Kelly McCreary To Leave “Grey’s Anatomy”
ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” is one of the most popular shows right now, and has picked up a number of awards over its nineteen seasons. The high-intensity medical drama, follows Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-or-death decisions daily. They seek comfort from one another, and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
Recently, Ellen Pompeo, who plays the titular character, Meredith Grey, stepped away from the screen, after nineteen years, though she still narrates the show. But now, it’s been revealed that Kelly McCreary, who plays Meredith’s half-sister, Maggie Pierce, is also going to be leaving the show at the end of the season.
The character was introduced at the end of season ten, and her last episode as a series regular will air on April 13th, but she will be returning for a special appearance later in the season.
In a statement, Kelly McCreary said:
“After nine seasons, I am saying goodbye to Maggie and her Grey Sloan family. It has been a tremendous honor to be a part of such a legendary television institution… I will always be grateful to [creator] Shonda Rhimes, Krista Vernoff and ABC for the opportunity, and to the incredible fans for their passionate support.
To spend nine years exploring a character inside and out, while reaching a global audience with impactful stories, is a rare gift. It has afforded me an opportunity to collaborate with, learn from and be inspired by countless brilliant artists both in front of and behind the camera. Playing Pierce has been one of the true joys of my life and I leave with profound gratitude for every step of this journey. I am excited for this next chapter and what the future holds.”
The show’s executive producer, Krista Vernoff, also added in a statement:
“Kelly McCreary is a writer’s dream come true; brilliant, nuanced, thoughtful and kind. We will deeply miss her and her beautifully crafted Dr. Maggie Pierce,”
During the latest season, we’ve seen Maggie has been having marital problems with her husband, setting up a potential exit from the show.
With Kelly’s departure, it puts more pressure on the future of this show, since both Ellen and the showrunner, Krista, are also leaving at the end of the season. After nineteen years, the show has had an incredible run and is one of the most-watched shows each week on streaming services. The future of the show has been looking a little in question once it was revealed that the main character leaving, plus with Disney looking to cut costs in its general entertainment division, could now be the time they pull the plug on the show? Disney hasn’t yet announced if the show will be returning for a twentieth season.
The current season is available to stream on Hulu in the US, while previous seasons are available on Netflix. While internationally, in many countries including Australia and the UK, “Grey’s Anatomy” is now releasing exclusively on Disney+.
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