Grey’s Anatomy
creator and former showrunner
Shonda Rhimes
has revealed the hardest death she had to
document the enduring medical series
.
The popular show, currently in its 21st season, is notorious for
eliminating several key characters,
with viewers frequently regarding the passing of Dr. George O’Malley (T.R. Knight) and Dr. Derek Shepherd as significant events,
Patrick Dempsey
), Dr. Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) and Dr. Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) to be among the most heartbreaking.
However, for Rhimes, none of the mentioned characters had an impact as significant on her as Denny Duquette did. Denny Duquette was a beloved patient played by
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
) tragic death to be the “hardest” to write.
We were aware from the start of the season that one key element would involve a character dying prematurely,” the acclaimed producer stated during a Paley Museum event in New York City on Thursday, marking two decades of Shondaland. “After meeting Jeffrey Dean Morgan, it became clear that the younger character indeed needed to meet their end.
In the second-season midseason premieres, Duquette enters as a patient requiring an urgent heart transplant. While hospitalized, he forms a romantic relationship with Dr. Izzie Stevens (played by Katherine Heigl) and they decide to marry. As the season progresses, his health deteriorates further; Stevens persuades him to receive an LVAD implant temporarily until a suitable heart can be found. In her effort to advance his position on the waiting list, she intentionally damages hisLVAD wires. However, this strategy fails tragically, resulting in Duquette’s death during the final episode of the season called “Losing My Religion.”
“Dr. Meredith Grey’s dog, Doc, also passed away during that episode,” recalled producer Betsy Beers.
Ellen Pompeo
and Shepherd’s cherished companion.
Rhimes recalled Morgan telling her that the dog’s death lasted “five minutes longer” than Duquette’s.
In the long, drawn-out scene, Grey and Shepherd take their dog, Doc, who’s suffering from bone cancer, to the vet, where they make the difficult decision to put him down.
“It was a massacre,” Beers commented about the multiple fatalities incident.
Pompeo, who was the initial main character of the series,
officially left her role as a full-time cast member during season 19, which was broadcasted in 2022
.
Even though she still provides the voiceovers for every episode, her physical presence is quite rare. Recently, she shed light on why she has not fully stepped away from the series, acknowledging that quitting would be illogical both emotionally and financially.
The show was viewed over a billion times via streaming in 2024 – surpassing all others.
billion
times,” she told
El País
Adding: “The corporations that possess the rights to the show and those who broadcast it generate substantial revenue from our likenesses and our vocalizations.”
“If I decided to step back entirely, everyone else would profit from my efforts for two decades, and I wouldn’t see a penny,” Pompeo stated.
It doesn’t seem fair to me that everyone else can benefit from my efforts. The show holds great emotional significance for many individuals. Therefore, I aim to maintain a grateful mindset towards it.
Grey’s Anatomy
, which is approaching the end of season 21, has officially been renewed for season 22.
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