It's the end of an era at Seattle Grace Hospital. Two of Grey's Anatomy's long-time medical professionals made their final contributions to the show.

Saying Goodbye

Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew are both leaving the show, to the dismay of numerous fans. Series veteran Ellen Pompeo took to Instagram to sweetly wish them both the best, and to honor their time on the hit medical drama.

"Boom... @thank you @jessicacapshaw for bringing it the way you have brought it for 10 amazing years... what a blessing you are and what a contribution you made to television history," she wrote.

Capshaw played Dr. Arizona Robbins for 10 seasons. Pompeo also referenced her co-star's notable contribution to the LGBTQ community, as well as her ability to light up the screen.

Turning her attention to Drew, who played Dr. April Kepner for nine seasons, Pompeo thanked her for contributing something a bit different to the set.


Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes also reflected on the contribution of the two ladies on the show on their last day of filming. Rhimes added how she needs to devote the entire day to celebrate Jessica and Sarah, and to talk about how talented both actresses are and how meaningful their roles on the show were.

"A social media post won't cut it," she gushed, alongside photos of the two women in character.

Capshaw and Drew also took to social media to express how sad they were to be leaving their characters behind, and how weird it felt to be signing off on Grey's Anatomy for good.

A Complicated Exit

Pompeo, who plays lead Meredith Grey on the hit show, was reportedly paid a whopping $20 million for her role in the series. Rumors swirled that Capshaw and Drew had to leave the show because Pompeo's pay rise meant that Grey's Anatomy couldn't afford to keep them on, but the actress refuted such claims.

"It's absolutely not true. I mean, I'm not involved in these kind of decisions [but] I think that it's important for us to not pit women against each other ... We're not enemies, we do lift each other up and support each other, and we're not victims," she advised.

She also pointed out that, after 14 seasons, writers on a hit show often find it difficult to continuously come up with interesting story-lines for characters, which might explain Capshaw and Drew's exit.

Back in March, it was confirmed that the two actresses would not be returning for another season of the hit medical drama. It's unclear how they will be written out, but season 14 will be their last.

Tags: greys anatomy Ellen Pompeo Shonda Rhimes Jessica Capshaw Sarah Drew