After watching many doctors and patients come and go from Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, we always thought Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) would be the foundation character or the glue of Grey’s Anatomy.
But since her departure last season to pursue other work projects, we can’t help but think that many of the other actors did well to leave and show us other facets of their talents.
From Eric Dane in Euphoria, to Sandra Oh in Killing Eve, here is our selection of the best work of the actors who have passed through Grey’s Anatomy.
Killing Eve
When Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) took a job in a hospital in Switzerland, viewers were confused, how could Meredith Grey’s person go to the other side of the world?
But if Sandra Oh had not left Cristina Yang, we would have been deprived of the great performance she gave us in Killing Eve.
It was certainly the best decision for Oh. Her role as Eve Polastri, a security agent obsessed with her job, manages to convey all the nuances of the character: a mix of vulnerability, intelligence and determination.
Her performance has been acclaimed by critics and she has received a slew of awards for it, including the Golden Globe.
Firefly Lane
After leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Katherine Heigl did plenty of romantic comedies that kept her on Hollywood’s radar.
A great moment to showcase all her talent came recently with Firefly Lane, a Netflix drama based on a book by Kristin Hannah.
In this limited series, Heigl (Tully Hart) is a determined woman with a great talent, a lot of childhood trauma and an unconditional love for her girlhood friend Kate Mularkey.
Firefly Lane is one of the best series to watch in 2023 and shows Heigl owning the screen.
The Offer
Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) has been one of the most notorious departures from the Grey’s Anatomy medical staff and, after so many years as Karev, it was hard for viewers to say goodbye to the character.
His first role after Grey’s Anatomy was in The Offer (2022), a miniseries that tells the behind-the-scenes story of how The Godfather was made. Given that he was nicknamed “baby Brando”, Chambers could play no character other than Marlon Brando.
He was chosen for the role from a large pool of actors after producers said his audition subtly captured Brando’s essence.
The masterful performance was also praised by fellow Grey’s Anatomy alums Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo during a chat they had a few weeks ago at Variety’s Actors on Actors.
Euphoria
The death of Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), aka McSteamy, left the Grey’s Anatomy audience heartbroken. Many felt that the dashing doctor had a few more seasons left to have a life with Lexie (Meredith’s younger sister, who also died with Mark in the plane crash).
However, Dane surprised us all again in the teen drama Euphoria.
Dane’s performance as Cal Jacobs captures the complexity of the character: a businessman with a dark side, unethical behaviors, cruelty and abuse of power. As Mark Sloan, Dane delivered a charismatic performance; as Cal Jacobs he mastered a challenging, disturbing and controversial role, demonstrating his versatility as an actor.
And Just Like That
Sara Ramirez has not only been part of one widely recognized cast, but two. On Grey’s Anatomy, Ramirez spent eleven seasons as Callie Torres, one of the most beloved characters with the most visibility for the LGBT community on television.
Now, Ramirez has joined the Sex and the City reboot (And Just Like That) to bring to life Che Diaz, a non-binary character who brings to the famous cast a renewed vision of relationships and the queer world.
The character has not been well received by a portion of Sex and the City fans, after all Miranda leaves Steve for Che, but Ramirez isn’t worried. Che is just one part of the human spectrum and is helping to expand the portrayal of characters that previously had no place on television.
The Walking Dead
As Denny Duquette, Jeffrey Dean Morgan made Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) and many Grey’s Anatomy viewers fall in love, breaking many hearts when he died.
Years later, he joined the cast of The Walking Dead as Negan, one of the series’ most prominent villains known for his brutality, charisma, commanding presence and authoritative leadership.
Morgan has made a mark as Negan with a memorable portrayal of this complex character.