The Grey’s Cast Talks Season Five

ABC graciously sent over a long string of interviews with the actors of Grey’s Anatomy to celebrate the fifth season on DVD September 15. [ Click here to buy the DVD ] They are actually some pretty interesting reads and includes actors that we rarely hear from, such as Ellen, Patrick, and Sandra. Be sure to check them all out!

ELLEN POMPEO

Is it true you were the first actor cast for Grey’s Anatomy?
ELLEN POMPEO: I’m not sure if I was the first person cast. However, I didn’t audition for the show. I was offered the show by the network, so I did have a different journey through casting than most people on the show.

How tough was it to find an actor for the role of Derek Shepherd?
ELLEN POMPEO: It wasn’t tough, actually. The minute I read with Patrick Dempsey, I knew he was the one.

Looking back through the years, how did you find this chemistry – and did you imagine that you would come this far?
ELLEN POMPEO: No, I don’t think I ever imagined it would go this far, but you learn to trust your instincts. We had great chemistry together from the start. I felt something for him. I felt chemistry; I felt an energy. I don’t know if I can explain it, but we’re lucky that it is what it is. I trusted it and the network saw it – and here we are today.

McDreamy and Meredith seem to be closer than ever in season five, although Derek has a hard time proposing…
ELLEN POMPEO: Yes, I would agree with that. But we have two more seasons to film, so they have to drag it out a little.

What has been the fan reaction on the street about Derek and Meredith getting together again?
ELLEN POMPEO: Los Angeles is a very insulated place. I don’t think anybody on the street here really cares about us at all. It’s not until we step outside of Los Angeles that people come up and talk to me about the show. I think people here are very used to seeing actors, so they don’t ask anything. However, I think fans want them to get married and move on.

Do you think Meredith would want a big white wedding or would she opt for a more low-key approach?
ELLEN POMPEO: You’ll have to ask [Grey’s Anatomy creator] Shonda Rhimes that question. I can only guess, although I don’t think Meredith would want the big, white, puffy dress. I’m like Meredith in that way. I got married in black Yves St. Lauren outfit in the city hall in New York. In that way, I think Meredith is similar to me. She’s not the big, puffy, white dress kind of girl.

If McDreamy and Meredith ever get married, does that open up the door for babies on the show?
ELLEN POMPEO: I don’t think that marriage necessarily has to be followed by children. Absolutely not. I think it’s an individual thing. I don’t think there’s any right way or wrong way to live your life. Nothing is set in stone. One thing that frustrates me in this world is the way that a lot of women feel like they need to do things by a certain age.

But isn’t everyone’s biological clock ticking?
ELLEN POMPEO: I think women somehow have this weird stigma that they have to do everything by a certain age because they’re going to be too old otherwise. I think they’re being unfair to themselves and they’re underestimating themselves. You don’t need to be married by the time you’re 30. You don’t need to have children by the time you’re 30. If you want to do these things, then that’s great – but only if it’s for the right reasons.

Do any women break the mould when it comes to the ageist issue?
ELLEN POMPEO: Sure. That’s why I love women like Madonna and Demi Moore. They are fantastic examples of women. Oprah is another one. They get better with age and they show women how you have a choice. Life can get better for you as you age. It doesn’t have to be downhill after 30. You know what? I celebrate these women because I think they’re so important for our culture, for our society and for our young girls.

How do you feel at this stage in your life?
ELLEN POMPEO: I feel fantastic. I don’t think about my age because there’s nothing you can do about it. I see what it does to people, but I think to myself, ‘Why worry?’ It’s not productive to get hung up on a number. If you’re proud of your accomplishments and you’re happy with where you are, I don’t think it matters how old you are. I have a blessed life. I can’t complain about a thing.

Would you like to turn back the clock and be 20 years old again?
ELLEN POMPEO: Age doesn’t affect me. I can’t say I want to turn back the clock and be 20 again because I’m happy with my life. I have so many blessings. There are advantages to being 20 and there are advantages to being 40. Like anything, there’s a good and a bad side to age – but I’m extremely lucky that I’m very happy.

