Sandra Oh opens up about shock Grey’s Anatomy exit after 10 seasons

Grey’s Anatomy alum Sandra Oh has no regrets about leaving the long-running ABC medical drama in 2014 following 10 successful seasons.

The Canadian-American 55-year-old received widespread critical acclaim for her portrayal of Dr. Cristina Yang, who was originally written as ‘a pert little blonde.’

The cardiothoracic surgical fellow exited the fictional Seattle hospital after accepting a position as the head of a new research hospital in Zurich, Switzerland originally held by Dr. Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington).

Creator Shonda Rhimes took Oh, who originally auditioned for the role of Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), aside at the end of season nine and asked her what she wanted to do as far as renegotiations.

‘I said, “Let me think about it.” And I really, really thought about it,’ the Emmy-winning producer told Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast Dinner’s On Me on Tuesday.

‘The creative being will dictate, and you’ve got to follow it. You’ve got to ask it, “What do you want to do? What should I do?”

Grey’s Anatomy alum Sandra Oh has no regrets about leaving the long-running ABC medical drama in 2014 following 10 successful seasons

‘I felt very much like I did my job. I really did my job. I feel like I created a full character. I feel I grew the character [in] 10 years time, where it’s a believable growth. Like, people grow in 10 years, and I think she really did grow.’

Oh continued: ‘And the privilege was to actually plan an exit and all the writers to be able to plan the exit to support that. And I know that it is extremely rare to have. So, that was a real, real gift.’

PATRICK MARMION reviews The Misanthrope at the National Theatre

The daughter of South Korean immigrants and the 50-year-old Modern Family alum met up for their chat at Dorian Restaurant in London’s Notting Hill.

The Daily Mail has reached out to her rep for comment, but did not immediately hear back. 

Last year, Oh softened her position on the idea of reprising her role as Yang.

‘For the longest time, it has always been a hard no. And it’s just…. I don’t know. I just don’t know,’ the Invincible star told Entertainment Weekly.

‘When you finish something, it’s a deep process. I can’t stress to you enough how consciously I tried to fully process leaving. I don’t feel the need to revisit, but I also profoundly understand the audience’s love for this character, because I’ve seen it for the past 10 years. That’s the part that makes me just go, hmmm.’

Season 22 of Grey’s Anatomy concluded May 7 with a reported 5.99 million total viewers tuning in.

The Canadian-American 55-year-old received widespread critical acclaim for her portrayal of Dr. Cristina Yang, who was originally written as ‘a pert little blonde’

The cardiothoracic surgical fellow exited the fictional Seattle hospital after accepting a position as the head of a new research hospital in Zurich, Switzerland originally held by Dr. Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington)

Creator Shonda Rhimes took Oh – who originally auditioned for the role of Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) – aside at the end of season nine and asked her what she wanted to do as far as renegotiations

‘I said, “Let me think about it.” And I really, really thought about it,’ the Emmy-winning producer told Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast Dinner’s On Me on Tuesday

Oh continued: ‘I felt very much like I did my job. I really did my job. I feel like I created a full character. I feel I grew the character [in] 10 years time, where it’s a believable growth. Like, people grow in 10 years, and I think she really did grow’

The daughter of South Korean immigrants added: ‘And the privilege was to actually plan an exit and all the writers to be able to plan the exit to support that. And I know that it is extremely rare to have. So, that was a real, real gift’

Season 23 of Shondaland’s critically-acclaimed hit show premieres October 15 on ABC (pictured last Friday)

Oh currently stars as novelist Alice in Martin Crimp’s modern update of Moliere’s 17th-century classic French comedy The Misanthrope, which runs through Saturday at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre in London

Season 23 of Shondaland’s critically-acclaimed hit show premieres October 15 on ABC.

And Rhimes’s edgy nine-episode spin-off series set in rural West Texas premieres midseason 2027.

Oh currently stars as novelist Alice in Martin Crimp’s modern update of Moliere’s 17th-century classic French comedy The Misanthrope, which runs through Saturday at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre in London.

It will broadcast in the UK on September 22.

The two-time Golden Globe winner’s other upcoming films include Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s 2027 unтιтled Universal flick, Anita Doron’s animated film Lala – A Fairy’s Heart and Wang Xiaoshuai’s psychological thriller Child’s Play.