come from Denny ’s duration on the series , however , it was doubtless providing a launching pad for Jeffrey Dean Morgan ’s future career .

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan in The Walking Dead

In addition to his time as Izzie ’s badly - fated love onGrey ’s , Morgan has also recurred on cult hitSupernaturaland starred in myriad genre movies , such asWatchmenandBatman v Superman .

However ,   above all else , Morgan is now undeniably most well - do it for his bone - chilling twist as the sociopathic Negan on the long - run repugnance seriesThe walk Dead .

Flopped: Brooke Smith

Some characters just never seem to find their places within an extremely large and talented ensemble . alas for Brooke Smith , her Dr. Erica Hahn was one who puzzle out like a sore ovolo from her very launching .

Extremely tightly wound and free-enterprise , Hahn had a silicon chip on her shoulder from the get go , one that made it difficult to connect with her fictitious character even as the link up romantically with the more likable Callie .

Since Hahn ’s unceremonious departure fromGrey’sat the offset of its fifth time of year , Smith ’s vocation has n’t quite had the upward flight that some of her fellow departed plaster bandage mates have had .

Brooke Smith Greys Anatomy

She would go on to have small , recurring roles in series such asBates Motel , Ray Donovan , andBosch , but never a main role of any form . Similarly , she had a minor role in the democratic movieInterstellar .

A-List: Sandra Oh

Arguably one ofGrey’smost inspiring type to appointment , cardiothoracic surgeon Cristina Yang exhibit the double-dyed role model for girls everywhere who refused to allow anything stand in the manner of achieving their dreams .

Cristina was truly inflexible , braw , and splendid , and Sandra Oh ’s departure from the series after season 10 portray one of the show ’s biggest losses to day of the month , one that certain groups of fans trust it has yet to rebound from .

Since starring on Grey ’s , Oh has had a considerable amount of successful workplace elsewhere as well .

Yang in Grey’s Anatomy

She had star role in the anthology seriesThorneandAmerican Crime , and is star in the upcoming drama seriesKilling Eve .

As a result of her meter onGrey ’s , she was also put forward for countless Golden Globes , Screen Actors Guild Awards , Emmys , and Satellite Awards .

A-List: Jesse Williams

introduce in season six ofGrey ’s , Jackson Avery is one of the show ’s many characters struggle to distance himself from his lineage . Determined to get by on his own merits , and not the merits of those that come in before him , he works his agency up to the top of the hospital ’s plastic operation partition .

In increase to his play career , Jesse Williams has install himself as a noteworthy pattern in other fields , such as modeling , and political activism .

He has also appeared in music videos for artists include Rihanna and Demi Lovato .

Jesse Williams in Grey’s Anatomy

Williams is also a passionate militant , sitting on the board for the advocacy group The Advancement Project and writing legion op - eds on racial discrimination , injustice , and diverseness for publication such asCNNandThe Huffington Post .

Flopped: Melissa George

For eight episodes during season five ofGrey ’s , Melissa George seem as Sadie Harris , a operative houseman with less than reputable credentials .

Her character was reconceived of multiple time during the writing process , having once meant to be a funny persona involve with Hahn and Callie in some capability . Ultimately , her grapheme show a poor fit for the show , and was needed to be take care as bad and undeserving of being within the syllabus .

Prior to the polarizing role onGrey’s , Melissa George had already had her just share of dealing with lover backlash for her turning as the nefarious Lauren Reed on fellow ABC series , Alias .

Melissa George Greys Anatomy

After departingGrey ’s , her career has been fulfil with short stint on successful shows , such asThe Good Wife , or leading roles on show that were never able to bring home the bacon , such asThe SlaporHeartbeat .

A-List: Kate Walsh

Addison Montgomery was one ofGrey’smost dissentious eccentric from the very starting time – specially seeing as she stand in the fashion of the serial ' key love life account of Meredith and Derek .

However , no amount of divisiveness would deter Addison from being exactly who she was , even earning the character her own long - race spin - off serial publication , Private Practice .

Thanks to the strength of Kate Walsh ’s performance , Addison was tolerate the time and space to prepare into a truly appealing fibre .

Kate Walsh Grey’s Anatomy Private Practice

Also , thanks to her work as Addison for all those twelvemonth , Walsh has run short on to have quite the successful career .

She starred in the short - lived seriesBad Judge , before moving on to star in the wildly democratic Netflix series13 Reasons Why . She has also appear in successful   movies includingGirls TripandThe Perks of Being a Wallflower .

A-List: Chris O’Donnell

In season two and three ofGrey ’s Anatomy , Chris O’Donnell had the recurring role of Finn Dandridge , also known as McVet , one of Meredith ’s badly - fill out love interests who could just never liken to Derek in any means .

There was nothing in particular wrong with McVet , but there was also nothing peculiarly compelling about him either .

His type in the first place existed as a impermanent speeding bump within the good ' ship MerDer ’s journey , so it ’s no surprise that , following his and Meredith ’s breakup , he was never heard from again .

Finn Dandridge

Since appear as Finn for nine episodes across Grey ’s 2d and third time of year , Chris O’Donnell has gone on to have much more achiever in the television world .

Ever since 2009 , O’Donnell has starred on theNCISoffshoot , NCIS : Los Angeles , in the ahead role of G. Callen , the lead special agent for the series ' NCIS office .

Flopped: T.R. Knight

George O’Malley was one ofGrey’smost lovable characters from the very beginning , forever clumsy and genial .

His tragical end in the show ’s fifth season conclusion / sixth season premiere make up the show ’s first large loss , record just what the series would be equal to of doing to even its most beloved characters in the many , many year to come .

No matter how lovable George may have been , and how well - received T.R. Knight ’s depicting was ,   which brought him multiple laurels nominations , Knight ’s career post - Grey ’s has n’t mensurate up to his succeeder during his Grey ’s incumbency .

TR Knight Greys Anatomy

He ’s made appearance of dissimilar recurring electrical capacity on demonstrate such asLaw & Order : SVU , The Good Wife , The Catch , andWhen We ascend . He has also appeared in various theatrical purpose on and off - Broadway .

However , nothing has equate the success work to him by his time as George .

A-List: Rachael Taylor

In time of year seven ofGrey ’s , Lucy Fields dish as an attendant for Callie ’s gestation , and also would go on to have a brief , yet incredibly complicated romanticist family relationship with Dr. Alex Karev . Her character would exit the series when she decided to take a job opportunity at the Namboze Clinic in Malawi .

Lucy was never an especially crucial character , nor was she a very popular one .   However , since Rachael Taylor ’s clock time on the long - running medical serial publication came to an remainder , her career has only been on an up flight .

She had a few short - lived serial publication under her belt , such as an unsuccessfulCharlie ’s Angelsreboot at ABC in 2011 , but since 2015 , Taylor has been starring in Netflix ’s Marvel belongings as Patricia " Trish " Walker , the future tense Hellcat of Marvel comics fame .

Trish recording a podcast in Jessica Jones

Grey’s Anatomy