After nearly two decades of healing from physical and emotional trauma, the staff at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital remains strong.
Despite the screen departure of series star Ellen Pompeo , Grey’s Anatomy has been selected for the 23 season, which means fans have a lot to celebrate at Sunday’s Paleyfest panel at the Dolby Theater.
Krista Vernoff — who will leave on 19 page Season 2 as show host — joined on stage by Members of the current ensemble cast, including Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Kevin McKidd, Katrina Scorsone, Camilla Luddington, Kelly McCree , Kim Reffer , Jack Borelli, Chris Carmack, Anthony Hill, Alexis Floyd, Harry Shum Jr. Adelaide Kane, Midori Francis and Niko Terho.
The audience burst into applause as soon as host (and original cast member) TR Knight appeared, and as the show’s stalwarts like Wilson and Pickens Jr. took to the stage, their applause getting bigger.
This season introduced a new resident class called “Losers,” and Vernoff talked about the challenges of creating and casting a group of characters that would move the series forward.
“Every time I’m going to create a character and cast it, I look at it and I think, ‘Oh, if that phenomenal actor can’t bring that character to life, then Wrong character.’ To reinvent the character, I’m going to rename it,” Vernoff told the audience, referring to Shum Jr., Kane, Francis, Terho and Floyd.
“These actors presented themselves, they would audition, and I said, ‘I get it, this role,’ and I renamed the role and built around the star power of these five guys Transformed them,” she continued. “So some of them I imagined and the actors brought them to life, and some of them I recreated around the actors. What’s important to me is that they feel real, authentic, like losers.”
The PaleyFest event marks the first time Vernoff has been associated with the show since announcing his departure in January, with executive producer 1235360499 Meg Marinis Taking over the season . Before the panel began, attendees had an early screening of “Cowgirls Don’t Cry,” scheduled to air on Thursday, which Wilson directed.
Not only did Wilson appear in 1235309927 episodes, but she also directed 23 episodes, recently surpassing co-star Kevin McKidd as the actor with the most directorial credits in the series.
During the talk, she shared how she had to learn not to demean her characters in the shows she directs.
“It does take some division in order to tell the story and figure out where Bailey fits in, but you’re always the director first, and then I had to learn how to stop putting Bailey in the behind the scenes so I can watch on the monitor,” Wilson explained. “I had to say no, Bailey was big in that scene, she had to be in the middle of the room with everyone around her.”
One topic that wasn’t discussed was quitting Pompeo on the current airing. The . While she still voices the show and serves as an executive producer, her character left the show in February. 23 Interlude Until May season finale.
McCreary played Maggie Pearce, Meredith’s half-doctor for nine seasons and most recently It was announced that she was leaving. Her farewell episode airs April .
of the new class of interns, however, all were excited and joyful to continue the show with the first episode when some of them were still in elementary school. Grey’s Anatomy airs every Thursday night on ABC.
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