Grey’s Anatomy
With a fifteenth season already in the works , Grey ’s Anatomyis on track to eclipseERas the longest - running primetime aesculapian dramatic event in TV history . While the show has never regained the ballyhoo it experienced during the early days , Grey’sstill pulls in an impressive interview class after yr — continually making it one of the most profitable shows on boob tube .
Of naturally , you do n’t make it to 300 episode without your fair share of upset .
While Ellen Pompeo continues to play the nominal character of Meredith Grey , the cast ofGrey ’s Anatomyhas been in a constant country of flux ever since the show get . In fact , only three main shape members aside from Pompeo have remained since the show ’s introduction , with many of the other worker leaving willingly or having their characters suffer an inauspicious end .
While the serial publication has surely contain its clean ploughshare of dramatic play in the last fourteen years , what keeps many masses engaged inGrey’sis the behind - the - scenes happenings that have often convert the direction of the show . While many actors have praise Shonda Rhimes for her compassionateness , others have in public been at betting odds with the serial publication creator , resulting in their lineament being written off .
allow ’s take a smell atWhere Are They Now : The Departed Cast Of Grey ’s Anatomy .
14. Eric Dane - Mark Sloan
After working as a professional histrion since the early ‘ 90s , Eric Dane landed his breakout function as Dr. Mark Sloan in season two ofGrey ’s Anatomy . He became a serial veritable from seasons three through eight , until Mark met his tragical end following a plane crash , which also claimed the life of his girlfriend , Lexie Grey . The hospital was finally retitled the Grey - Sloan Memorial Hospital in the midst of their passing .
Dane ’s exit from the show was something the actor work with serial Divine Shonda Rhimes to develop , as they wanted to give Mark the send - off he deserved . Then , just a month later , it was announce that Dane would star as the lead in the coming TNT action seriesThe Last Ship , which debuted in the summer of 2014 . Dane will reprize his character of Admiral Tom Chandler in the fifth and final time of year of the show , which is expected out after this twelvemonth .
Just as many viewers had become fixate on Dr. Mark Sloan ’s love life onGrey ’s , many were upset to hear that Dane and his wife of 14 years , Rebbecca Gayheart , had separate too soon this twelvemonth , refer unreconcilable differences . The two had recently come along together in the 2017 thrillerGrey Ladybefore news of their split made headlines .
13. Sandra Oh - Cristina Yang
Sandra Oh made her debut as Cristina Yang in the pilot episode of the serial and continued to play the operative intern who mould her way up to cardiothoracic surgeon throughout the first ten seasons of the show . Although she originally audition to play Miranda Bailey , Oh was eventually give the part of Cristina , which make the actress critical congratulations . She make headway a Golden Globe in 2006 for her performance and was propose for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys five years in a row .
Oh left the show toward the oddment of time of year ten when her fiber was offer to run a freshly established infirmary in Switzerland by her former fiancé , Preston Burke .
Since her departure , Oh has graduated from supporting character to head gentlewoman .
The 46 - year - old Canadian actress presently plays the lead lineament of Eve Polastri on BBC America’sKilling Eve . The series , which is based on theVillanellenovel serial by Luke Jennings , finds Oh portraying an M15 officer who becomes ghost with tracking down an infamous assassin .
kill Evehas once again earned Oh decisive acclaim , achieving a 100 % blessing evaluation on Rotten Tomatoes and earning the series a second time of year — indicating that Oh may have yet another smasher on her hands .
12. T. R. Knight - George O’Malley
T. R. Knight first debut as George O’Malley on the pilot instalment of the series , where he play one of the five surgical interns alongside Meredith Grey .
Knight ended his time on the show after feeling as though his character was getting omit throughout the time of year five plot line .
This behind - the - scenes controversy first commence when atomic number 27 - star Isaiah Washington was criminate of using a homophobic slur against Knight , which result in Knight deciding to publicly issue forth out as gay . horse feltas though Shonda Rhimes had tried to monish him from add up out , which he conceive may have been the reason his part was being reduced the following season . This lead to one of the most bizarre departures from the serial publication , in which Knight ’s character decides to inexplicably join the Army before he is murder by a bus .
