In Honor of the Grey's Anatomy Premiere Tonight, Photos of the Original Cast Then & Now (2024)

Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey

The titular character of Grey's Anatomy, audiences were introduced to Meredith Grey on the morning of her first day as an intern at Seattle Grace hospital. On the first episode of the series, Meredith slept with Derek Shepherd, only to discover he was not just her co-worker but her superior.

Meredith has been through a lot over the years. If you haven't seen the show, it includes the deaths of her friends (and husband), a hospital shooting, plane crash, insurance fraud, etc. She's also had a few love interests since McDreamy's shocking death and is mom to three kids. Meredith is still on the show, but only after being fired for committing insurance fraud and doing community service.

In September 2018, Ellen Pompeo expressed her desire to leave the show, signaling that it was a time for a "change."

"My children are getting older, so I want to be more available to them now," she told Entertainment Weekly. "I can't be an absentee mom if they're teenagers; I have to be around to whip their butts. So it's definitely time for change in my life. I'm really looking forward to it, and that's the beauty of my situation. I have definitely played this out for everything that I possibly could."

She continued, "I've given it 200 percent of my energy and my love and my time and my commitment and my dedication. I still am fighting every day to make everything surrounding this show, the quality of the show, the storytelling; I'm still fighting for everything I can, for the quality to be good, for the actors to be happy, whether that's well received or not. I still care very much about the show, and I think that it takes a lot of energy. So at some point I have to wrap it up."

But just one month later, in October 2018, Pompeo suggested she would be staying on the series for the foreseeable future.

"And, you know, these numbers — there's just no end in sight with streaming, and the show is so popular," Pompeo told Ellen DeGeneres. "I gotta keep doing it, man, because we're touching lives and making a difference."

However, her role was scaled back significantly on season 19, with the Golden Globe-nominated actress appearing only on eight episodes, though she still continued to narrate most of the episodes. Beyond Grey's Anatomy, Pompeo is set to star on and produce an upcoming Hulu limited series based on the 2009 film Orphan.

Pompeo has been married to Chris Ivery since November 2007, and the couple share three children.

James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber

Richard Webber was introduced on the first episode of the series. As the former Chief of Surgery, Richard immediately recognized Meredith's talent and lineage, having worked with her mother, Ellis Grey (Kate Burton).

Not much has changed with Richard's personality, but he has been through — like everyone else who's been on the show — a lot. He lost his wife, was electrocuted, developed a dependency on alcohol and temporarily lost his job after helping Meredith commit insurance fraud.

Although James Pickens Jr. has been a mainstay on the series and its spin-offs, he has also appeared on The X-Files, Roseanne, Yellowstone and The Conners while filming Grey's Anatomy.

He married musician Gina Taylor in 1984. They have two children.

Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey

Miranda Bailey was introduced to viewers as "The Nazi" for her stern demeanor and refusal to take any nonsense on the series premiere. Deep down, though, she loved and cared for her interns and worked hard to see them succeed.

She still doesn't take any crap from anyone as the Chief of Surgery. That's not to say Miranda hasn't had her own struggles, but throughout the years, she has been one of the more stable characters on the series.

On season 15, she fired both Richard and Meredith after an insurance fraud incident, though they have since returned to work under her. Currently, she's still attempting to keep everyone in line.

During her long run on Grey's Anatomy, Chandra Wilson, a four-time Emmy nominee, also appeared in A Single Woman (2008), Frankie & Alice (2010) and Christmas Harmony (2018), as well as a guest appearance on General Hospital in 2019.

Wilson is the mother of three children.

Justin Chambers as Alex Karev

Justin Chambers portrayed Alex Karev, the co*cky, overconfident intern who had the nerve to call Meredith a nurse on the first episode.

After 15 years of redeeming his character flaws, Alex left his career, friendships and wife behind when he left Seattle Grace for Kansas to reunite with Izzie and *gasp* their twins she conceived using frozen embryos.

"There's no good time to say goodbye to a show and character that's defined so much of my life for the past 15 years," Chambers said of his departure in 2020. "For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time."

He added, "As I move on from Grey's Anatomy, I want to thank the ABC family, Shonda Rimes, original cast members Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens, and the rest of the amazing cast and crew, both past and present, and, of course, the fans for an extraordinary ride."

Since his exit, Chambers appeared on the Paramount+ series The Offer in 2022 as Marlon Brando.

Chambers and his wife, Keisha, have five children.

Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd

Derek Shepherd's nickname says it all. We met Dr. McDreamy on the first episode of season 1 after what was supposed to be a one-night stand with Meredith Grey. Their relationship turned into one of the most iconic on TV.

On a truly heartbreaking episode, Derek was hit by a car while helping the victims of a crash and then was unable to be saved by a lackluster medical team at another hospital. To make it worse, the viewer got to hear Shepherd's thought process through the entire ordeal, where he realized what medical attention he needed.

Fans felt that the character's death was unfair, but Rhimes stood by it as her only option: "Meredith and Derek's love had to remain Meredith and Derek's love," Rhimes said at the 2015 Summer TCA press tour. "As painful as it was for me as a storyteller, because I had never really thought that was going to happen, it preserved what felt true to me, which was that Derek was going to have to die in order for that love to remain honest. Because I really couldn't have the idea that he just turned out to be a bad guy who walked out on his wife and kids be a true story. To me, it felt like that was the only way to make Meredith and Derek's magic remain true and forever frozen in time."

Patrick Dempsey told PEOPLE, "I'm very grateful for Grey's Anatomy. It's given me the opportunity to do everything. But at the same time, there was a cost."

The two-time Golden Globe nominee continued: "I think after a certain period of time, no matter how much money you make, you want control out of your own schedule."

"It had been long enough. It was time for me to move on with other things and other interests," Dempsey added of the decision. "I probably should have moved on a couple of years earlier. I stayed a bit longer than I should have."

Fans have had a few exciting moments during season 17, though, as McDreamy appeared on a handful of episodes.

Dempsey returned to the small screen on the Italian series Devils and in the Disney+ movie Disenchanted (2022), a sequel to 2007's Enchanted. He has also appeared in Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) and Ferrari (2023).

Since 1999, Dempsey has been married to makeup artist Jillian Dempsey (née Fink). They have three children: Talula, Darby and Sullivan.

Sara Ramírez as Callie Torres

Our first glimpse of Callie Torres was as a badass surgical resident who fixed George O'Malley's dislocated shoulder on season 2, episode 19.

After 10 seasons on the series and a lot of drama between Torres and their ex-wife, Arizona Robbins, they finally agree that Torres should move to New York City to be happy.

"I'm deeply grateful to have spent the last 10 years with my family at Grey's Anatomy and ABC, but for now, I'm taking some welcome time off," Sara Ramírez said in a statement. "Shonda's been so incredible to work for, and we will definitely continue our conversations! I send my love to Ellen [Pompeo], the rest of the cast and crew, and I look forward to always being a part of the Shondaland family!"

Since leaving Grey's Anatomy in 2016, Ramírez joined the cast of Madam Secretary and later was cast as nonbinary podcast host Che Diaz in And Just Like That...

In 2016, Ramírez came out as bisexual and later nonbinary in 2020. They married Ryan DeBolt in 2012, but in July 2021, Ramírez announced their split on Instagram.

Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang

Cristina Yang was the headstrong, super-smart, no-nonsense intern who'd do just about anything to succeed. She also quickly became Meredith's best friend.

Yang left Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital — this was after they renamed the hospital (again) — for the Klausman Institute for Medical Research in Switzerland. She has been mentioned on the show since, usually regarding phone calls, e-mails or letters.

When she left the show in 2014, Sandra Oh told The Hollywood Reporter that she was open to returning when the series ends.

"I told [Shonda], "If you guys want to finish it out however you want to finish it out, I'd be more than happy to come back," she said. "And if it doesn't fit in that way, I totally understand. I just want you to know that I'm available. Who knows! I might be doing something fabulous, and it might not work out, but I did say, 'Yes, of course, I would.'"

Since leaving Grey's Anatomy, Oh has had continued success on TV, most notably on the BBC series Killing Eve, for which she received her second Golden Globe award (she won her first for her role on Grey's Anatomy). Oh also lent her voice to the animated movies Over the Moon (2020), Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) and Turning Red (2022).

Eric Dane as Mark Sloan

Dubbed Dr. McSteamy, Mark Sloan came onto the scene on season 2, episode 18 and was immediately punched in the face by McDreamy for hitting on Meredith (after sleeping with Derek's ex-wife). Not a fantastic start by any means.

He seemingly survived the plane crash that killed his love interest, tricked us into thinking he would live when he had what the doctors called "The Surge" — a.k.a. one last burst of energy before dying — and then had to be pulled off of life support. It was another brutal blow.

Eric Dane reportedly left the show after being offered a role on TNT's The Last Ship, which he starred on for five seasons before the show ended in 2018.

