Sandra Oh Gives a Final Answer on Returning to Grey’s Anatomy ArticlePure

Paging Dr. Cristina Yang.  

At The New York Times The Interview LIVE event on June 12 at the Indeed Theater at Spring Studios, Sandra Oh spoke with The Interview co-host Lulu Garcia-Navarro about whether or not the award-winning actress would return as the doctor on Grey’s Anatomy 11 years after her departure. 

“What I have noticed, this is 10 years out from leaving the show, is the deep appreciation that I have for the people who appreciate Cristina. It is that love that has made me go, ‘Oh. The fans really, really, really want it,’ and for the first time, that’s when I started opening up the idea,” Oh, 53, shares. 

“But for me, I think to really be true to the people who enjoy your work, you have to be true to yourself. So at this point, I don’t think so.”

Oh, who earned five Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe for her work on Grey’s Anatomy, hasn’t returned to the show since her departure in 2014, and over the years, has been on the fence about the character’s return. 

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The character, however, has remained a part of the story through onscreen mentions, phone calls and written correspondences with other characters. Dr. Yang notably showed up to support her best friend Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, at the funeral for her husband Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey, though a body double for Oh was used in the scene.

Oh was one of the original stars of Grey’s Anatomy when it premiered in 2005, which also featured Pompeo, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Isaiah Washington and Dempsey.

Since she exited Grey’s Anatomy, Oh has held starring roles in series such as American Crime, The Chair, Invincible and Killing Eve, the latter of which earned her a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Eve Polastri.

She has also starred in movies like Catfight, Raya and the Last Dragon, Turning Red, Umma and Quiz Lady, for which she was awarded an Emmy.

Grey’s Anatomy, the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history, recently concluded its 21st season and returns for season 22 this fall on ABC.