With over 400 episodes under its belt, Grey's Anatomy is now the longest-running scripted primetime show on ABC. This series, created by Shonda Rhimes and premiering in 2005, follows the day-to-day lives of different health professionals working at Grey Sloan Memorial, centering on the young intern Meredith Grey, as she evolves into a prestigious surgeon. Rhimes served as writer and showrunner of the show until 2015, when Krista Vernoff took over. Due to the enormous success of this medical drama show, both with critics and audiences, several spin-off series were produced, complementing the main story, such as Station 19, Private Practice, and Grey's Anatomy: B-Team.
Grey's Anatomy season 19 is currently airing, and much has changed since the pilot episode starring Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T. R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Isaiah Washington, and Patrick Dempsey all those years ago. This season, in particular, was the first one in which Pompeo did not have a leading role, and several actors joined the cast, updating the series' line-up and filling in, to some extent, the shoes of those who are no longer in the project. Still, there were many actors with iconic characters that were featured in many seasons of the series. Here are some of them.
10 Sandra Oh — Seasons 1-10 (10 Seasons)
Sandra Oh portrayed the brilliant Cristina Yang, one of the most prestigious doctors of her generation. This character proved to be a major influence in Meredith's life, and their friendship carried them through their darkest moments. Cristina's most significant love interests were Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) and Owen Hunt. By the end of season 10, Oh left Grey's Anatomy as she felt her character reached her limit, so Cristina left the hospital for a career opportunity in Zurich, Switzerland.
9 Jessica Capshaw — Seasons 5-14 (10 Seasons)
From season 5 of Grey's Anatomy onwards, Jessica Capshaw played Arizona Robbins, the fun-loving head of pediatric surgery with a special gift for working with children. Like Sara Ramirez, Capshaw was supposed to have a special appearance on the series, but ended up staying due to the popularity of the character and her love story with Callie. That said, Capshaw left Grey's Anatomy in 2018 due to creative issues regarding the show's future.
8 Sara Ramírez — Seasons 2-12 (11 Seasons)
Sara Ramírez joined the cast during Grey's Anatomy season 2 to play Callie Torres, a senior orthopedic resident who was meant to be a supporting character, but ended up becoming one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ characters in television history. Torres had several love interests throughout the show: George O'Malley (T. R. Knight), Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) and Arizona Robbins (Capshaw), whom she ended up marrying. Following an affair, she had a daughter with Sloan, and they both raised her along with Robbins. Having played Callie for ten years, Ramírez decided it was time to take a break and left the series in season 12.
7 Patrick Dempsey — Season 1-11 (11 Seasons)
For 11 seasons, Patrick Dempsey played Derek Shepherd, also known as McDreamy, one of Seattle's most prestigious surgeons. At the beginning of Grey's Anatomy, he was married to Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), but eventually broke up this marriage to pursue his love for Meredith, with whom he later had three children, becoming one of the most beloved couples of the series, as well as of TV as a whole. Notwithstanding this character's overwhelming popularity and significance to the story, Dempsey took a step back from the series in order to spend more time with his family, leaving in season 11, when his character passed away due to a car accident.
6 Jesse Williams — Seasons 6-17 (12 Seasons)
Jesse Williams is Jackson Avery, a resident who joined the staff during season six, when his hospital, Mercy West Medical Center, merged with Seattle Grace Hospital. Avery comes from a very prestigious family of surgeons, and he is Harper Avery's grandson, so an important part of his evolution in the series has to do with him wanting to make it on his own, without relying on his family name. His most significant relationship was with April Kepner (Sarah Drew), with whom he married and had two children.
5 Kevin McKidd — Season 5-Present (15 Seasons)
Kevin McKidd joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy in season 5 for what was meant to be a guest role. Instead, he ended up sticking around as a main character. McKidd is Owen Hunt, a U. S. Army trauma surgeon who served in Iraq and later joined the hospital, where he became known for employing unorthodox methods to treat patients. Throughout the series, Hunt was involved in three very important relationships: with Cristina Yang, Amelia Shepherd, and Teddy Altman.
4 Justin Chambers — Seasons 1-16 (16 Seasons)
Justin Chambers is Alex Karev, one of the interns who joined the hospital alongside Meredith. He changed a lot as Grey's Anatomy went on, and although he was initially considered an insensitive man with a bad attitude, he became one of the most beloved doctors in the place, particularly after he discovered his gift for treating younger patients. Karev was part of the series until season 16, in which he left the hospital and his wife Jo (Camilla Luddington) to rekindle his relationship with Izzie, the love of his life and his ex-wife (played by Katherine Heigl durings the first six seasons of the show).
3 James Pickens Jr. — Season 1-Present (19 Seasons)
James Pickens Jr. is one of the original cast to appear in all seasons of Grey's Anatomy so far. He plays Richard Webber, the hospital's Chief of Surgery, even though his position changed over the course of the show. Webber devotes his whole life to teaching and conveying his love for his profession. During his residency at the hospital, he had a love affair with Ellis Grey, something that had a great impact on all of his romantic connections and, especially, on his relationship with Meredith.
2 Chandra Wilson — Season 1-Present (19 Seasons)
Chandra Wilson is Miranda Bailey, the character who has appeared the most in the Grey's Anatomy franchise, as well as an audience favorite. At the beginning of the show, Bailey was a general surgery resident at the hospital, who was known for her strictness with the interns. But beneath her tough and demanding attitude, she really wants the best for her interns, who over time became her friends, as well as for her patients and the people around her. Just like Pickens Jr., Wilson was featured in every season of the series.
1 Ellen Pompeo — Season 1-Present (19 Seasons)
Meredith Grey is the role that propelled Ellen Pompeo to stardom and earned her worldwide recognition. She serves as the show's narrator as well as the main character in each and every season of Grey's Anatomy. As the daughter of renowned surgeon Ellis Grey, Meredith discovered her passion for medicine at an early age, and went on to pursue an impeccable career. Her determination and devotion to her calling led her to live many near-death situations. She had a romantic relationship with Derek Shepherd, one of the most important storylines of the series.