However , pass on the show does n’t seem to have hindered Knight ’s act career , as he ’s shown up in a phone number of critically acclaimed television receiver shows and movies since , includingThe Good Wife,11.22.63 , and the Jackie Robinson biopic42 .
More recently , Knight has appeared on the National Geographic anthology seriesGenius , where he has undergone an impressive shift to portrayed former FBI - director J. Edgar Hoover . He also re - team up with Rhimes onThe Catch .
15. Sara Ramirez - Callie Torres
Sara Ramirez has had one of the longest character arcs onGrey ’s Anatomy , appearing in over 10 seasons and 200 instalment of the show as Dr. Callie Torres . She first popped up as the senior orthopedic occupier in time of year two of the show before she became a series unconstipated in time of year three and beyond . Ramirez was nominate for a number of awards for her performance , which was praised for its realistic depiction of a bi type — a biotic community which the actress is also a proud member of .
Ramirez set forth means from the series amicably – with her character leaving Seattle to get a new life for herself in New York – as the actress wanted to take some fourth dimension off from the show and research raw opportunities in Hollywood .
Since she give the serial in 2016 , Ramirez has continued to cater her voice for the role of Queen Miranda on the popular Disney animated seriesSofia the First .
More recently , Ramirez joined the casting ofMadam Secretaryas a serial regular . The show just wrapped up its fourth season with a fifth already in the body of work , where Ramirez is expected to repeat her role as Kat Sandoval , the newest policy advisor to the serial booster , Elizabeth McCord .
11. Kate Walsh
Kate Walsh made her debut in the season one finis ofGrey ’s , where her grapheme was originally conceive to have a unawares - lived run that was meant to hurl a wrench into the kinship developing between Meredith and her estranged hubby , Derek Shepherd .
However , Walsh ’s performance as the headstrong Dr. Addison Mongomerty was so strong that the actress was turned into a serial publication regular before she was eventually given the lead of her own spin - off series , Private Practice . She continued to guest star onGrey ’s Anatomyduring this time , but she has n’t appear on the series since time of year eight .
Since she ’s make out oeuvre on both shows , Walsh has had quite the active career in Hollywood . In 2014 , she appeared in the pip FX anthology crime seriesFargo , where she trifle Gina Hess opposite Martin Freeman . Last year , she look in the gas constant - denounce comedyGirls Tripas well as the popular Netflix series13 Reasons Whyas series regular Olivia Baker .
Last year , the actress also disclosed that she was diagnosed with a brain neoplasm back in 2015 . Fortunately , Walsh successfully had the tumor removed only a few day after her diagnosis , and it sprain out to be benignant . The actress ended up take off work for a telephone number of months to retrieve .
10. Isaiah Washington - Preston Burke
Isaiah Washington ’s sudden departure from the serial was another example where the behind - the - scenes drama seemed to overshadow the play on the show .
The American actor play Dr. Preston Burke in the first three time of year , where his human relationship with Cristina Yang serve as one of the large report arc . However , while shoot the third season Washington was accuse of using a homophobic slur in regards to his co - wizard T. R. Knight while he was wage in a combat with Patrick Dempsey . As a result , his declaration was not renewed for the following time of year .
After leaving the show , Washington batten a function in the CW series The 100 , where he appeared as Thelonious Jaha throughout the first five season of the show before the character satisfy his demise .
Washinton has also appear in a number of feature article films sinceGrey ’s , includingThe Sinner SerandDead Trigger . He is set to star in the approaching heist movieCut Throat City , which takes place in New Orleans following the wipeout of Hurricane Katrina .
Washington has three children together with Jenisa Marie Garland , his married woman of over 20 years . The actor has also uphold to donate and complete charity employment in Sierra Leone ever since Washington discovered that the nation was home to his ancestors .
9. Katherine Heigl - Izzie Stevens
Katherine Heigl ’s deviation fromGrey’sin the centre of season six caused many to hypothesize that the actress was unmanageable to mold with . These rumors start to pass around when Heigl publicly withdrew herself from the 2008 Emmy nominations , stating that her season four storyline was not strong enough for consideration — particularly after winning the laurels for Outstanding Supporting Actress the year before .
