With its future always somewhat uncertain from one season to the next, Grey’s Anatomy seemed like it might be taking strides to limit its yearly intake of new cast members by shutting down the then-current teaching program within Grey Sloan during its shock-filled Season 18 finale. (Even with a goal of revamping things for a new and polished start, it wouldn’t be hard for the ABC drama to explain away such things.) But no, Grey’s Anatomy will indeed feature some fresh faces as first-year surgical residents, and the first of those to be cast is Alexis Floyd, the up-and-coming actress who already made a big splash for Shonda Rhimes in Netflix’s drama Inventing Anna.
When Season 19 arrives this fall, fans will be introduced to Alexis Floyd’s new character Simone Griffin, whose addition to the staff as a surgical resident flies in the face of what the character herself would have expected years prior. It appears as if Simon has a complicated relationship with Grey Sloan itself, as Deadline reports she has a painful and personal history with it. To the point where, despite growing up in Seattle, she distinctly did not want to lend her professional efforts to the facility.
Yet there she’ll be, putting her talents to work in the halls of Grey Sloan. But don’t go thinking she was coerced into taking the position or anything. Simone is described as being high-achieving, clever, intelligent and with a sense of humor to boot. So even if she’s got some deep-seated beef with the hospital, she’ll likely still find ample camaraderie amongst her colleagues.
Alexis Floyd, who boasts a musical theater degree from Carnegie Mellon, is no stranger to either the screen or the stage. Her first on-screen role was in the 2011 short feature Life’s Poison from Girls Trip and The Best Man franchise director Malcolm D. Lee, though it was her recurring role as Tia on The Bold Type in 2019 that really struck a chord with audiences.
It was that same year when she sent an audition tape into Netflix to portray the dramatized version of NYC hotel concierge Neffatari Davis for its popular original series Inventing Anna, which focused on the grift-filled life of Anna Delvey/Sorokin. Coincidentally enough, Floyd was then working as a concierge at a yoga studio. As viewers are well aware, the actress landed that role and nailed it, and her professional relationship with Shonda Rhimes is already bearing more fruit.
Here’s how Alexis Floyd reacted in a statement:
Grey’s Anatomy, like all of Shonda’s canon, is a genre re-defining show that remains masterfully committed to diversity, relevancy and vulnerability. Joining the cast in its 19th season is an immeasurable honor, and quite simply, it’s gonna be wicked fun.
Fans can probably expect Alexis Floyd’s casting to be followed by more casting announcements as the early episodes go through the production process. That said, it doesn’t appear as if any major exits will be happening. While Kevin McKidd was tapped as a lead for the ITV drama Six Four, and star Jaicy Elliot is heading to a Hallmark movie, those roles are in addition to Grey’s, and not replacements.
Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 can be streamed in full with a Hulu subscription, with all 18 seasons available on Netflix. The show will return to ABC with Season 19 premiering on Thursday, October 6, at 9:00 p.m. Head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are on the way.
