‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Jesse Williams Laments Sarah Drew’s ‘Unfortunate’ Exit

One month after Grey’s Anatomy bid farewell to longtime series regular Sarah Drew, co-star Jesse Williams opened up about her emotional final day on set.

During May 17’s season 14 finale, Drew’s April Kepner revealed she had left Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, where she worked as an attending trauma surgeon, for a new career treating the homeless and helping those less fortunate. The decision came following a near-death experience she had in the penultimate episode of the season.

April also walked down the aisle in a last-minute wedding with ex-fiance Matthew (Justin Bruening), as her ex-husband, Jackson (Williams), happily stood by her side.

Drew’s exit, along with co-star Jessica Capshaw, was first announced in March; she played the role of April Kepner for nine seasons.

In a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Williams reflected on Drew’s surprising exit, calling the situation “sad.”

“I mean, the whole thing is sad. It’s unfortunate,” Williams, told ET at Monday’s NBA Awards in Santa Monica, California. “That’s my partner, my road dog, so it was unpleasant, but she’s such a professional and did such incredible work down to the last frame and I’m really proud to have had our time together.”

Williams joined the longrunning ABC medical drama in season six (at the same time as Drew), hinted he might have tried to get Drew’s tenure on the show to be extended past the latest season.

“Well, I always make my opinion known. I’ll leave it at that!” he said.

When news first broke of the cast shakeup, Wiliams took to Twitter to express his candid opinion on the surprise departures.

“Sarah and Jessica are easily among my very favorite people and coworkers, so this news f—kin sucks. Their immense talent speaks for itself but it’s them as people that I’m so grateful to know, privileged to have worked with and learned from,” Williams wrote in one of the tweets after their exits were made official.

Jackson and April’s friendship will live on, however, as Williams revealed he still keeps in touch with his former co-star pretty regularly.

“Always,” he said. “We spoke yesterday [Sunday].”

The Grey’s Anatomy season 14 finale also saw the wedding of Jo (Camilla Luddington) and Alex (Justin Chambers), with news that Jo had been accepted to a prestigious fellowship in the East Coast. The series made one last shocker for the season when Teddy (Kim Raver) was named interim Chief of Surgery while Bailey (Chandra Wilson) takes a sabbatical. Teddy also revealed to a patient that she was pregnant, likely with Owen’s (Kevin McKidd) baby.

Grey’s Anatomy will return for season 15 Thursdays in fall 2018 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.