Kelly McCreary Announces She’s Leaving ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ After 9 Seasons: “I Will Always Be Grateful”

Barely a month after Grey’s Anatomy veteran Ellen Pompeo left the medical drama, actress Kelly McCreary announced she will also be stepping away from the show.

“After nine seasons, I am saying goodbye to Maggie Pierce and her Grey Sloan family. It has been a tremendous honor to be a part of such a legendary television institution as Grey’s Anatomy,” McCreary wrote in a statement, per Deadline. 

McCreary first joined the show in Season 10 as Dr. Maggie Pierce. It was soon revealed that she was Richard Webber’s biological daughter with Ellis Grey, Meredith Grey’s mother. Pierce went on to build a touching sisterhood with Pompeo’s Dr. Grey and her sister-in-law Dr. Amelia Shepherd. McCreary soon became a series regular and core member of the show.

“To spend nine years exploring a character inside and out, while reaching a global audience with impactful stories, is a rare gift,” she said.

Deadline reports that McCreary’s exit from the show was “carefully planned.” The actress reportedly “approached the producers ahead of time about her desire to leave and pursue other opportunities, which led to Maggie’s Season 19 arc being crafted as the character’s final chapter at Grey Sloan, building toward her upcoming exit.” 

Pompeo recently made her own exit from the series in last month’s mid-season premiere. She had been with the show since it first premiered in 2005. Pompeo is already confirmed to return to the show’s Season 19 finale and is staying on as narrator and executive producer. 

McCreary’s last episode as a series regular will air on April 13, but she is expected to return later in the season. 

“Kelly McCreary is a writer’s dream come true; brilliant, nuanced, thoughtful, and kind. We will deeply miss her and her beautifully crafted Dr. Maggie Pierce,” Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff said, per Deadline. 

McCreary said she is “excited for this next chapter” in her life. 

“Playing Maggie Pierce has been one of the true joys of my life and I leave with profound gratitude for every step of this journey,” she added.

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.