EXCLUSIVE: Two weeks after the death of ABC’s Andrew DeLuca Grey’s Anatomy is preparing for the return of another beloved Memorial Gray Sloan doctor who died tragically, Lexie Gray. Nine years after she left the show, Chyler Leigh is coming back. She will be featured in next week’s episode (April 1), reprising her character Lexie Gray as part of this season’s recurring dream beach theme. The reunion of Lexie and her sister Meredith is being triggered in a promo, which will air at the end of tonight’s episode of ABC’s medical drama. TO UPDATE: You can watch the promotion above.
The 17th season beach theme is the brainchild of executive producer / showrunner Krista Vernoff, presented to bring joy amid the dark realities of the pandemic, as reflected in Gray. Lexie de Leigh follows Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd, who has been recurring in the dream sequences, and George O’Malley of TR Knight, who appeared in a December episode. Separately, another of Gray’s former students, Sarah Drew, whose character April Kepner is very much alive, is also returning for a special appearance this season.
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Lexie Gray of Leigh is Meredith Gray’s youngest paternal half sister (Ellen Pompeo). Her character was introduced at the end of season 3, when Lexie was transferred to Seattle Grace Hospital as a new surgical intern after her mother’s sudden death and was named surgical resident in season 5. Lexie’s main story involved her intermittent relationship with plastics attending Mark Sloan, played by Eric Dane. Both died in a plane crash at the end of season 8. Seattle Grace Mercy West was later renamed Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital in its memory.
Nothing has been confirmed, but, as things are going, Mark Sloan de Dane may also appear to complete the programming of Gray Favorite medical characters from longtime fans, whose lives were interrupted by the tragedy that are now reuniting with Meredith on the beach as she fights Covid-19.
“I would say there is a good chance that you will see other people on the beach,” Vernoff told Deadline earlier this month.
Leigh was on Grey’s Anatomy for six seasons, five of them as regular.