You mention there’s a good side to everything. What was good about the fight between your character and Sandra Oh’s character when they stopped talking to each other?
ELLEN POMPEO: Well, I guess it gave us both something different to play as actors and it gave the audience something different to see. I think we’re doing our job to keep people engaged in the show every time we do something fresh and new – and show a side to the characters that the audience hasn’t seen before. It’s wonderful to keep the material fresh, new and interesting.

Were those scenes fun to film?
ELLEN POMPEO: For that reason, Sandra and I were both very excited about the storyline because we both want to do good work and we don’t want the show to be boring. In that way, I think that storyline served its purpose. Hopefully, they’ll be closer after the fight – but I really don’t know what’s going to happen because she has a different storyline at the moment. She’s going through something with Owen Hunt [played by Kevin McKidd], which is a fantastic storyline dealing with a soldier who has post-traumatic stress syndrome. I think that’s a very important issue to highlight in the show and I hope we do it responsibly and accurately. I hope some veterans seek solace from the storyline, so we’re being secretive about it for now. Cristina Yang is always going to be Cristina Yang. She’s always going to put up that wall, but you’ll have to watch for yourself to see what happens to her in season five.

It sounds like you’re impressed that Shonda decided to tackle the veteran issue…
ELLEN POMPEO: Very much so. I think it’s a really important issue to highlight – and we have an opportunity and a social obligation to do this. We have this platform, so I hope that we really explore it well. I also hope that we can show the light and help veterans that have problems and are maybe afraid to ask for help – or don’t know where to go for help or are ashamed that they need help. They have such a tough exterior, but I hope the show helps them.

How does it feel to be working on the fifth season of Grey’s Anatomy?
ELLEN POMPEO: It feels great. These five years have flown by. It doesn’t feel like it’s flying by when you’re working because it’s such a long season and we put in so many hours every day, but we’re very grateful that the fans are still interested in watching our show.

What have you learned about yourself after being on the show for so long?
ELLEN POMPEO: I don’t know if I’ve learned anything about myself. I guess the show has taught me that I have a level of endurance I never thought I’d have. You need endurance when you’re working these long hours, which is different from any other acting job I’ve had – especially movies. When you work on a movie, you spend three months working away – but then you leave and you don’t necessarily see the people again. With Grey’s Anatomy, we’ve been together for ten months out of ever year. We’ve all worked together every single day, all day long, for five years. You really have to work on your relationships and nurture your friendships to create a healthy environment for yourself.

Is it like working with a big, dysfunctional family for five years?
ELLEN POMPEO: I have to watch what I say here because anything I mention can be blown out of proportion. For the most part, we have to be somewhat functional or we wouldn’t be here for five years. But with any job, things happen and there are problems. Sometimes we lose people along the way, and people come and people go. It’s just like a normal job in that respect – except we’re more exposed to the world. Everything that happens here gets national attention. The problems can happen in any workplace, but we have a huge spotlight on things when they happen to us.

Why do you think people like to talk about the show and its actors?
ELLEN POMPEO: At the end of the day, the fact that people are talking about us is a good thing. I think it’s wonderful that the fans still care. The fact that the press still reports what we do or what happens here is ultimately a good thing because we’re so lucky to still be here and it shows there’s interest in everything we’re creating. So many television shows don’t make it past four episodes, but the fact that we’re still here five years later is very rare. The fans are still tuning in and we’re still a top ten show. We couldn’t be happier.

Have your medical skills improved after working on the show for so long?
ELLEN POMPEO: You pick up the little things, but I don’t know too much. If someone is sick, they need to see a real doctor – not me. Medical terms start to sound familiar after five years and you start to understand certain procedures and why they do them, but that’s about it.

Are you relieved that Meredith is less dark and twisted in season five?
ELLEN POMPEO: I don’t know about that. I go to the execution of a serial killer in season five, so I don’t know that I’m any less dark and twisted. That’s a pretty dark thing to do.

Can you talk about the relationship between your character and Melissa George’s character, Sadie Harris, when she is introduced in season five?
ELLEN POMPEO: Sure. I love Melissa. She’s so talented and I was very sad to see her go, but I thought that was a great little look into our past. I’m sad it had to be so short, but we enjoyed her at the time she was here.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen written about yourself in the press? Has anything made you laugh?
ELLEN POMPEO: I don’t really know. I hope I don’t get written about that much. In fact, I don’t think I do because I tend to stay out of stuff like that. I try to do everything pretty low-key, so there’s nothing I can think of that’s made me laugh. I don’t really read the tabloids, though.

