Grey’s Anatomy season 21 has cast a brand-new character. The long-running medical drama follows the goings-on at the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Seattle, Washington and has featured a rotating ensemble of stars over the years including Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Patrick Dempsey, Sara Ramirez, Chandra Wilson, and James Pickens Jr. The upcoming Grey’s Anatomy season 21 is set to feature Wilson, Pickens Jr., and other familiar faces along with more recently added cast members such as Niko Terho, Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane, and Alexis Floyd.
Per Deadline, Michael Thomas Grant has been cast as new character James in Grey’s Anatomy season 21. James is an openly gay Episcopal chaplain who will be joining the staff at Grey Sloan in the second episode of the new season. According to the character description, which has been fleshed out after details emerged earlier in 2024, James – who is “open to love and taking great leaps of faith” – is level-headed and great with younger patients, though it seems that he will have some decisions to make when it comes to his personal life.
Where You’ve Seen Michael Thomas Grant Before Grey’s Anatomy
The Star Is Best Known For A Very Different TV Role
Before joining the Grey’s Anatomy cast, Michael Thomas Grant’s best-known role was playing Leif on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, a character that is a polar opposite to James. This includes the genre of the show itself, as the musical dramedy of Zoey is a far cry from the medical drama of Grey’s. However, on top of that, Leif was a San Francisco terch bro who hid his insecurity behind machismo, whereas James seems to be a character who has a much more calming presence and is much more comfortable in his skin.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist proviuded Grant with what is by far his longest-running television role to date, though Grey’s Anatomy could very well outpace it if he remains on the show for further seasons and it continues its record-breaking run. On the small screen, every other role he has held has been a one-episode stint, playing supporting characters on a variety of programs including The Rookie: Feds, Roadies, Real Rob, and Up North.
Beyond those brief appearances, Grant’s most prominent role has been playing Lewis opposite Jenna Dewan and Steve Kazee in the 2023 TV movie Devil on My Doorstep. It seems that Grey’s Anatomy will provide the star with a major opportunity to spread his wings and show off his chops as a dramatic actor, potentially opening more doors for more long-running television performances in the future. It remains to be seen how long he remains on the show, but if the character blends well with the current ensemble, he could return for many episodes to come.
Grey’s Anatomy season 21 premieres on ABC on Thursday September 26 at 10:00 p.m.