‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Justin Chambers and 8 More Stars Who Made Major Exits

When Grey’s Anatomy Season 16 returns later this month, the series will be without one of its original stars. Back on Jan. 10, Justin Chambers, who plays Dr. Alex Karev, surprisingly announced he will no longer be on the show, and his final episode aired on Nov. 14. Of course, Chambers is not the first — and will definitely not be the last — star to make a major exit from the show. In fact, Grey’s Anatomy alone has weathered that storm multiple times in its 16 seasons.

“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 said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”

Chambers added, “As I move on from Grey’s Anatomy, I want to thank the ABC family, Shonda Rhimes, 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.”

The circumstances behind Chambers’ departure have not been revealed yet, and it seems abrupt. After all, the Nov. 14 episode ended in a cliffhanger.

Grey’s Anatomy returns on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9 p.m. ET. In the meantime, here’s a look back at eight other actors who have made major exits.

Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey is still best identified with his role as Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd on Grey’s Anatomy. The character, beloved by fans and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), was killed off in 2015 even though Dempsey still had another year left on his contract. The decision to kill the character was amicable though, and Dempsey later praised the decision.

“It just sort of evolved. It’s just kind of happened,” Dempsey told Entertainment Weekly in 2015. “It really was something that was kind of surprising that unfolded, and it just naturally came to be. Which was pretty good. I like the way it has all played out.”

Katherine Heigl

Katherine Heigl’s Izzy Stevens was another of the original Grey’s Anatomy characters. The character appeared in the first six seasons, but left Seattle behind when Alex would not resume their marriage. Heigl asked creator Shonda Rhimes to be released from her contract, as she was also trying to have a successful movie career. The actress has said she wanted to come back, but Rhimes said she has no plans to do so.

“I’m done with that story,” Rhimes told TVLine in 2015. “I’ve turned that idea over in my mind a thousand times and thought about how it would go. And I don’t think so.”

Sandra Oh

Sandra Oh’s Cristina Yang appeared in the first 10 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Cristina’s relationship with Meredith was considered the core of the series, and the character was written out. 

“Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go,” Oh told The Hollywood Reporter in 2013. “It’s such an interesting thing to play a character for so long and to actually get the sense that she wants to be let go as well. [Cristina] wants to be let go, and I am ready to let her go. We have to start the process, story-wise, for the Grey’s writers to think of why she’s going to go.”

Isaiah Washington

Isaiah Washington starred as Dr. Preston Burke on Grey’s Anatomy from 2005 to 2007, and briefly returned in 2014. Washington’s decision was filled with controversy. After rumors that Washington used a homophobic slur to insult co-star T.R. Knight, ABC chose not to renew his contract in 2007. Washington was invited back on the show in 2014 to help wrap up Oh’s story.

Pauley Perrette

Pauley Perrette became a star as forensic scientist Abby Sciuto in NCIS. Her character debuted in the JAG episodes that worked as a back-door pilot for NCIS and went on to appear on NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans in crossovers.

Perrette appeared on NCIS through Season 15, making her final appearance in a May 2018 episode. The decision to leave was not entirely amicable, as Perrette made several allegations about co-star Mark Harmon. Still, Perrette agreed to star in the CBS sitcom Broke, which was supposed to debut during the 2019-2020 TV season but has yet to be scheduled.

Michael Weatherly

Once you find yourself on one CBS show, it is hard to walk away from the eye network. Michael Weatherly starred as Anthony DiNozzo on NCIS from 2003 to 2016, until he got his own series as Dr. Jason Bull on Bull.

Weatherly first plated DiNozzo in two episodes of JAG before he became a main character on NCIS. In fact, he and Pauley Perrette are the only two actors to appear on JAG, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans.

Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore has been an almost inescapable presence on CBS since 1994, when he debuted as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless. In 2005, he graduated to primetime when he was cast as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds. Now, he is lead star in S.W.A.T.

Moore’s character on Criminal Minds was beloved by fans, but he chose to walk away after Season 11. He made guest appearances in Seasons 12 and 13.

Christopher Meloni

Based on Christopher Meloni‘s frequent social media posts with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit co-star Mariska Hargitay and his appearance in a recent Paley Center retrospective special, Meloni has fond memories of working on SVU.

He starred as Det. Elliot Stabler for the show’s first 12 seasons, but left before Season 13 started because he failed to reach terms on a new contract with NBC. Although it has been almost a decade since Stabler was last seen on the show, his lack of a strong story to explain why he suddenly left has always been an issue for longtime fans.