Kelly McCreary is leaving Grey’s Anatomy after playing Maggie Pierce for 9 seasons | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV
Grey Sloan Memorial is waving goodbye to another one of its long-running characters after it has been confirmed the popular medical drama will be losing both of Ellis Grey’s daughters this season. Kelly McCreary, who reprised the role of Maggie Pierce, is departing ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy after nine seasons, but she insists playing Maggie Pierce has been “one of the true joys of my life” ahead of her exit.
McCreary confirmed that she would be leaving the cast of ABC’s long-running Grey’s Anatomy in a new interview with Deadline.
Her last episode as a series regular will air on April 13, and much like her co-star Ellen Pompeo, she is set to return for the season 19 finale for Meredith’s big sendoff.
McCreary announced: “After nine seasons, I am saying goodbye to Maggie Pierce and her Grey Sloan family,”
The actress also went on to praise Grey’s Anatomy creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes, executive producer/showrunner Krista Vernoff, and ABC for the opportunity to be a part of the “legendary television institution”.
McCreary explained: “Playing Maggie Pierce has been one of the true joys of my life, and I leave with profound gratitude for every step of this journey.”
It is a bittersweet ending for McCreary, who appears to be excited for her future despite her exit from the show, as she added: “I am excited for this next chapter, and what the future holds.”
Maggie was introduced to fans in the penultimate episode of Season 10.
The actress played Meredith Grey’s (Ellen Pompeo) half-sister and head of the hospital’s cardiothoracic surgery.
Following a dramatic revelation in the finale, it was later revealed that Maggie was the biological daughter of Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and Meredith’s late mother, Ellis Grey (Kate Burton).
McCreary then made a return in Season 11, quickly making many recurring appearances before getting promoted to a series regular.
Since then, she has been a core member of the Grey’s Anatomy cast, only taking a short break at the start of Season 18.
The short hiatus was down to the birth of her first child Indigo Wren, shared with director Pete Chatmon who she met on the set of Grey’s Anatomy.
McCreary isn’t the only star to be leaving the cast of Grey’s Anatomy, as lead character Meredith Grey also confirmed her exit earlier this year.
In a sweet Instagram post dedicated to her co-star and onscreen half-sister, McCreary shared a selfie of her and Pompeo as they posed in their Grey’s attire.
She captioned the post: “@EllenPompeo you are one of one. Thank you for your warm embrace, for sharing wisdom and game, for all the sugar AND all the spice!
“Onto the next iconic adventure!! Wishing you the absolute best!”
Under the post, Pompeo wrote: “Thank you so much @seekellymccreary Grateful for it all!! So many great moments and scenes together [three love heart emojis]”
Fans also fled to the comment section expressing their sadness to see the original cast member depart the series.
One fan @officialkiralambert wrote: “I can’t handle this” with @rvsiaa adding: “I love them so much, I will miss seeing them together on screen.”
While @eu._.matheus1228 commented: “thank you very much grateful for everything! so many great moments and scenes together”.
Grey’s Anatomy is currently streaming on Disney+ in the UK.
