A Long Time Coming! Grey’s Anatomy Alum Officially Returning 17 Years After Leaving the Show
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Talk about a blast from the past! Season 21 of Grey’s Anatomy is already going to look very different from Season 20, with some familiar faces departing the show and some new characters joining Season 21 to replace them. But who else is coming back for Grey’s Anatomy Season 21?
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Who’s Coming Back For Grey’s Anatomy Season 21?
If you’ve been a fan of Grey’s Anatomy from the beginning, you’ll recognize this name. Kali Rocha is reprising the role of Dr. Sydney Heron in the long-running medical drama. Heron is set to appear in three episodes of Season 21, TVLine is reporting. There are no details yet about what exactly her storyline entails or where Heron has been for the last 17 years since she last crossed paths with anyone on the show.
Heron was introduced back in the second season of Grey’s Anatomy as a fourth-year resident who subbed in for Bailey while she was on maternity leave. The character then recurred during Seasons 3 and 4. She was never really a favorite of anyone in-show, and it’s been a long time since anyone has mentioned her or thought about the perky and well-meaning character, who nonetheless never really seemed to fit in.
The reappearance of Sydney Heron won’t be the only change in the new season. Season 21 will also see Jake Borelli departing as Dr. Levi Schmitt and Midori Francis departing the series as Dr. Mika Yasuda, though both are expected to get a chance to close out their storylines. Meanwhile, Michael Thomas Grant will join the cast for Season 21. He will play James, the hospital’s new chaplain. Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey, who departed the show as a series regular in Season 19, and appeared in only a few Season 20 episodes on top of providing the voiceovers, is expected to appear in at least 7 of the 18 episodes. Also expected to have an increased presence in Season 21 is Scott Speedman’s Nick Marsh.
More: Meet the Grey’s Anatomy cast’s real-life partners
Grey’s Anatomy is ABC’s long-running medical drama that focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the show debuted in 2005 and inspired the firefighter spinoff Station 19, which premiered in 2018 and went on for seven seasons before ending this past spring.
In April 2024, ABC announced that Grey’s Anatomy was renewed for a twenty-first season. The renewal extended the series’ title as the longest-running primetime medical drama in TV history, a record the show originally broke in 2019. Grey’s Anatomy is also the longest-running primetime scripted series in ABC history.
Grey’s Anatomy is available to stream on Hulu.
Watch ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ on Hulu
Who makes what on the cast of Grey’s Anatomy? Check out how much the cast makes — including who’s the highest-paid — in the gallery below.
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