You’ve talked in the past about the way you don’t like the tabloids commenting on your weight…
ELLEN POMPEO: Yes. Well, I find it absurd – especially if you saw my credit card bills from eating out at restaurants. You know what? I hesitate to say that’s funny because eating disorders are a very serious issue. There are a lot of young girls who watch the show and you have to be very careful, so I don’t want to make light of eating disorders. I think it’s a very serious problem. Like I said before, I think it’s irresponsible to just throw that word around and say this person is anorexic or that person is anorexic because, God forbid, a little girl thinks that’s true and thinks that’s what she needs to do. I wouldn’t say that that’s funny.

What did you think when you read anorexic headlines about yourself?
ELLEN POMPEO: I thought it was absurd. If you knew me or if you’ve seen any pictures of me – or even any of my films – before I did the show then you would know that I’ve always been the same weight.

So what’s next for you, both personally and professionally?
ELLEN POMPEO: I try not to look too much into the future because I don’t want to miss what’s happening today. I’m just very grateful to have a job. I’m very grateful that we all get along and we have a good time here. As far as jobs go, this is a pretty good one to have. I have an outstanding fantastic relationship. I couldn’t be happier in my personal life, and I just feel blessed in so many ways. Who cares about tomorrow? I’m really happy about today. Whatever comes, comes. You can’t control it.

Would you like to do movies again when Grey’s Anatomy eventually finishes?
ELLEN POMPEO: I would love to work on movies again. I guess that might be a fun thing about the end of this show. In fact, I would love to do one on hiatus but we only have eight weeks off and I usually really want to rest and not work. There hasn’t been anything that I’ve wanted to do more than rest.

Is there anything that would make you sign up for a movie in the hiatus?
ELLEN POMPEO: If an unbelievable part came along and I thought I had to do it, I might consider it. But it would have to touch me or speak to me in a special way. At this point, it would be very hard for me to do a movie just for a pay check or just to prove that I can do a movie because I work really long hours on the show and I need the rest. I honestly believe that when the right director wants me for the right part, it will happen. Whatever is meant to be for me is going to come. There’s nothing I can do about it now, so I just sit back and enjoy the ride. I’ll just have to make sure I pick up the phone when it rings.

PATRICK DEMPSEY

What have you learned about yourself after playing this character for five years?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Wow, that’s a good question. When you’re working on a character for so many hours of the week, it’s easy to forget who you are. I’ve learned that you need to separate yourself from the character and not get caught up in the dynamic because you’re in it all the time. You’re working for 15 hours every day and sometimes you get confused about who you are. You spend more time being your character than you do being yourself.

How tough is it to work on a show like Grey’s Anatomy?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also really hard because you never know what your schedule is going to be. It’s hard to plan things with your family – and I find that very difficult. The stamina of it can be tough, too. It’s fun, but it’s a grind. We’re doing 24 episodes and you have no control over your life. When your wife asks you, “Can we go and have dinner together?” You have to say, “I don’t know what my schedule is. I can’t tell you.” That’s really hard.

Is it extra difficult when you have three children at home?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Sure. It’s tough to balance your life. For example, we didn’t get home until quite late last night – but the boys are up at 5:00 in the morning. You try to balance out a family life with a career and you try to be a husband, but three children is a lot. Anybody who has kids can tell you that. You want to make sure you’re there for those special moments with your family, but at the same time you’re trying to provide for them. It’s exhausting to try to find a balance for all of that.

Do you ever try the technique where you say to your children, “Daddy needs to work. Daddy needs to rest.”
PATRICK DEMPSEY: That doesn’t work.

So what does work for you?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I don’t know. You just get them in bed with you. We’re all in bed snuggling and that’s great. The whole family is together. You know what? My daughter is much older now and you realize how quickly they grow up, so you just try to enjoy everything, even though it’s a living hell sometimes when they’re sick and they’re crying. It either brings you together with your partner or it separates you – and I think we’ve been able to negotiate those moments pretty well together. It’s a struggle. It’s hard. It’s not always wonderful.

