‘How to Get Away With Murder’ star lands lead role in new ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ spinoff

The next stop in the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ universe is a long way from Seattle. ABC’s untitled spinoff will follow a medical team in a small West Texas town. The drama has now found its first cast member, giving fans their first introduction to the doctor in charge. It also brings a ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ alum back to ABC.

Karla Souza, who played Laurel Castillo opposite Viola Davis in ‘How to Get Away With Murder,’ has landed a lead role, according to Deadline. She is the first actor announced for the 20th Television series. Souza will play Carolina “Lina” Hall, described as “a haunted and cynical doctor in her 40s who runs a medical center in a small town in West Texas.” Her casting reunites her with Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, who executive produced the legal drama through Shondaland.

Rhimes created the spinoff with ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ showrunner Meg Marinis. The series is described as “an edgy drama about a team at a rural West Texas medical center — the last chance for care before miles of nowhere.” Rhimes, Beers, Marinis and Ellen Pompeo serve as executive producers. The project follows ‘Private Practice’ and ‘Station 19’ as another extension of the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ franchise.

Souza’s recent work includes Prime Video’s ‘56 Days,’ in which she starred alongside Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia. She also played Marina in ABC’s ‘Home Economics.’ Her film credits include Netflix’s ‘Day Shift,’ opposite Jamie Foxx. She received two International Emmy Awards for producing and starring in Prime Video’s ‘Dive,’ also known as ‘La Caida.’

West Texas will be the setting, but Albuquerque, New Mexico, will be the filming location for the upcoming spinoff. The series is already in pre-production there. It had been intended to shoot in Los Angeles, but plans changed after it failed to secure a California tax credit. The move makes this the first show in the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ franchise to film outside Los Angeles in its 23-year history.

That change also affected when viewers can expect to see it. The spinoff was originally planned for a midseason 2027 premiere, but it is now expected during the 2027–28 television season. Production is expected to begin around February or March 2027, sources told Deadline. An exact premiere date has not been announced.