Sarah Drew's Grey's Anatomy Exit 'Felt Mean and Unjust,' Says She Now Has 'No Attachment' to the Show

Mar. 15, 2025

Sarah Drew.Photo: Richard Cartwright/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images via via Getty Images

Sarah Drewis being honest about herdeparturefromGrey’s Anatomy.

In a recent episode of theCall It What It Ispodcast with formerGrey’sco-starsCamilla LuddingtonandJessica Capshaw, Drew opened up about being fired from the long-running medical drama alongside Capshaw. Explaining how after becoming such a staple member of the cast for nine seasons, Drew said leaving in 2018 felt like “being fired from our family.”

“We were unceremoniously let go in a way that felt really mean and unjust,” the actress, whose new Hallmark+ seriesMistletoe Murderspremieres on Oct. 31, said. “And, because of that, the outpouring of love was so enormous it was like you were sitting there watching people say all the things that they love about you after you’re dead.”

Sarah Drew as April Kepner.Bob D’Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content ; Eric McCandless/Disney General Entertainment Content

Drew, who plays April Kepner, hassince returnedto the show for guest appearances, but she said the role doesn’t feel the same as the first time around.

“I have no attachment to it at all,” she shared. “So I think so there’s peace. When you’re on the show, you know, you never know what’s gonna happen. You never know if they’re gonna lose interest in your story line or if you piss off the wrong person, then something’s gonna happen. Like, you don’t know. But when I just popped back in to say hello, it I have zero anxiety, and I don’t need anything from anybody on that set anymore.”

“They’re not responsible for my livelihood anymore,” the star ofA Carpenter Christmas Romance, out Dec. 21 on Lifetime, continued. “They’re not responsible for my success or my joy. So it feels very, very freeing to pop back in because I’m like, ‘Hey, this is a fun spot to come visit.’”

Capshaw, whose role as Arizona Robbins was cut from the show at the end of season 14 (at the same time as Drew), then questioned how theEverwoodalum first got cast on the series.

Sarah Drew as April Kepner.Richard Cartwright via Getty Images

Drew revealed she had to decline the initial offer because of a scheduling conflict, and was later given a two-episode arc for April. She went on to be onSupernatural, GleeandMad Menbefore her storyline onGrey’spicked back up.

The love between her character, April, andJesse Williams’ Jackson Avery also ended up being one of the show’s mostbeloved romances.

When Luddington and Capshaw praised her for being “such a good actor” who was on so many different shows, Drew admitted she didn’t start getting more developed parts until afterGrey’s.

“This is an interesting little take on what our industry does,” she began. “I was just telling somebody else about this before — prior to my character getting with Jesse Williams, I’ve always played awkward, grating, annoying, ugly duckling, not beautiful [characters].”

“I was ugly until my character started dating Jesse, and now I play romantic leads,” she revealed.

Jesse Williams and Sarah Drew.Eric McCandless/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

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In 2018, Drewshared her reactionto being written offGrey’sfor the first timein an interview withTheHollywood Reporter. Admitting that she cried when she got the news, she said she was finding peace in the situation.

“I’m a believer in things happening for a reason and finding beauty in the midst of grief,” she told the outlet. “I don’t regret or begrudge anybody this season of my life. I’m embracing it.”

“I had a profound and incredible season of my life onGrey’s Anatomy,”Drew added. “I got to tell stories I believed in. I got to work with [producers] Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers and learn from the best. I got to work with an incredible community of people that I will have lifelong friendships with. I got to build a platform and have my children in an environment where I was cared for because of who Shonda is and how she takes care of her mamas and her women. It’s hard for me to come up with anything I could be angry about.”

Grey’s Anatomyairs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC and can be streamed on Hulu the next day.

source: people.com