Supporting his fellow surgeons! Kevin McKiddHis thoughts on Ellen PompeoShe is stepping down from her role in season 19 of Grey’s Anatomy — and he thinks change can be a good thing.
“Ellen has been the captain of this ship all these years, and she’s about to start producing, so she needed to make room in her schedule for that,” McKidd, 49, told E! New’s Daily PopAt the 2022 HCA TV Awards Sunday, August 14.
While Pompeo, 52, will continue to executive produce and direct during the upcoming season of the ABC series, TV Line reported earlier this month that she will only “physically appear” on screen for eight out of the expected 20 to 24 episodes.
She also plays a key role behind and in front of the camera Grey’sPompeo is also set to star and produce in a new Hulu original series. The thriller, which is based on a true story, will follow a couple who accuse their 8-year-old Ukrainian adopted daughter of being an adult who’s conning them, according to an August report from Variety.
For McKidd, the Massachusetts native’s decision to appear at all proves her loyalty to the medical drama. “The fact that she’s not leaving the show and is just gonna scale it back a bit—what I think is beautiful about it is that it shows her love for the show still,” the Brave star explained.
McKidd, who has portrayed Dr. Owen Hunt on the drama for 14 seasons, doesn’t even know what his own role will be moving forward. After he and his wife Teddy (Season 18), McKidd’s character was left on a cliffhanger.Kim Raver) and their kids left the country.
“It’s a little too early to say,” McKidd teased to Daily PopSunday’s announcement was made about his future with series. “All I can say is we have these new amazing interns, who are this kind of new blood in the show.”
Deadline reported in July that news of fresh energy entering Grey Sloan Memorial was first made public. Alexis Floyd would play Simone Griffin, a “new first-year surgical resident at Grey Sloan” in the upcoming season.
“Grey’s Anatomy, like all of Shonda [Rhimes’] canon, is a genre re-defining show that remains masterfully committed to diversity, relevancy and vulnerability,” the Bold Type alum, 28, told Deadline amid her casting news. “Joining the cast in its 19th season is an immeasurable honor, and quite simply, it’s gonna be wicked fun.”
Niko Terho also landed a season regular gig, playing first-year surgical resident Lucas Adams and Sex Lives of College Girls’ Midori FrancisThis will also portray a new resident in stomatology.
August James Pickens Jr. — one of three original cast members left on the show – shared a photo of himself on set with several new cast members, including Francis and GleeAlum Harry Shum Jr. “Let’s give a warm welcome to the new Interns of the Grey’sFamilies are excited for season 19✌🏾,” the actor wrote via Instagram at the time.