Grey's Anatomy may have lost Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) last season, but new characters have popped up into the mix in the new season that is airing now.

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Plus, Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital is about to be blessed with multifaceted star Denzel Washington.

TVLine reported Tuesday that the actor and director would be working on the series, but not on camera. He will be behind it, directing the show's ninth episode of this season.

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Stacy McKee who has been writing Grey's Anatomy episodes since 2005 wrote the episode. She wrote the first episode of the second season, "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," and many others since then, including the first episode of this latest season.

The episode will be shot later this month according to TVLine.

Washington has plenty of onscreen experience, including the buzzed about Training Day and Remember the Titans. More importantly, the 60-year-old A-lister has appeared on a variety of TV shows so he can relate to and properly direct Ellen Pompeo (Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy) and the others.

Washington directed two films, Antwone Fisher and The Great Debater, respectively in 2002 and 2007, but this will be his first go at directing an episode of a TV show.

Grey's Anatomy airs on ABC on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.