"Grey's Anatomy is a world — it's not about any one individual actor, and the storylines were sort of … you know, heading in different directions," Dane told Entertainment Weekly in 2013. "So it was an opportunity for me to go, and I was interested in something different. I loved doing Grey's Anatomy. I would have done it until the final episode, but this was something I couldn't pass up."

Like Dempsey, Dane made a guest appearance during season 17. Following his Grey's Anatomy departure, Dane appeared on HBO's Euphoria. He has also appeared in The Ravine (2021), Redeeming Love (2022), American Carnage (2022) and Little Dixie (2023).

Dane and actress Rebecca Gayheart married in 2004, though Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018. They share two daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine.

Chyler Leigh as Lexie Grey

Bright-eyed and ready to save some lives, Lexie Grey started as an intern at Seattle Grace on season 3. She's the half-sister of Meredith, which came as a shock to, well, everyone.

After finally finding love with Mark, Lexie's death hit viewers hard. She died in the plane crash that concluded season 8, leaving everyone (but especially Mark) heartbroken.

"Earlier this year, I made the decision that season 8 would be my last on Grey's Anatomy," Chyler Leigh told TVLine at the time. "I met with Shonda, and we worked together to give Lexie's story appropriate closure. I am very lucky to have worked with this amazing cast and crew for five seasons. My experience on Grey's Anatomy is something that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I want to take this time to say thank you to the fans. Your unconditional love and support have made these last five years very special for me. I look forward to my next chapter, and I hope you will continue to follow me on my journey."

During season 17, she and Sloan returned in yet another Meredith dream sequence.

After Grey's Anatomy, Leigh starred on Supergirl and The Flash as Alex Danvers, the adopted sister of the title character. Since 2023, she has appearead on the Hallmark TV series The Way Home alongside Andie MacDowell.

In 2002, Leigh married her 7th Heaven costar Nathan West. The couple share three children. The actress also opened up in 2019 about living with bipolar disorder as part of the Be Vocal initiative.

Katherine Heigl as Isobel "Izzie" Stevens

Izzie Stevens started the series as the intern who grew up in a trailer park with her mother and paid her way through medical school by modeling. She was kind and trusting and loved to bake, which made her the perfect antithesis to the dark and twisty Meredith and Cristina.

It was a rough ride for Izzie, who, on season 2, fell in love with a patient, Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who needed a heart transplant, risked her career to get him one and then had to cope with his death. She also developed brain cancer, which made her hallucinate that Denny was a ghost. Izzie had a few on-and-off relationships and eventually married Alex, but it was all short-lived when she was fired from Seattle Grace after the merger with Mercy West hospital on season 6. She made one last attempt to return to the hospital, but eventually, Alex told her to leave, ending her time on the series.

While viewers didn't get to see her again, she was mentioned as the reason Alex left the hospital to be with her and their twins on season 16.

The real-life story behind Katherine Heigl's departure is about as rocky.

It all started when Heigl withdrew her name from Emmy nominations in 2008, just one year after winning an Emmy for best supporting actress. The decision didn't exactly keep her in good graces with the show's creator and producers. She reportedly said at the time: "I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination, and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention. In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials."

In 2010, Rhimes told Oprah Winfrey of Heigl's move, "On some level, it stung, and on some level, I was not surprised. When people show you who they are, believe them."

Heigl told Howard Stern that she did apologize to Rhimes, saying, "I went in to Shonda and said, 'I'm so sorry. That wasn't cool, and I should not have said that.' And I shouldn't have said anything publicly. But at the time, I didn't think anyone would notice … I just quietly didn't submit, and then it became a story, and I felt I was obligated to make my statement, and … 'Shut up, Katie.'"

After her bitter departure from Grey's Anatomy, Heigl starred on State of Affairs, Doubt, Suits and Firefly Lane. Her film credits include Killers (2010), Life as We Know It (2010), New Year's Eve (2011), One for the Money (2012), Home Sweet Hell (2015) and Unforgettable (2017). She also voiced characters in the animated films The Nut Job (2014) and The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (2017).

In 2007, Heigl married musician Josh Kelley, with whom she shares three children — Naleigh, Adalaide and Joshua.

T. R. Knight as George O'Malley

Aside from being the first intern to perform an appendectomy (and being dubbed "007" because he had a license to kill), George O'Malley was an overeager, kind-hearted intern who was totally in love with Meredith.

Who could forget finding out that George was the badly injured, unrecognizable patient who saved a woman from an oncoming bus? It was one of the more brutal character deaths on Grey's.

