The ending of Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 left room for some big changes at Grey Sloan Memorial, with the supposed exit of a number of characters. While it’s unknown exactly how many of those actors will or will not return with the medical drama this fall, one thing is certain — there are some new surgeons headed our way. ABC has announced several new series regulars, and Amelia Shepherd actress Caterina Scorsone shared her thoughts on the additions to the cast, and provided a little Season 19 update.
Amelia was not one of the doctors who walked out of Grey Sloan last season, so it’s a safe assumption that she’ll be interacting with the handful of new faces gracing the hospital’s operating rooms. It appears those introductions have been made and Season 19 is officially in production, as Caterina Scorsone posted on Twitter:
Memorizing lines for #1901. It’s here. There will be updates. The classic cast is ready and revving. The new cast additions are exciting and gorgeous. Inside and out. Here we go.
There is a script! Caterina Scorsone has confirmed that Season 19 is underway, as she's got lines to learn. And I can’t be the only one who’s already counting down the Thursdays. It’s also a relief to have the actress mention the “classic cast,” even if we don’t know which of the returning cast members she’s referring to. I also love to hear that Scorsone is excited about the new series regulars.
ABC has announced the addition of five new cast members to join Grey’s Anatomy Season 19. Alexis Floyd, of Shonda Rhimes' Inventing Anna plays first-year surgical resident Simone Griffin. Niko Terho joins Season 19 as Lucas Adams alongside Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane and Midori Francis, Deadline reports. Like Floyd, all of the actors will play new surgical residents, begging the question of what happened to the former residents after Grey Sloan was forced to shut down and rebuild its program? Will we lose Levi Schmitt, Taryn Helm, Mabel Tseng and Zander Perez (say it ain’t so!)? I can't imagine that would be the case, but time will tell.
Those losses in the Season 18 finale came on top of other longtime characters supposedly leaving — at least temporarily: Richard (James Pickens Jr.) went on sabbatical, Bailey (Chandra Wilson) retired, and Teddy and Owen (Kim Raver and Kevin McKidd) went on the lam. It’s also unknown if the Minnesota characters will return this season, with Ellen Pompeo's Meredith apparently being stuck in Seattle despite her wishes to move, and telling Nick Marsh (Scott Speedman) to go back to his life in Rochester.
One Minnesota character I’m really hoping we’ll see more of is Amelia’s love interest, Kai Bartley (E.R. Fightmaster). After “Kaimelia” appeared to break up ahead of the finale, Kai showed up in the end, telling Amelia they’d been torn up over how things ended, giving us a little hope that the couple can find a way to make it work. Surely, we'll keep thinking on these casting possibilities as the new season draws nearer.
If you need a refresher before Grey’s Anatomy returns to ABC on Thursday, October 6, all 18 seasons are available for streaming with a subscription to Netflix. While we wait, be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon.
