Grey’s Anatomy: Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew to Exit Series After Season 14
Are you ready to be floored?
Grey’s Anatomy is no stranger to shocking casting moves. Throughout its fourteen seasons, we’ve seen fan favorites depart in shocking ways, either through surprising deaths or exits caused by a character’s decision to leave Seattle.
And now we’re bracing ourselves for the exits of two more beloved characters: April Kepner and Arizona Robbins.
According to Deadline, both Sarah Drew and Jessica Capshaw will be exiting the series at the end of Grey’s Anatomy Season 14.
The decision sounds like it’s one that is being made for creative reasons. “The characters of Arizona and April are permanently woven into the fabric of Grey’s Anatomy thanks to the extraordinary work of Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew,” Vernoff said in a statement.
“As writers, our job is to follow the stories where they want to go and sometimes that means saying goodbye to characters we love. It has been a joy and a privilege to work with these phenomenally talented actresses,” Vernoff continued.
“Both Arizona Robbins and April Kepner are not only beloved but iconic — both the LBGTQ and devout Christian communities are underrepresented on TV. I will be forever grateful to both Jessica and Sarah for bringing these characters to life with such vibrant performance and for inspiring women around the globe. They will always be a part of our Shondaland family,” stated Shonda Rhimes.
Sarah Drew and Jessica Capshaw have both posted about their exits on social media.
“Thank you for all of the love. I know you’re sad. I’m sad too. 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. That will come later,” Drew stated on Twitter. “For now, I’d like to say: I love you, and I love April, and her story isn’t over yet.”
https://t.co/IIBdRdCH9D pic.twitter.com/K9rdrcJXGx
— Sarah Drew (@sarahdrew) March 8, 2018
Capshaw also shared a brief statement on Twitter:
“For the past ten years I have had the rare privilege of not only playing Arizona Robbins but also being madly in love with playing her. Arizona is kind, intelligent, funny, insightful, bold, playful, fierce, and really good at her job. She was one of the first members of the LGBTQ community to be represented in a series regular role on network television. Her impact on the world is permanent and forever,” Capshaw said.
— Jessica Capshaw (@JessicaCapshaw) March 8, 2018
Though the series has not been officially renewed for Season 15 yet, it seems safe to assume that it will be.
Okay, Grey’s Anatomy fans — time to share your reactions. Let us know what you think about the news of these exits in the comments below.
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.