How long have you been together with your wife?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: We’ve been together for ten years. Ten great years. I think our relationship gets better and better every year because we work at it. Just to have any kind of a date night is an important thing when you’ve been together for so long. We had a little vacation last year for a couple of days and it was really nice to have that. We’ve got a wonderful relationship.

With such a busy life, do you ever have time to watch television?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I do get time to watch TV, but it’s very rare. I like shows like Nip/Tuck and Weeds. Entourage is good, too. I love Entourage.

Let’s get back to the show… What happens to Derek in season five?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Derek has a little crisis at one point. He steps out after losing a patient and he hides out for a while. He becomes withdrawn. He goes off on a little bit of a soul-searching bender – and then he comes out the other side with the help of his fellow surgeons. After that, I don’t know where we go. That’s really up to Shonda. I never know what’s going to happen.

You were pretty vocal about the Meredith/Derek relationship in the past season when they separated for a while. Are you happy with their relationship in season five?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I’m happy that we’re moving forward. I’m still hopeful and anxious to see where they go, though.

Derek seems to have a tough time proposing to Meredith on the show…
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Well, that’s something for everyone to look forward to. I’ll tell you one thing… It definitely happens.

Are we going to see the first McBaby?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I have no idea about that.

What’s been the reaction on the street to Derek and Meredith getting together again?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I haven’t been out much, so I don’t know what they’re saying – but I think people want to see them get married and move on. I think they want to get over this back and forth relationship. Let’s just move forward and have a healthy relationship.

It the tabloids are true, it appears that there are going to be some big departures at the end of season five…
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Who knows? We don’t even know. We don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. Everybody has contracts and I don’t know how people are going to get out of them. We honestly don’t know what’s coming up or who’s leaving. We ask, but we don’t find out. I don’t know what they’re thinking. I really don’t. I don’t think people should leave, quite honestly. I don’t want to see characters go. I mean, it was hard to see the spin-off happen and to lose Kate Walsh. I think she was a great asset to our show. It was also really sad to lose Isaiah Washington. I think he was a tremendous character for the show. I hate to see these characters leave.

At this point, how does your contract work?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I’ve got a seven-year contract. We’re all here for seven years, which means we’ve got at least two more seasons to go after season five. They’ve got us pretty much locked in, which is a good thing. It’s nice to have job security.

What’s the best thing to come out of working on the show?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: At the end of the day, you have to remind yourself how fortunate we are to be on a successful show and how much the show has given all of us.

Do you think you will concentrate on movies or television when Grey’s Anatomy eventually finishes?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I’m on this show for two more years, but after that I probably wouldn’t jump into doing another television show right away. However, you never know what one needs to do to pay the rent. It would be fun to do some comedies, but employment is the goal. We’ll just have to wait and see.

What are some of the challenges facing Grey’s Anatomy in its fifth year?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: To be honest, I think most of the challenges are with the writers because they have to keep the stories fresh and keep these characters moving forward. The characters have to grow in a way that is engaging for the audience and engaging for the actors. I think that’s the real challenge. The show takes a lot out of the writers. It must be really hard because there’s only so much that they can come up with. It’s like running a marathon. It is constant pressure.

Is it tiring to work on the show?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I think the actors go in and out of feeling tired. There are episodes where you feel tired and frustrated with the lack of growth in your character, but then you have to look at the overall picture and you see other characters taking off and growing.

What’s been your highlight to season five of Grey’s Anatomy?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I love the fact that Kevin McKidd has joined the cast. The dynamic between his character and Sandra Oh’s character has been really good for the show. I like watching those two. I think that’s been the strongest thing to happen this season. It was also great doing the crossover episodes with Private Practice, where we got to work with Kate Walsh again. I think she’s a real nice addition to our show. I was always very sad when they had her leave for the spin-off. I thought it was a major turning point for this show – and it certainly diluted it.

In what way?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Well, I think she’s a great character, so it was a real loss for us. I also think Isaiah Washington was a big loss for us. Forget about the personal issues, but his character was tremendous.

