Sarah Drew, Jessica Capshaw leaving Grey’s Anatomy after season 14
According to a new report from Deadline, the series’ producers have decided to not bring back the two actors, who have been a part of the series for eight and nine years as regulars, respectively. (Drew and Capshaw became regulars after each recurring for one year.)
In a statement, executive producer Krista Vernoff had the following to say about the decision:
“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 … 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.”
Meanwhile, show creator Shonda Rhimes added this:
“It’s always hard for me to say goodbye to any of my characters … 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.”
Like with many other departures, we cannot say 100% we agree with these decisions given that Drew and Capshaw are both beloved cast members and integral parts of the show’s family. Specifically, the Jackson / April relationship is a personal favorite and it will be sad to see that end. These are reportedly the only major departures for the series moving into season 15 — that has not been formally confirmed as of yet, but all signs pointing towards that happening in the near future.
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