‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 23 cast photo sparks questions over Ellen Pompeo’s return as Meredith Grey
Over the years, more and more fans have been joining the longest-running medical drama, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, after falling in love with various characters and their storylines. Long-time fans have been eagerly waiting for the ABC show’s upcoming Season 23. In the latest update, the show’s Instagram shared a photo featuring some of the cast members posing for the camera. This included longtime cast members Camilla Luddington, Chandra Wilson, Caterina Scorsone, Debbie Allen, James Pickens Jr., and more. Some of the newly joined cast members, including Adelaide Kane, Niko Terho, Anthony Hill, Trevor Jackson, and Harry Shum Jr., were also in the picture.
Notably, the titular character, Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, was missing from the frame. Her absence sparked fan speculation about her character’s future and quickly sparked an online discussion. Since the show debuted, Pompeo has led the medical drama, created by Shonda Rhimes. However, since Season 19, which aired in 2022, she has been focusing more on her family and kids. In an interview with El País, she shared, “I’ve been doing it for 20 years, so it was time to step away. I have three children, and I love spending time with them, and I love being involved in their lives.” She added, “I’m very lucky to be able to get to work sometimes and take time off. I have a nice balance in my life.”
Since Season 19, Meredith has been narrating the episodes as Pompeo and also serves as the show’s executive producer. Responding to her leaving speculations, she noted, “That would make no sense, emotionally or financially. The show was streamed more than a billion times in 2024. More than a billion times.” She added, “And emotionally, the show means a lot to people. I want to have an attitude of gratitude toward the show.”
The recently concluded ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 22 saw two long-time cast members, Kevin McKidd (who played Dr. Owen Hunt ) and Kim Raver (who played Dr. Teddy Altman), exit the series. It ended with a few major developments, including Meredith getting engaged to Nick Marsh (played by Scott Speedman) after he survived the near-fatal injuries from the bridge collapse. For the show’s upcoming ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 23, ABC has yet to announce how many episodes there will be and in what capacity Ellen Pompeo will be part of the show. The upcoming season is expected to premiere in the fall with its regular Thursday night slate. Interestingly, the network has also been moving forward with a Texas-set spinoff show, which is set to premiere next year.