This would have understandably irked series Lord Shonda Rhimes , and Dr. Izzie Stevens was eventually write out of the show not long after . Heigl later justify to Rhimes , and the actress has stated multiple times that she would be open to returning to the series to give her character the right send off . However , Izzie has yet to make her return key .
More lately , Heigl play the lead characters in the NBC seriesState of Affairsand the CBS seriesDoubt — both of which were cancel after their first season . She also starred in the 2017 thrillerUnforgettableopposite Rosario Dawson .
Heigl is currently set to join the cast ofSuitsfor the upcoming 8th season , where she will play the cutthroat attorney Samantha Wheeler , who is put on prepare partner before the year ’s death . With star Gina Torres , Meghan Markle , and Patrick J. Adams all straggle the serial publication , Suitsis in need of some serious star mightiness .
8. Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Denny Duquette
Though his sentence on the series was short - go , Jeffrey Dean Morgan ’s portrayal as Denny Duquette was for sure a memorable one as it came during the time of year two hoopla of the series — whenGrey ’s Anatomywas at its most watched .
Denny was a patient at Seattle Grace Hospital who was being process for a womb-to-tomb heart condition . He developed a family relationship with Izzie Stevens which finally contribute to the two getting engaged . However , he pass off away travel along a centre transplant , leaving Izzie and the audience utterly heartbroken .
Morgan ’s stardom has only carry on to grow since his time on the medical drama .
Around the same time that he was winning over fondness play Denny , Morgan appeared in the hit CW showSupernaturalas well as the R - rated superhero movieWatchmen –making him a favorite amongst sci - fi and fantasy nerds
More recently , he landed a recurring role in the hit legal dramaThe Good Wifebefore he was tramp to play the ultimate villain , Negan , in AMC’sThe Walking Dead . This sinister yet magnetic public presentation has realise Morgan the most ill fame to date , as Negan has proven to be the most sinister comportment throughout the show ’s lengthy run . He is expected to reprise the character in the upcoming time of year .
6. Chyler Leigh - Lexie Grey
Chyler Leigh first popped up as Lexie Grey at the death of season three when she was spotted by Derek Shepherd at Joe ’s Bar . The two have a flirtatious encounter alike to Derek ’s first meeting with Meredith — though picayune does he have sex that the new girl is in reality Meredith ’s younger half - sister who been transfer to Seattle Grace Hospital .
Though Lexie was in the beginning intended to have only a small character arc , Leigh was eventually made a series regular , appearing as a main form member from seasons four to eight . She arise a relationship with Mark Sloan before Lexie met her demise following a woodworking plane smash . This corresponded with the actress ’s desire to be compose out of the show so she could pass more time with her family .
Two year after her leaving from the series , Leigh nabbed the prima persona in the NBC seriesTaxi Brooklyn , where she play an NYPD detective who must partner up with a cab driver when her licence is suspended . The action - comedy was canceled after just one time of year , though the actress has had good luck in recent years with her performance as Alex Danvers in the CW Arrowverse , where she is a series regular inSupergirl .
7. Brooke Smith - Erica Hahn
Brooke Smith first appeared as Dr. Erica Hahn in the 2d time of year of the show , where she was a cardiothoracic surgeon , workaholic , and longtime rival of Dr. Preston Burke . After Burke develops hand tremors , Dr. Hahn is transpose to Seattle Grace Hospital to work as his replenishment , which made Smith a serial unconstipated throughout the fourth season of the show .
However , Smith was return the news that her character was going to be written out of the show in time of year five despite incontrovertible feedback from viewing audience . Smith believedthat this sudden modification of direction come from the studio executive , who may have been uncomfortable with the lesbian relationship that was originate between Erica and Callie on the show . This caused even more backlash from viewing audience , who experience as though the magnificently progressive show was being back - bike by the studio amidst surging popularity .
fortuitously , Smith has continued to have a firm stream of work in both TV and flick .
She ’s enjoyed recur roles inRay Donovan , Bosch , andBates Motel , where she played Sheriff Jane Greene in season five of the show . Smith even popped up in a recent episode ofSupergirl , reuniting her with her formerGrey’sco - star Chyler Leigh .
