The staff at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly Seattle Grace Hospital...and Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital) is ever-changing. As Grey's Anatomy barrels along through its second decade on the air, it's only natural that the actors who make up its cast have changed. Yes, some characters have left Seattle and been replaced by new ones, but the longer the actors stay on the show, the more they change themselves (again, a totally natural thing—that's just how time works). Here's a look back at the Grey's Anatomy cast in their first seasons on the show and in their last. Keep scrolling to the very end to see how the long haul cast members—stars like Ellen Pompeo and Chandra Wilson, who have been with the show since season one—have changed in their 16 years and counting on the show.
Sandra Oh — Season 10
In season 10, Cristina left Seattle and is now kicking international ass as the Chief Medical Officer, and Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Klausman Institute for Medical Research in Zurich. The character's graceful and open-ended exit is a testament to Oh's great relationship with Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, who is notorious for giving less-happy endings to characters when she doesn't get along with the actors who play them.
Katherine Heigl — Season 6
Heigl left the series in season 6, following several rounds of highly-publicized drama behind the scenes. Part of why she left was (reportedly) to pursue her movie career, but that didn't go so well.
Isaiah Washington — Season 3
Washington was at the center of Grey's Anatomy's first high-profile behind-the-scenes scandal, when he used a homophobic slur during a fight with Patrick Dempsey on set. The actor was written off the show in season 3 when he unceremoniously left Cristina Yang at the altar.
Brooke Smith — Season 5
Although she worked at Seattle Presbyterian when she was first introduced, Dr. Hahn eventually moved to Seattle Grace full-time and even started a romantic relationship with Callie Torres. However, when she learned the truth about Izzie's lie regarding Denny's condition, she quit abruptly, leaving the hospital (and the show) for good.
Jason George — Season 14
George's status in the cast has changed several times, from recurring to guest star to recurring again and finally to series regular. After a stint as a regular from season 12 to season 14, George dropped his Grey's commitment back to recurring character when his spin-off, Station 19 premiered.
