Grey’s Anatomy is feeling the loss of several cast members — which will lead to some onscreen changes in season 23.
“Grey Sloan is now down two exceptional attending surgeons, one of whom was the Chief of Surgery, so we’re going to see how the hospital rebounds from that loss,” showrunner Meg Marinis told TV Insider on Tuesday, September 15. “It will not be an easy adjustment.”
Marinis was specifically referring to Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver departing the series at the end of season 22. The decision came as a shock to viewers who grew attached to Teddy (Raver) and Owen’s (McKidd) individual arcs.
“Grey’s Anatomy has been a huge chapter of my life, creatively and personally, and I’m deeply grateful for everything the show has given me over the years,” McKidd, 53, said in a March statement. “Playing Dr. Owen Hunt and directing on the show have both shaped me enormously, and I’ve had the privilege of working with an extraordinary group of people throughout that time. I’m particularly thankful to Shonda Rhimes for creating Owen, and for the encouragement she gave me as I stepped into directing.”
He continued: “As that chapter comes to a close, I’m looking forward to what’s ahead — building new work, telling new stories and taking everything I’ve learned into the next phase of my career.”
Raver, 57, also broke her silence on the news at the time.
“Playing Dr. Teddy Altman will always hold a dear and special place in my heart. Sixteen years ago, I had the incredible privilege of stepping into this role thanks to the vision of Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers,” she wrote in her own statement. “Since that day, it has been a true gift to bring the iconic words of Shonda and our brilliant team of writers to life. … To the fans — your unwavering devotion and support are the reason this show remains such a force. Thank you for making this set my place of magic and my home.”
Season 22 of Grey’s Anatomy previously weathered plenty of cast shakeups as the show reduced the minimum guarantees for its veteran cast members to 14 out of its 18 episodes per season.
Marinis, meanwhile, hinted that not every character would be safe as the story continued.
“But even in the last two seasons with what you saw this year, we had to reduce the cast a little bit [because of industry-wide budget cuts], and everybody has very passionate feelings about their favorite characters,” Marinis told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2025. “But if we can get the writers upset then we know we’re doing it right. It’s not as satisfying a story if people aren’t upset when someone leaves. It’s supposed to make people upset and sad, so I’m sure there’ll be some arguments. But I’ve been persuaded before to change my mind on things.”
In her most recent interview, Marinis was asked whether any former cast members might find a way to return this season.
“I hope so! We love bringing former cast back when they’re available and it makes sense story wise,” she continued. “We have some ideas percolating, so I’m hopeful we’ll have some fun nostalgic surprises for fans this season.”
Grey’s Anatomy returns to ABC Thursday, October 15, at 10 p.m. ET before streaming the next day on Hulu.
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