‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Fans React to Jessica Capshaw & Sarah Drew’s Exit

Sarah Drew as April, Kelly McCreary as Maggie, and Jessica Capshaw as Arizona in Grey's Anatomy
ABC/Kelsey McNeal
Sarah Drew as April, Kelly McCreary as Maggie, and Jessica Capshaw as Arizona.

Yesterday the news broke that Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew would be finishing their runs on Grey’s Anatomy with the end of the current season—fans are displeased to say the least.

In statements released yesterday by show creator Shonda Rhimes and showrunner Krista Vernoff, they expressed their thankfulness to Capshaw and Drew for bringing such important characters as Arizona and April to life. While the actresses also posted their own statements on social media, thanking the show for their experience, Capshaw expressed gratitude for the role of Arizona.

Meanwhile, Drew’s words clued fans into how quick the decision was made. “Thank you for all the love. I know you’re sad,” she wrote. “I’m sad too. I haven’t really had the time to process this information. I’ve been with it for less that 48 hours, so I’m not ready to say my thank yous and give an all encompassing statement about my 9 years here.”

It is clear that neither one of the actresses seem to have chosen to go, but were asked to leave by the showrunners who deemed the reason to be creative choices.

Part of Vernoff’s statement read, “As writers, our job is to follow the stories where they want to go and sometimes that means saying goodbye to characters we love.” Yet this conclusion doesn’t satisfy the many fans of the Shondaland show, which has been on air for 14 seasons.

The internet all but went mad when fans found out the shocking news, so of course we had to share some of the intense reactions that have taken place since then. See what fans had to say in the tweets below, including Jesse Williams, who plays Jackson on the show.

 

Grey’s Anatomy, Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC