Grey’s Anatomy star was ‘heartbroken’ over ‘devastating’ decision to write him off the show

If there is one thing that watching 21 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy has taught fans, it’s that change is inevitable on the show and you never know when your favorite doctors’ time on the show might come to an end. 

There have been countless cast changes over the course of ABC’s longest-running series with beloved favorites leaving sometimes after just a few episodes, and sometimes after years on the show. At times these exits have been the result of an actor’s decision to walk away from the series while at others the exits have been a result of things outside of the actor’s control such as creative decisions or budget cuts. 

Sadly, the latter played a key factor in one of the show’s latest departures with cost cuts causing the show to write off longtime cast member Jake Borelli. 

After seven seasons of playing Dr. Levi Schmitt, Borelli’s time on the show came to an end seven episodes into season 21 as he left Seattle after accepting a pediatric research job in Texas. The storyline came about quite suddenly in season 21 and that’s because it was introduced as a way to tie up Levi’s storyline and accommodate Borelli’s exit from the show. 

The exit was a major blow to the show’s representation, and that’s something that is what made finding out the news that he was being written out of the show so heartbreaking to Borelli as well. 

“I was heartbroken,” Borelli told The Hollywood Reporter when asked about his reaction to first finding out Levi was being written out of the show. “Honestly, it was pretty devastating, especially because I love him so much, and I see what this sort of representation on TV, especially on a show as big as Grey’s, has done to people all around the world. I’m constantly hearing stories from queer people all around the world who either finally feel seen by this show, or even parents of queer kids saying that they now finally have the language to talk to their kids about their queerness. And so, yeah, knowing that that story was gonna come to an end, especially in the political climate that we’re in right now, was tough.” 

Honestly, we have to agree with Borelli and most certainly share his feelings of heartbreak and devastation as Levi has meant so much to so many people, especially those within the LGBTQ+ community. His coming out story and journey to accepting his queerness has been a highlight of his journey on the show and his exit leaves a major hole in the show’s representation. 

Thankfully Levi actually got to leave on a high note with a happy ending that not all characters have gotten and we’re so thankful for the representation he brought for seven seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, and we can only hope that the writers will one day find a way to bring him back into the fold. 

Grey’s Anatomy returns on March 6, 2025.