On Friday, Justin Chambers shocked everyone by announcing that not only has he left the ABC medical drama after 15 years, but his final appearance has also already aired. And early Saturday, his longtime costar Ellen Pompeo, now the only remaining original Grey’s Anatomy intern from the beginning of the series, reacted to the news of his departure.
When Vanity Fair tweeted that “Grey’s Anatomy is about to feel one of its biggest losses yet,” Pompeo quote-tweeted it with the comment, “Truer words have never been spoken,” along with the broken heart emoji.
“There’s no good time to say goodbye to a show and character that’s defined so much of my life for the past 15 years,” Chambers previously said in a statement to Deadline when he announced his departure from Shonda Rhimes’ iconic series. “For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time. As I move on from Grey’s Anatomy, I want to thank the ABC family, Shonda Rimes, original cast members Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens, and the rest of the amazing cast and crew, both past and present, and, of course, the fans for an extraordinary ride.”
Chambers’ final episode aired on November 14, and the November 21 episode mentioned that Alex had returned home to take care of his mom. There’s no word yet on how Chambers’ absence from the series will be explained on the show.
