Paging Jessica Capshaw! Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 Will See the Return of Dr. Arizona Robbins Among New Faces
Grey’s Anatomy’s milestone season 20 just got even more exciting. The long-running ABC medical drama is bringing back a few familiar faces — and introducing a few new characters — when it returns next month.
Jessica Capshaw is returning as a guest star to reprise her role as the beloved pediatric surgeon Dr. Arizona Robbins.
The character was last seen in 2018 at the end of season 14 when she moved to New York City to be with her ex-wife, Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez), and their daughter Sofia.
Capshaw’s seemingly sudden exit, which coincided with Sarah Drew’s, confused fans and came with little explanation.
“It’s always hard for me to say goodbye to any of my characters,” Grey’s creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes said at the time. “Both Arizona Robbins and April Kepner are not only beloved but iconic — both the LBGTQ and devout Christian communities are underrepresented on TV. I will be forever grateful to both Jessica and Sarah for bringing these characters to life with such vibrant performances and for inspiring women around the globe.”
“For the past 10 years, I have had the rare privilege of not only playing Arizona Robbins, but also being madly in love with playing her. Arizona Robbins is kind, intelligent, funny, insightful, bold, playful, fierce and really good at her job,” Capshaw tweeted in March 2018. “She was one of the first members of the LGBTQ community to be represented in a series regular role on network television. Her impact on the world is permanent and forever.”
She concluded: “I am grateful that I have gotten to bring her to life and for the life that she has brought to me. I am sad to see her go, but I am consoled by the idea that she will continue to live on and on in all of our consciences and our imaginations.”
And now, six years later, she’ll live on at Grey Sloan!The hospital is also welcoming back Alex Landi as Dr. Nico Kim.
The recurring character previously made history by becoming the television show’s first male LGBTQ+ surgeon as well as the first male surgeon of Asian descent. Dr. Kim, who is Dr. Levi Schmitt’s (Jake Borelli) ex, was last seen in season 18.
Among the new faces checking into the Seattle hospital is Natalie Morales, who will play pediatric surgeon Monica Beltran.
According to the network, Monica’s “pragmatism and level-headedness have made her one of the best in her field. Her willingness to push boundaries can be admirable and aggravating, but it’s always aimed at providing top-quality care to her patients.”
Freddy Miyares also joins the cast in a recurring role as Dorian, “an intelligent, warm and likable patient who is involved in a serious accident and is struggling with his future.”
Despite having a going away party in season 19, Dr. Meredith Grey herself (Ellen Pompeo) is returning in season 20, though, for the first time, not as a series regular. That said, Pompeo remains an executive producer on the series and will continue to provide the opening and closing voiceover for each episode.
