Grey's Anatomy debuted on ABC in 2005 with Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey leading the cast of Seattle surgeons. But how would the hit medical drama series look different if it were made in the 1990s? The stars would likely be made up of names big and small, and have a lot of similarities between the actors whom the roles eventually went to.
From Friends' Jennifer Aniston to Felicity's Keri Russell, Grey's in the '90s would have likely had a cast of younger stars at the forefront and would've capitalized on having guest stars that are also huge movie stars like Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe. With this cast, the show would've still been a hit, but maybe not as successful and long-lasting as the 2000s version.
Addison Montgomery - Nicole Kidman
Derek Shepherd's secretly estranged wife and fellow doctor Addison Montogomery's impact would've been the same jaw-dropping shocker in the '90s as it was in 2005, which is why the actor playing her would need to be just as remarkable as Kate Walsh.
Nicole Kidman was becoming a big movie star in the '90s with films like Far and Away and To Die For and had the same fiery red hair as the Addison fans know and love. Both she and Walsh are tall and captivate any screen they appear on, which would make her the perfect Addison Montgomery.
Preston Burke - Denzel Washington
Preston Burke's relationship with Cristina Yang was just as important to the first season of Grey's Anatomy as the show's best couple, Derek and Meredith. In order for it to maintain its importance in the '90s, Burke would have needed to be played by someone handsome, mysterious, and romantic.
Denzel Washington was gaining movie star status in the 1990s and would've been highly sought after to star in the ABC series. He would've brought a charm to Burke that didn't exist before and could've potentially made the Cristina/Burke relationship more popular than that of Derek and Meredith's.
Richard Webber - James Avery
Richard Webber has been on the show since the first episode and remains a main character to this day. Due to his relationship with Meredith's mother, Ellis provided many storylines and twists throughout the series, as did his role as Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace.
Casting a Richard as great as James Pickens Jr. would have been a difficult task, but The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air patriarch James Avery would've fit the role very well in the '90s. Avery's character of Uncle Phil on the popular Will Smith sitcom had strong similarities to that of Richard Webber, as both acted as surrogate fathers to the titular characters of the series.
Mark Sloan - Ethan Hawke
Casting the perfect 1990s Mark Sloan would have been hard because whoever played the role would need to have the perfect balance of cockiness and lovability. No matter what the era, not a lot of actors can pull this combination off without appearing to be unlikable and, worse, uninteresting to watch.
Though Ethan Hawke wouldn't be that much older than the rest of the actors on the show, making it difficult for him to have the same age difference that Eric Dane had in the 2000s, he would be a brilliant Mark simply due to his attitude and charm. Almost every character Hawke plays is a lovable rogue, and Mark would be no exception.
Lexie Grey - Keri Russell
Lexie Grey was the doe-eyed, kindhearted younger sister of Meredith Grey and was introduced as a main character in the fourth season of the show. Lexie would've been played by someone who looked young and naive, but really had a quick wit to them.
Keri Russell would have fit the role perfectly since her work on Felicity demanded a similar blend of intelligence and cautious inexperience. In addition, Russell and Jennifer Aniston, the '90s Meredith Grey, look enough alike that it would be easy to believe they are sisters.
Miranda Bailey - Lisa Bonet
Miranda Bailey has been an integral part of Grey's Anatomy's success since the pilot episode. Her speech to the interns explaining her five rules set the tone of the show, and she has remained one of the best characters all these years later.
Like Chandra Wilson, Lisa Bonet had a build small enough to not immediately seem intimidating, but the minute she would open her mouth she would dominate whatever room she was in. Bailey's strength comes in her ability to lead, and Bonet would have steered the '90s interns in the right direction.
George O'Malley - Paul Rudd
George O'Malley was the dorkiest of the original interns who became one of Grey's Anatomy's good doctors. T.R. Knight did a great job playing him for the first five seasons because he was able to gain sympathy from the audience even when George was in the wrong; that's how likable he was.
Paul Rudd's goofy demeanor and general likability would have made him the perfect George. His unrequited love for Meredith needed to be adorable rather than desperate, and as he displayed in Clueless, Rudd could have done that well through his kind eyes and gentle demeanor.
Izzie Stevens - Gwenyth Paltrow
Izzie Stevens is a Grey's Anatomy character that fans love to hate. Her exit was one of the worst the show has seen, and she continues to get called out to this day because of how Alex Karev's ending involved her character, despite not being on the show for nearly ten years.
Whoever played Izzie in the '90s would've had to have Katherine Heigl's confidence and a similar statuesque look since she was labeled as "Doctor Model" in the first season. Gwenyth Paltrow would've been perfectly suited for the role with her no-nonsense demeanor and strong moral conviction, both of which made Izzie stand out in the early years of the show.
Alex Karev - Brad Pitt
Justin Chambers made Alex Karev lovable despite how mean-spirited he was at first. Audience members had to warm up to his character but eventually found themselves gushing over him and rooting for his happily ever after.
The only actor that would be able to pull that off in the '90s would have been Brad Pitt, who frequently played a bad boy with a heart of gold in films like Thelma & Louise. Both Pitt and Chambers even have a similar look in the way they smile and are both able to convey so much with just a sense of sadness and vulnerability in their eyes.
Cristina Yang - Lucy Liu
Before she was in the film version of Charlie's Angels, Lucy Liu starred in the television series Ally McBeal and could've been the 1990s version of Meredith Grey's best friend and everyone's favorite cardio doctor, Cristina Yang. Sandra Oh's portrayal of Cristina was perfect because of how sharp yet vulnerable she made her out to be. Liu would've done the job fantastically if the series were made ten years prior. Oh's starring role on the show was huge for Asian American representation on television, and it should have been preserved with the casting of the brilliant Liu in the '90s.
Derek Shepherd - Peter Gallagher
Neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd would have been just as popular among fans in the 1990s as he was in the 2000s. His character's romance with Meredith Grey and eventual death would only have as great of an impact if he was played by someone just as good as Patrick Dempsey.
With Peter Gallagher as Derek, the age difference that was supposed to exist between he and Meredith would be far more realistic, and his kind eyes would definitely qualify him as a worthy "McDreamy." After his acclaimed turn in one of Steven Soderbergh's best movies Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Gallagher would've been in the right position to be offered the role and excel at it.
Meredith Grey - Jennifer Aniston
Everyone wanted to be Jennifer Aniston in the '90s. After all, there was a haircut named after her character from Friends. She would have been first on casting directors' lists to play the titular role on Grey's Anatomy.
In her decades-long career, Aniston has been able to create chemistry with just about any actor she stars opposite of, so she would have no problem playing Meredith Grey. Though she was a sweetheart in her sitcom days, she is also able to bring intelligence and vulnerability to her acting that anyone portraying Meredith needs.