‘Grey’s Anatomy’ alum Sarah Drew slams her exit as ‘mean and unjust’
By Lauren Sarner,
12 hours ago
Her prognosis wasn’t good.
Sarah Drew, who starred on “Grey’s Anatomy” for nine seasons, is speaking out about her exit from the show.
During a recent interview on the “Call It What It Is” podcast , Drew 44, said, “We were unceremoniously let go in a way that felt mean and unjust, and, because of that, the outpouring of love was so enormous it was like you were sitting there watching people [eulogize you].”
Sarah Drew on “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC Sandra Oh, Jesse Williams, Sarah Drew and Justin Chambers on “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC Sarah Drew in 2023. Variety via Getty Images
Drew played Dr. April Kepner for more than 200 episodes between 2009 and 2022. She was let go as a main cast member in 2018, after the show’s 14th season, along with Jessica Capshaw, who played Dr. Arizona Robbins. Both Drew and Capshaw returned to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital for guest spots.
“I know you’re sad. I’m sad too,” she wrote at the time.
“I haven’t really had the time to process this information. I’ve been with it for less than 48 hours, so I’m not ready to say my thank yous and give an all encompassing statement about my 9 years here.”
Drew previously told the Hollywood Reporter that the reason she was let go was that “the show had too many characters and that they needed to downsize because they couldn’t service all of the characters effectively.”
She added, “They didn’t want any of us to be left in the background and not getting much of a story.”
Sarah Drew at the premiere of the musical “Love Actually Live” in Los Angeles in November of last year. Getty Images Jesse Williams, Sarah Drew and Justin Chambers on “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC
Drew has returned to the show for guest appearances twice, in Seasons 17 and 18.
On the podcast this week, she said, “I have no attachment to [the show] at all. I had zero anxiety [going back because] I don’t need anything from anyone on that set anymore.”
She added, “They’re not responsible for my livelihood anymore. They’re not responsible for my success or my joy … I’m like, ‘Hey! This is a fun spot to come visit.’”
Sarah Drew on “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC Jesse Williams and Sarah Drew on “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC Ellen Pompeo and Sarah Drew on “Grey’s Anatomy.” ABC
“Before they made my character love Jesus and [be] a virgin … There’s a scene where Sloan and Reed [Nora Zehetner] have sex, a random one-night stand. That was supposed to be me originally. It was supposed to be April,” Drew revealed.
She added, “April was supposed to have some random one-off with Sloan and it was in the original production draft [of the script], and then they changed it. I didn’t have anything to do with it … They changed their mind.”
This is just the latest bout of drama for the long-running ABC medical drama, since there’s also a new Peacock docuseries about former “Grey’s Anatomy” writer and producer Elisabeth Finch , who allegedly told a slew of lies to her colleagues, including a fake cancer diagnosis.
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