Ellen Pompeo was noticeably absent Grey’s AnatomyThe latest cast photo from, and fans wasted no time in pointing it out.
The season 23 snap, shared on Instagram on July 24, featured longtime cast members Chandra Wilson, Debbie Allen, James Pickens Jr., Camilla Luddington and Caterina Scorsone alongside new additions Trevor Jackson, Adelaide Kane, Niko Terho, Harry Shum Jr. and Anthony Hill, but no Pompeo, who has played Dr. Meredith Gray since the series premiered in 2005.
The absence did not go unnoticed in the comments.
One fan wrote: “Ok so I don’t see Meredith??? The show is called Grey’s Anatomybut there’s not a single “gray” in sight.”
Another joked: “The anatomy of GRAY but I don’t see any GRAY..LOL HAAHAHAAHAA”, while others simply asked where she was.
Pompeo, who shares three children with husband Chris Ivery, led the series for its first 18 seasons before reducing her on-screen presence starting in season 19 in 2022 to spend more time with her family.
Talk to El País in April 2025, she explained her decision: “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, so it was time to step away. I have three kids and I love spending time with them and I love being involved in their lives.”
She added that she now enjoys a “good balance” between her work and family time.
Despite the reduced role, Pompeo continued to narrate and executive produce the series, and according to Deadline she is expected to appear again in several episodes this season.
His absence from the group photo does not seem to signal a complete departure.
This message also comes as the series says goodbye to two other longtime stars, Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver, who both left at the end of last season.
