After Justin Chamber’s surprise departure as Alex Karev in the sixteenth season of Grey’s Anatomy, ABC’s long-running medical drama series is losing another one of its long-time series regulars, with the official exit of Jesse Williams (The Cabin in the Woods). According to Deadline, Williams’ last appearance as a main cast member is scheduled to air ahead of Season 17’s finale on May 20, 2021, with episode 17.14 titled “Tradition.” The 40-year-old actor played the role of Jackson Avery for 12 seasons now, who first appeared as a surgical resident during the sixth season.
“Jesse Williams is an extraordinary artist and activist. Watching his evolution these past 11 years, both on-screen and off, has been a true gift,” showrunner Krista Vernoff said in a statement. “Jesse brings so much heart, such depth of care, and so much intelligence to his work. We will miss Jesse terribly, and we will miss Jackson Avery — played to perfection for so many years.”
Before his exit, Grey’s Anatomy fans have already said goodbye to another main cast member with Giacomo Gianniotti’s Andrew DeLuca, whose character died during Season 17 after getting stabbed while trying to chase a child trafficker.
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Grey’s Anatomy is a high-intensity medical drama following Meredith Grey and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial, who are faced with life-or-death decisions daily. They seek comfort from one another and, at times, more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
The series currently stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber, who are the remaining ones left from the original main cast from the first episode of the series. It also stars Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery, Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, and Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce.
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Grey’s Anatomy was created and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes (Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder), with Krista Vernoff serving as the current showrunner. Betsy Beers (Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder), Mark Gordon (Saving Private Ryan), Krista Vernoff (Shameless), William Harper, Zoanne Clack, Debbie Allen, and Fred Einesman are executive producers. Grey’s Anatomy is produced by ABC Studios.
