Pompeo will only appear in eight episodes of the show’s upcoming 19th season.
EW spoke with showrunner Krista Vernoff about how the new interns will spice things up.
It’s allowing us to get back to the early model of teaching and learning.
Niko Terho, Midori Francis, Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, and Harry Shum Jr. on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.ABC/Nino Muñoz
And it just felt like the right moment.
What can you tell me about the personalities of these interns?
Well, we worked hard to not make them copies of the originals.
Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, Harry Shum Jr., Midori Francis and Niko Terho on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Liliane Lathan/ABC
They’re very much their own event.
Here’s what I can tell you.
So this class is all diamonds in the rough.
They are all coming from something that they had to overcome for be here.
Who’s their resident?
How we get him there is very funny and he’s terrific.
And he’s not just the chief resident, he’s the only senior resident.
And that story is in the premiere and it’s very funny.
And it’s really fun to see.
We’ve definitely had new intern classes come in.
The class that Levi came in was in season 14 and we hadJeanine Masonin that class.
But this is the first time that we’ve had five series regular interns.
You mentioned Ellen’s limited involvement this year.
I feel like it’s been a question posed for years: CouldGrey’scontinue without Ellen?
And if Meredith isn’t here anymore all the time, everybody still wants to come.
I think Ellen is extraordinary and this show has always been an ensemble show.
I just felt like it was important to also bring in fresh young students for those people to teach.
Those people are all teachers now.
Grey’s Anatomyreturns Thursday, Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
