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Grey’s Anatomy S21: Get To Know Its New Cast, Trailer, and Release Date

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Sep 28, 2024 / 4749 Views

Shonda Rhimes’ iconic medical drama Grey’s Anatomy is slated to return for a historic S21 this month, and we’ve got all the details from its new cast and trailer to its release date. Read on to learn more.

Last week, fans of record-smashing and award-winning medical drama Grey’s Anatomy were treated to a first look of its upcoming S21. The punch 30-second trailer was full of explosive moments and realisations, quickly bringing viewers back up to speed on where we left off for season 20 and dropping some pretty big surprises straight off the bat.

The Grey’s Anatomy S21 trailer slaps — literally

To use a common Gen-Z phrase, the season trailer for Grey’s Anatomy S21 quite literally slaps. As audiences return to Grey-Sloan Memorial, stakes appear to be higher than ever, with several fan-favourite doctors engaged in feuds and fisticuffs alike.

Season 20 of the beloved drama ended on multiple cliffhangers, with a question mark hanging over the employment status of several Grey-Sloan doctors. Among them: Titular character Meredith Grey (portrayed by Ellen Pompeo), who, to the chagrin of her boss Catherine Fox (portrayed by Debbie Allen), had published the abstract of her super-secret Alzheimer’s research project after being forbidden by the latter to do so.

Other attendings in jeopardy include Amelia Shepherd (portrayed by Caterina Scorsone), Teddy Altman (portrayed by Kim Raver), and Owen Hunt (portrayed by Kevin McKidd). Throwing more wrenches into the hospital staffing schedule, the jobs of interns Jules Millin (portrayed by Adelaide Kane) and Mika Yasuda (portrayed by Midori Francis) also hang in the balance following their involvement in a patient death in the OR.

grey's anatomy S21 cast trailer — Season 20 of *Grey’s Anatomy* ended with the jobs of several doctors on the line. (Image: Anne Marie Fox/Disney)

While the 30 second trailer for S21 of Grey’s Anatomy did little to assuage viewers’ concerns for their faves, it nonetheless provided a glimpse into what to expect. In one scene, Meredith is shown arguing with Catherine over her Alzheimer’s project, throwing down her gauntlets by suggesting the latter’s lawyers know where to find her. Yet another shocking scene finds Catherine (who appears to be spending the season making enemies) engaging in a verbal spar with Miranda Bailey (portrayed by Chandra Wilson). In a stunning turn of events, Bailey stands up in the face of tyrannical authority, delivering a slap that shocks both on-screen and off. Ouch.

Amid the chaos and drama, the trailer also manages to tease the exciting return of not just one, but several familiar faces.

Who’s coming back to Grey-Sloan Memorial?

With discussions in the writing room no doubt centering budget restrictions and the rising costs of the show’s longtime stars, S21 of Grey’s Anatomy will rotate its main cast across the episodes. This once again spotlights the question on every true Grey’s fan’s lips: Is Ellen Pompeo coming back?

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Meredith Grey

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There’s no Grey’s Anatomy without Meredith Grey, and thankfully, the showrunners agree. To that end, S21 of Grey’s Anatomy will feature Pompeo’s titular character in a limited capacity, as was the case with its 10-episode season 20. According to ABC, Pompeo is set to return for seven episodes in the upcoming season, giving her plenty of time to wrap up her Alzheimer’s research arc. Our best guess? Meredith is likely to embark on another medical misadventure that is certain to take her away for most of the season. Then, like clockwork, she’ll return just in time for the shocking cliffhanger that will pre-empt and inform S22, if the show is renewed. And make no mistake: We’ll still watch it, because the drama never gets old.

Jackson Avery

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Fresh from spending time with Mabel and company on Only Murders in the Building, Jesse Williams makes his return to Grey-Sloan alongside Pompeo, reprising his role as Jackson Avery. Viewers may recall that Williams officially left the show in season 17 when his character resigned from Grey-Sloan to go run the Catherine Fox Foundation in Boston. Avery brought along his ex-wife and the mother of his daughter, April Kepner (portrayed by Sarah Drew). Fans of the on-screen couple ‘Japril’ were further delighted when they made their triumphant return as guest stars in season 18, confirming that they had reconciled with a heartfelt elevator kiss — because elevators are where all the love confessions happen in Grey’s Anatomy lore.

