Kali Rocha on Returning to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ as Sydney Heron [Interview]

Even though it had been nearly two decades since she first appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, Kali Rocha was able to step back into the role of Sydney Heron more easily than she expected.

Sydney Heron first appeared in Grey’s Anatomy Season 2, and the chipper surgical resident returned a few times in the early seasons. Her last appearance was in Season 4, that is, until her return many years later on the Grey’s Anatomy Season 21 premiere.

I had the chance to chat with Rocha about what it was like coming back to the show after such a long time, the dynamic between Sydney Heron and Bailey, and what to expect from her character in the coming episodes.

Rocha told me the call asking her to return for Season 21 was quite a surprise.

“It was a long time ago that I first went on the show, and then very sweetly, they kept bringing me back in different incarnations as Sydney, but in different jobs. And then it just sort of went away with no real explanation. I think they tried to call once, but I was very heavily pregnant, so it wouldn’t have worked, I think, in the storyline. Then I just sort of forgot about it,” Rocha said.

“It never occurred to me that I would get that phone call 17 seasons later saying, ‘Hey, we want to bring you back.'”

Of course, Grey’s Anatomy has evolved quite a bit over the past several years, so Rocha was able to offer a unique perspective of what had changed since she’d last been on set — a time when the hospital was still called Seattle Grace. 

“It was just so crazy and so interesting to mark the changes, not just with the cast, but with the entire set crew and production team, because so long ago, the world of Hollywood was a different place. And Shonda [Rimes] was such a pioneer in having a really diverse set, and having a really diverse cast, and making sure that all voices were represented. But even that felt new and improved when I got on set [this time], because it was so diverse — so much more representative than when I was working on it before.”

“I definitely noticed that, and I think that comes from the head down. Meg [Marinis] is now obviously the showrunner, and she’s just amazing and very inclusive. And I think that was very important to her. And Ellen — I had heard that Ellen Pompeo had a big hand in that, so that was really cool,” Rocha continued.

Many of the actors Rocha worked with on Grey’s Anatomy, of course, are no longer a part of the show. But there were still a few familiar faces, including Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., and Ellen Pompeo. Even more so, there were familiar faces amongst the crew and writer, including Meg Marinis. 

“Meg was a writer’s assistant when I was there, and now she’s showrunning. So I was like, ‘Girl, you’re a queen,'” Rocha said. “What a beautiful ascent to have gone through.”

Rocha also praised some of the newest cast members on the show, who play the new crop of interns she’s now in charge of at Grey-Sloan Memorial. 

“When I got home, I said to my husband, ‘My God, these are the leaders of tomorrow.’ They were so on point. They are so professional. They were so centered in their ownership of their characters and their relationships,” Rocha said.

“They’re not kids; they’re not novices, right? But they’re totally owning the moment. They’re grateful, they’re humble, they’re just on their game. It was very impressive to see. They were very welcoming to me, which was really nice.”

As for what it was like stepping back into this role, Rocha was surprised by how easy it was to become Sydney Heron again.

“I don’t know exactly why, but it took nothing to go back and remember her needs, her motivations, her insecurities, her ambitions, and her flaws and foibles. It just really came back very quickly. I mean, I think the writers knew my character very well, but I have to say, I also knew my character very well. And I was surprised by that, because it has been so long, but it was not hard to step back into it,” she said.

“And in terms of the dynamics in the cast and in each scene, again, it was so well written that it was just plopped back into the same dynamic and the same sort of sweet, well-meaning, passive-aggressive neediness that is Sydney Heron. Especially in the relationship with Bailey, they really set that up nicely. That was beautifully poised and has a nice arc to it.”

“I am killing her with kindness,” Rocha continued, speaking further on the dynamic between Sydney and Bailey.

“We’re still the same people. I mean, I’m giving her a bear hug. It’s the last thing she wants. And, you know, here I am taking over, and it’s just delicious to play, especially with her. She’s great.”

While the parallel with Sydney and Bailey is an obvious one, Rocha said there will be another slight nod to earlier storylines. 

“There’s an echo of a relationship that is hinted at,” she said. “It set a dynamic and a really cool scene that I have in the upcoming episode this Thursday with a Shepherd.”

Rocha couldn’t reveal much about what we would discover about Heron’s life during her time away from Seattle, but she did confirm one specific detail about her costuming.

Rocha said she never wears her own personal effects filming, not even her own wedding ring. This made her think to ask when they were just about to shoot, whether or not she should be wearing a prop ring for the character. 

“I called over Bert, who’s so lovely with props, and I said, ‘Do I have a wedding ring? Should I have a prop wedding ring? And he said, you know, let me ask. So he went through the channels, up to Meg, and about half an hour later, he came back and said, ‘No wedding ring.’ I was like, ‘Wow, I love this. I would have thought as much. That is the choice I would make for Sydney. But I thought it was so interesting. It was so decisive. And I know it tells some kind of a story.” 

When Sydney returns to the hospital, once again leading a group of interns, she really does seem like the same Sydney Heron that she was in the early seasons. However, the hospital has changed quite a bit, and Rocha thinks it feels quite different for Sydney as a character.

“Her demeanor is not received in the way that she intends for it to be received, and so her ‘healing with love’ philosophy or puns, or jokes, or hugs — it was never really received, but she was younger then, and somehow it felt different. But this time, she’s older and no one’s laughing at her. It’s just not received. There isn’t the same place for her that maybe she felt like there was before,” Rocha said.

“I just think it’s older. She’s older. And also that hospital, it’s a little bit like running into a friend you’ve lost touch with for 17 years, and the friend’s gone through so much that it’s just not gonna be the same connection.”

“I think she’s so eager to spar and sort of connect with Miranda, but I don’t even know if that’s there, you know? I think we see more dimension to that relationship, let me put it that way,” Rocha continued, adding that there are “some moments of vulnerability that are sort of sweet to see.” 

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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