Sandra Oh shoots down the possibility of her returning to Grey's Anatomy, stating she has moved on from the long-running medical show. For 10 seasons, Oh portrayed the ambitious and brusque Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy. The role earned Oh five Emmy nominations and much critical acclaim, and she managed to be one of the few actors to depart without having their characters killed off. Cristina left Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to take a job in Switzerland, leaving her "person" Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) behind. Since then, Oh has broken barriers with her role on AMC's Killing Eve.
Grey's Anatomy's current 17th season has been notable for more than its tackling of the coronavirus pandemic. Much to the surprise of audiences, several past characters - both living and dead - have returned in some capacity. This includes Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), and, most recently, April Kepner (Sarah Drew). The many major returns within Grey's Anatomy season 17 have led some to speculate who could appear next, with Oh's Cristina being a popular pick.
Unfortunately, it sounds like fans will have to lower their expectations on the Cristina front. Oh recently appeared on the LA Times' Asian Enough podcast and touched upon whether she would ever return to Grey's Anatomy. Her answer was, unfortunately, a definitive no. "I love it, though, and this is also why I really appreciate the show … that I still get asked this," Oh said in regards to always being asked about returning. However, she then further explained her reluctance to reappear, saying:
“It’s very rare, I would say, to be able to see in such a way the impact of a character,” said Oh. “In some ways, you do your work as a bubble and you let it go. I left that show, my God, seven years ago almost. So in my mind, it’s gone. But for a lot of people, it’s still very much alive. And while I understand and I love it, I have moved on.
“So please come with me to ‘Killing Eve’ and on to [the upcoming Netflix series] ‘The Chair’ and on to the other projects,” Oh continued. “Come see the characters that I’m playing that are much more deeply integrated in … the Asian American experience.”
Oh spent ten years starring on Grey's Anatomy, and it's understandable that she would prefer to move onto different things now. Fans have missed her ever since she left, but the show has managed to include several nods to Cristina to at least keep her legacy going. Additionally, leaving the show has allowed Oh to make incredible strides within her career, and it's thrilling to see each new project she chooses. Only three original Grey's Anatomy cast members remain now: Pompeo, James Pickens Jr., and Chandra Wilson.
Should Oh ever change her mind, the show will at least be around for a while longer. Just this week, Grey's Anatomy was finally renewed for season 18, thus continuing its streak of being the longest-running medical show on television. Whenever Grey's Anatomy does come to an end, one might hope to see Cristina make one last appearance to help see the show off. However, the decision remains with Oh, and if she doesn't want to come back, that is perfectly fine. She has a lot of exciting projects coming up, so it's safe to say she's doing more than alright outside of the hospital.
Grey's Anatomy season 17 continues with "Tradition" on Thursday, May 20 on ABC.
Source: LA Times' Asian Enough