T.R. Knight, a 2007 Emmy nominee, left the show after five seasons for a few reasons — citing lack of screen time, his character's storyline and a "breakdown of communication" between himself and Rhimes to Entertainment Weekly in 2009.

"My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given [about George]," he told the magazine.

He made a surprise return on a December 2020 episode.

Since he departed the series, Knight has had several stints on shows such as The Good Wife, 11.22.63, The Catch, When We Rise, Genius: Einstein and Genius: Picasso. He has also appeared on seasons 1 and 2 of HBO Max's The Flight Attendant.

Knight has been married to ballet dancer Patrick B. Leahy since 2013.

Isaiah Washington as Preston Burke

The talented cardiothoracic surgeon was first introduced on the series premiere as, yes, extremely good-looking and brilliant, but he also made a mark as being tough on George to set an example for the other interns.

On-screen, Burke left the series in 2007 after leaving Cristina at the altar. In reality, Isaiah Washington was let go from the show because of an incident in which he allegedly used a hom*ophobic slur about castmate Knight. He did return for one episode on season 10 to urge Cristina to leave Washington and take over his hospital in Switzerland.

Washington has continued to act after his Grey's Anatomy exit, most notably on The CW's The 100, Starz's P-Valley and in the 2022 film Corsicana.

He has been married to Jenisa Marie Garland since 1996, and they have three children together.

Kate Walsh as Addison Montgomery Shepherd

When we first met Addison Montgomery Shepherd, she showed up at Seattle Grace in an attempt to save her marriage to Derek. She cheated on him with their friend, Mark, and wanted to make amends ... just as Derek and Meredith were starting to get close.

After losing out on a second chance with Derek and missing out on getting a job at Seattle Grace, Addison cut her losses and left. On the bright side, she did get her own spin-off, Private Practice, which ran for six seasons.

Like many of her colleagues, Kate Walsh returned to the series on season 18 as a recurring character.

Amid her Grey's Anatomy stints, Walsh appeared on Full Circle and Fargo and had roles on Bad Judge, 13 Reason Why, The Umbrella Academy, Emily in Paris and Sprung.

In October 2022, Walsh revealed that she was engaged to Australian Andrew Nixon, whom she was first linked to in 2020.

Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt

Owen Hunt first appeared on season 5 as a brilliant battlefield-tested surgeon who suffered from PTSD stemming from his Army service in Iraq. Audiences followed Owen's story through tumultuous marriages to Cristina and Amelia, followed later by a long relationship and eventual marriage to Teddy Altman on season 18, with Hunt becoming one of the series' longest-tenured characters.

Since Grey's Anatomy, Kevin McKidd has appeared in several films, including Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Home Sweet Hell (2015) and Tulip Fever (2017). He voiced Lord MacGuffin in Brave (2012) and Reptillus Maximus in the ABC special Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014). In addition, McKidd has voiced the character Fenn Rau on Star Wars Rebels. McKidd has also worked behind the camera, directing more than 30 episodes of Grey's.

McKidd has four children. He shares two children, Iona and Joseph, with his ex-wife, Jane Parker. McKidd and Parker finalized their divorced in 2017 after 17 years of marriage.

In 2018, he married Arielle Goldrath, with whom he shares son Aiden and daughter Nava. Goldrath filed for divorce in December 2022, just five months after McKidd announced their split on Instagram.

Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery

Jackson Avery first joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy as a recurring character on season 6 before becoming a series regular on season 7. As the grandson of world-renowned surgeon Harper Avery (Chelcie Ross) and son of Catherine Avery (Debbie Allen), Jackson worked hard to make his own mark as a plastic surgeon while dating many of his fellow attendings — most notably, April Kepner. Though Jesse Williams departed after 12 seasons in 2021, he returned as a guest star for two episodes in 2022.

Williams has appeared in several films since starring on the medical drama, including The Cabin in the Woods (2012), The Butler (2013), Snake and Mongoose (2013) and Random Acts of Violence (2019). He also had a recurring role on season 3 of Station 19. In 2022, Williams made his Broadway debut in the revival of the baseball play Take Me Out. He made headlines for his performance after he was filmed in the nude onstage, and the video circulated online.

Williams married Aryn Drake-Lee in September 2012. They had a daughter, Sadie, and a son, Maceo, before separating in 2017. Their divorce was finalized in 2020, and they settled their custody dispute in March 2022.

Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson

Jo Wilson first appeared as a recurring cast member on season 9 and became a series regular the following season. Originally an intern, Wilson eventually reveals she is a survivor of domestic violence, which impacts her character and storylines, including her desire to become a mother. Following her abusive husband Paul Stadler's (Matthew Morrison) death, she married Alex before his reconciliation with Izzie.

Outside of Grey's Anatomy, Camilla Luddington is best known for voicing the popular character Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider video game series. She also appeared in The Pact II (2014) and The Healer (2016).

Luddington married actor Matthew Allen in August 2019. They have two children, a daughter, Hayden, and a son, Lucas.

Jessica Capshaw as Arizona Robbins

Over a 10-season run on Grey's Anatomy, Arizona Robbins became known for her fun-loving personality and roller-coaster relationship with Callie. The couple survived several fights, a custody battle, infidelity and an admission from Callie that she felt "suffocated" in their marriage. In the end, though, Arizona and Callie reconciled and moved to N.Y.C.

Jessica Capshaw's exit from the series in 2018 was a controversial farewell that shocked fans. Following her departure from Grey's Anatomy, Capshaw appeared in Holidate (2020) and Dear Zoe (2022) and guest-starred on Hulu's Tell Me Lies.

Capshaw has been married to businessman Christopher Gavigan since 2004. They share four children.

Sarah Drew as April Kepner

From the very beginning of her nine seasons on Grey's Anatomy, the former attending trauma surgeon rubbed her co-workers the wrong way. However, April's on-and-off relationship with Jackson was a highlight for many fans, changing the audience's perception of her character.

Though Sarah Drew left Grey's Anatomy after the season 14 finale, she returned as a guest star on seasons 17 and 18. Drew has appeared in a slew of Lifetime and Hallmark films, including Christmas Pen Pals (2018), Twinkle All the Way (2019), Christmas in Vienna (2020), One Summer (2021) and Reindeer Games Homecoming (2022). She also starred in and produced the 2018 film Indivisible. Drew has had continued success on the small screen post-Grey's, with a recurring role on the Freeform series Cruel Summer and the Apple TV+ series Amber Brown.

Drew has been married to Peter Lanfer since 2002. They have two children: son Micah Emmanuel and daughter Hannah Mali Rose.

Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd

Amelia Shepherd made her debut on season 3 of the Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice. The character later appeared as a guest star during seasons 7 and 8 of Grey's Anatomy before joining the main cast on season 10 once Private Practice ended. In the role of Derek's youngest sister, Amelia struggled with her recovery from drug addiction and an on-and-relationship with Owen throughout seasons 11 and 12.

In addition to Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy and Station 19, Caterina Scorsone appeared in the 2014 action film The November Man.

Scorsone married musician Rob Giles in 2009, but they split in May 2020. They share three daughters: Eliza, Paloma "Pippa" Michaela and Arwen Lucinda. The actress has also become an advocate for parents raising children with Down syndrome after her daughter Pippa was born with the genetic disorder.

Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce

Like other Grey's cast members, Margaret Pierce made her first appearance on the series as a guest star. However, after it was revealed on the season 10 finale that she was the daughter of Richard and Ellis (making her Meredith's half-sister), Margaret became a series regular. As a child prodigy who graduated medical school at 19, Margaret became the head of cardiothoracic surgery at 27.

In addition to her role on Grey's Anatomy, Kelly McCreary has also reprised her role as Margaret on ABC's Station 19. She also voices Dot on the Netflix animated series Harvey Girls Forever! and appeared in the films Life (2015) and 88 (2022).

McCreary married director Pete Chatmon in May 2019. Their first child, a daughter named Indigo Wren, was born in October 2021. McCreary's older sister, Crystal, also appeared on Grey's Anatomy as Sabrina Webber (the niece of Richard) on the season 16 episode "Papa Don't Preach."

Kim Raver as Teddy Altman

Teddy Altman initially had a three-season stint on Grey's Anatomy as the attending cardiothoracic surgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial. She was involved in a dramatic love triangle between Cristina and Owen and married patient Henry Burton (Scott Foley) to help him with insurance. Following Teddy's departure after season 8, she returned as a recurring character on season 14 and became a series regular on the next season. Ultimately, she rekindled her romance with Hunt, and the two married and had two children.

Upon leaving Grey's Anatomy in 2012, Kim Raver had a recurring role on the NBC sci-fi series Revolution and starred on 24: Live Another Day and Full Circle. Since returning to Grey's Anatomy on season 19, she has also appeared on APB, Ray Donovan and Designated Survivor.

In July 2000, Raver married French filmmaker Manu Boyer, and they share two sons: Luke West and Leo Kipling.