Grey’s Anatomy star Kelly McCreary has discussed why she decided to exit the long-running medical drama. Although McCreary didn’t join the series until season 10, she has now been a part of Grey’s for nearly a decade and over 175 episodes. On the show, she plays Maggie Pierce, the half-sister of lead character Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), who also left the series earlier in season 19, which is currently airing on ABC through May.
TVLine recently had the opportunity to sit down with McCreary and discuss why she exited the series ahead of the Grey’s Anatomy season 19 finale. During their conversation, the actor reflected on her character’s ending where she splits up with her husband Winston Ndugu (Anthony Hill) and that it’s somehow inspiring. She explained how she’s gratified by her bittersweet departure. Read her full quote below:
“I thought, “I’m making this request to find a way to wrap up Maggie’s storyline.” Beyond that, I sort of had to leave it in the hands of the writers, and I loved the way they did it. It honored her time at Grey Sloan and with the family that she had made there in such a beautiful way. Yes, there were definitely bitter moments, but it wasn’t all bitter. Nothing is ever all one thing. Everything has elements of dark and light and shades of gray in between. So it was pretty wonderful to have that reflected in the last couple of episodes.”
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How Will Grey’s Anatomy Keep Going Without Meredith And Her Family?
With both Maggie and Meredith leaving the show this season, the titular family at the center of Grey’s Anatomy loses two of its biggest pillars. Most of Meredith’s other family members are either deceased or haven’t been a part of the show for years, leaving a big void to be filled. However, there are several ways the series is going about this.
The first and most immediate solution to losing Meredith’s Grey’s Anatomy story is that Pompeo is still sticking around as both narrator and executive producer. While Meredith won’t be seen onscreen quite so often, her influence will still be felt over the shape of the series. The Grey’s Anatomy cast has also just received an influx of new characters, including Glee alum Harry Shum Jr.
If there’s one thing Grey’s Anatomy is known for, it’s its longevity. While the show has never faced a hurdle like this, it has dealt with many cast exits in the past. Thanks to these fixes as well as the perennially returning stars Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. sticking around to maintain the next season’s connection to the original cast, the creators will likely be able to pull out all the stops to keep the popular drama running smoothly.