For over 20 years, Grey's Anatomy has kept viewers captivated by the stories of the doctors at Seattle Grace Hospital. Main characters like Meredith, Derek, Christina, and Izzie have become part of pop culture, and their respective actors left the project along different trajectories: some cemented their film careers, others shifted to directing and producing, while some continue to tie their careers to the medical drama to this day. Ahead of 2026, when the show was renewed for a 23rd season, Styler takes a look at how the original stars have changed.
Ellen Pompeo: From Intern Meredith to the Producer's Chair and 'Good American Family'
Ellen Pompeo became the central figure of the series: her Meredith started as an intern, searched for her place in the profession, and eventually evolved into one of the most famous surgeons in the television world. Her story set the emotional tone for the project over many seasons. Prior to this role, the actress had already appeared in notable film projects—in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio and in the superhero film Daredevil, yet it was the medical drama that made her an international star. Over time, Pompeo gradually reduced her on-screen presence in the series to focus on producing: she remained an executive producer of Grey's Anatomy, while Meredith continued to appear in the storyline. In 2025, the actress returned to a major non-medical drama role, playing Kristine Barnett in the miniseries Good American Family about a family that adopted Natalia Grace. In August 2026, it was announced that Hulu would develop the project as an anthology: the second season will focus on the story of Lorena Bobbitt, with Pompeo returning as an executive producer.
Patrick Dempsey: McDreamy Beyond the Operating Room
Patrick Dempsey played neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd, whom viewers nicknamed McDreamy; his relationship with Meredith became one of the main storylines of the show, and the actor himself turned into one of television's most famous romantic heroes. Meanwhile, his filmography began long before the project: he starred in the fantasy film Enchanted and its sequel, as well as Bridget Jones's Baby, where in Enchanted he played Robert Philip, a New York attorney whose life is upended by a fairy-tale princess. After leaving Grey's Anatomy, Dempsey continued working in film and television: in 2024, he appeared in the series Dexter: Original Sin as Captain Aaron Spencer, and in 2026, he returned to a leading role in the crime thriller Memory of a Killer, where his character Angelo Ledda leads a double life—a family man by day and a hitman outside the home, a project based on the Belgian film The Alzheimer Case. Beyond cinema, the actor has a passion far removed from the screen: he has long been interested in motorsports, competed in professional racing, founded his own racing team, and starred in the biographical film Ferrari.
Sandra Oh: From Cristina Yang to Eve Polastri and the London Stage
Sandra Oh's portrayal of Cristina Yang made her one of the standout characters of the original cast: ambitious, sharp-tongued, and uncompromising in her work, she became not just a colleague but Meredith's closest friend, and their friendship served as one of the key pillars of the series. After leaving the project, Oh did not seek a similar role, instead choosing a completely different persona—Eve Polastri, a British intelligence operative hunting down the assassin Villanelle in the spy thriller Killing Eve. For this performance, she won a Golden Globe Award and solidified her status as one of contemporary television's strongest actresses. Other notable works include the comedy series The Chair, the film Quiz Lady, and voice work in animated projects, including a character in Pixar's Turning Red. In 2026, Sandra Oh drew attention once again with her theater work: from June 16 to August 1, she starred as Alice in a modern adaptation of Molière's The Misanthrope at the National Theatre in London, transposed into the context of contemporary social debates; this marked the actress's debut on the National Theatre stage.
Katherine Heigl and the Future of the Project
Izzie Stevens, one of the original Seattle hospital interns, was played by Katherine Heigl, who began actively building her film career even while working on Grey's Anatomy; in 2007, the actress won an Emmy Award for her role in the series. Thus, by 2026, the original cast had branched out into various genres and formats—from anthologies and crime thrillers to theater and voice acting. Meanwhile, the show itself lives on: according to RBC, the project has been renewed for a 23rd season, although some former characters will not appear. Against this backdrop, the loss felt particularly heavy when the fandom mourned the passing of Eric Dane in early 2026; the actor, who played Mark Sloan, passed away at the age of 53 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
More than two decades later, Grey's Anatomy remains not just a TV show, but a launching pad for the careers of an entire generation of actors. Their paths have diverged, but each of them has maintained a connection to the project that made them famous—whether through the producer's chair, guest appearances, or simply the enduring memory of viewers who once watched them on duty in the Seattle Grace operating room.
