As Grey’s Anatomy, Season 20 wraps up, the good news is that the long-time ABC medical drama has been renewed for Season 21. The bad news? A series regular just announced he’s exiting the show after seven years.
Grey’s Anatomy: Jake Borelli Announces His Exit
Fan fav Jake Borelli, who plays Levi Schmitt (a.k.a. “Glasses” in earlier seasons) has confirmed his exit. According to Deadline, Borelli is leaving the series, and his character will return in Season 21 for a number of shows to wrap up Levi’s storyline.
Schmitt, who joined the cast in Season 14, played a major role when it came to LGBTQ+ representation on Grey’s, as series’ first openly male gay character.
Levi’s exit comes on the cusp of budget cut reports that were allegedly linked to Season 21 renewal. As Grey’s veterans face potential decreases in episode guarantees, Jake Borelli may not be the only fan fav this show loses.
Grey’s Anatomy: Fans Brace Themselves For More Exits
As per the Deadline report, the number of episodes guaranteed to cast regulars is expected to decrease all across the board. As such, could more Grey’s actors take Borelli’s lead by exiting? Some of the drama series’ vets expressed how loyal they were to the show ahead of Season 20, but could that change?
The source in the Deadline report notes that “cuts” are inevitable because of the economy, and series regulars may be the target for this show. It’s hard to ignore that in Season 19, Grey’s brought in a new class of interns. During that time, Ellen Pompeo stated she was exiting as a cast regular (even though she’s continued to appear on several shows since) and Kelly McCreary left the drama.
Meanwhile, the show also added Natalie Morales (Dr. Monica Beltran) in Season 20, whom many speculate is a love interest for Amelia Shepard (Caterina Scorsone), as well as Jessica Capshaw (Arizona Robbins) and Alex Landi (Nico Kim) in guest-starring roles. Not to mention all the patients that are brought in, such as Dorian (Freddy Miyares), who was featured all throughout this current season.
Regardless of money issues, all these characters are fighting for screen time, and it’s challenging for series regulars to continue to be a part of compelling storylines for the show. So … who will be next?
There are still some shows left before Season 20 ends, so do you think another major cast member is set to exit? Share your thoughts below and stay tuned to this site for the best television spoilers, news, and updates!