Grey’s Anatomy S21 will see Williams’ return, though his brief two-second appearance in the trailer hints that trouble may be brewing on the horizon. Will he take offense to Bailey’s mistreatment of his mother, Catherine? Will his friendship with Meredith take a hit in the face of her Alzheimer’s quarrel? Only time will tell.

Sydney Heron

Dr. Sydney Heron is back with interns 17 years later #GreysAnatomy pic.twitter.com/CFgar0Hy2a
— Grey’s Anatomy News (@GreysabcNews) September 9, 2024

First introduced in season 2 of Grey’s Anatomy, the absurdly perky and cheerful Sydney Heron (portrayed by Kali Rocha) will make her comeback in S21. Heron was first put in charge of Bailey’s then-interns, Meredith, Alex, George, Izzie, Christina (aka the MAGIC team) — only for them to revolt against her methods, which include ‘healing with love’. While Heron’s character proved polarising among viewers, her cheerful disposition was an entertaining foil against that of the ‘dark and twisty’ leads, providing an alternate perspective to life at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Ben Warren

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Anaesthesiologist turned surgical resident turned firefighter, Ben Warren (portrayed by Jason George) is set to return to Grey’s Anatomy now that its sister show Station 19 has concluded. Warren, who is also Bailey’s husband, is expected to slip back into his light blue scrubs, but only time will tell what his upcoming arc at Grey-Sloan will be.

Monica Beltran

Attending paediatric surgeon Monica Beltran (portrayed by Natalia Morales) made her Grey’s Anatomy debut in season 20, and is set to reprise her role in S21. According to reports, Beltran will appear in episode 2 of the new season; besides that, she is also slated to appear in another five episodes.

Nick Marsh

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He may not be McDreamy (portrayed by Patrick Dempsey), but transplant surgeon Nick Marsh (portrayed by Scott Speedman) has certainly got Meredith’s attention in S21 of Grey’s Anatomy. With the last season closing out the duo’s reconciliation with a promise for commitment, Marsh is set to appear in at least five episodes in the upcoming season.

Which cast members are we losing in S21 of Grey’s Anatomy?

Levi Schmitt

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Surgical resident Levi Schmitt (portrayed by Jake Borelli) is set to exit the show this season, having served as a series regular for five seasons of his seven in Grey-Sloan. However, Schmitt will not be ‘put on a bus’; he will appear in several episodes, giving him the opportunity to close out his story.

Mika Yasuda

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Yet another doctor parts ways with Grey-Sloan in Grey’s Anatomy S21 — intern Mika Yasuda, portrayed by Midori Francis. Yasuda’s departure comes as a surprise, given how recently she was introduced; however, reports suggest the decision comes as the actress expressed a desire to focus on other projects beyond Grey’s. Like Schmitt, Yasuda will also return for several episodes to close out her arc.

New to Grey’s Anatomy in S21

The upcoming S21 of Grey’s Anatomy will also welcome several new characters. Most notably, Michael Thomas Grant will be joining Grey-Sloan as the new chaplain of the hospital, whose name is James. As per reports, James is a ‘superhero fanboy who is openly gay’.

Joining Grant as a newcomer to Grey’s is Floriana Lima, whose character Nora is childhood friends with Owen and Megan Hunt. Nora’s arc brings her to Grey-Sloan in the wake of a routine operation gone wrong in a different hospital. She is described as a recently divorced ‘devoted mother’ whose sole purpose is survival for the happiness of her children.

When is the release date for Grey’s Anatomy S21?

Grey’s Anatomy S21 releases in the United States on September 26, 2024. Unlike its predecessor, which was truncated due to strikes by actors and writers, S21 of the show will have 18 episodes.