You worked with Kevin McKidd on the movie, Made Of Honor. Why do you two get along so well?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I like him. I like him as a person and his accent is fun. I think he’s a very good actor and he has a great energy on screen. You know what? I like his character on Grey’s a lot because he’s showing the world the issue of post-traumatic stress. That’s an issue that really needed to be talked about. People suffering out there need to know that they’re not alone.

Do you think the criticisms against the show in season five were unfair?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: What are the criticisms? Give me something. Give me a criticism.

For example, the storyline concerning Izzie and the return of Denny…
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I personally didn’t like that arc. I understood what they were doing, but I think that cheapened the relationship. I didn’t like it – and I’ve been very vocal about that. It’s not my choice. You’re really at the mercy of what they’re going to give you, and you have to come to terms with that. That’s what they pay you for. You have to be a professional. You have to get over it.

Fans were worried that Katherine Heigl was about to leave the show when this storyline peaked in the States…
PATRICK DEMPSEY: She’s not leaving the show. They were just rumors. We don’t know, though. She doesn’t know. This is a question for [Grey’s Anatomy creator] Shonda Rhimes – but we all have contracts for two more years. People are talking about it, but it’s a shame they’re not talking about the stories rather than the cast.

That must be a great comfort in this business to have two-year contracts…
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Very much so. Hopefully we’re on for two more years, but you never know what’s going to happen. It’s nice to know that you have a job – especially when you listen to the news and you see what’s going on in the world. You have to remember that the position you’re in is rare and you can’t lose sight of that. Everybody gets up and has a bad day where you start to question things, but you just have to remember how fortunate you are.

What’s the biggest challenge to working on the show?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: It’s really hard when you have every member of the cast in one room operating on somebody because it is very time consuming to film. Everybody is thinking, ‘Oh, no. Here we go again.” And it’s really tough for the crew. I think those are the most difficult scenes to shoot. Everybody thinks, ‘Okay. We have to be patient. We’re going to have to get through this.’

Does it get easier to stomach the gory surgeries after five years on the show?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Yes, but I’ve always loved that part of the show. I’ve never been too upset with the gore. That’s my favorite part of the show.

Can you talk a little about the fight scene between your character and Mark Sloan [played by Eric Dane] in season five?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: That was a lot of fun to shoot. The thing with a fight scene is you have to control it in order for it to look out of control. It’s when you get out of control that it doesn’t look as good. There’s a very specific technique to fight scenes in that you should not get hurt in them – but it was fun to have something a little more masculine to play. Grey’s is very much a feminine show, so it’s nice to see two guys fighting. It opens up their relationship a little bit more.

What’s it like to work with Eric Dane?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I love working with him. I think he’s very funny and I think there are a lot of great qualities that he brings to the show. You want to hear more about their back story. You want to know why they were friends and what’s going on.

Why do you think Derek punches Mark?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: I think he’s punching him for a lot of things. It was a long time coming. The writers were able to explore more of their back stories in season five, which was a lot of fun. It’s like Derek says, “What you’re doing with Lexie is something that’s part of your character flaw. I love you as a brother and I want you to come out of it.” I think that’s why they have that kind of passionate relationship that you have if you’ve known someone for many, many years. I think that there’s a lot more to explore in that dynamic.

Is there anything you don’t like about Derek?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: Well, I could mention a lot of things, but I don’t know how productive that is.

What would you like to see happen to him in the future?
PATRICK DEMPSEY: At the end of the day, I just want Derek to move forward and I want to be challenged with this character. I don’t want to rest on my laurels. You have to really be patient and allow Shonda to do her process and we’re here to support that, but you also have to tell her when you want something to change. I think Shonda has grown a lot as a writer and as a show runner – but there are times when you have to go and say to her, “Here’s how I feel. I’m going to put it on your desk and you make the final decision. I may agree with you and I may not, but it’s your decision.” You have to learn not to be too passionate about things. Let it go – and wait to see what happens.

CHYLER LEIGH

What can you tell us about season five of Grey’s Anatomy?
CHYLER LEIGH: My main storyline follows the relationship between Lexie and Eric Dane’s character, Mark Sloan. Our relationship is explored a lot further this season – and Lexie’s relationship with Meredith also comes to the front, so we look at that family dynamic as well.

When you joined the show as Lexie, did you expect to end up with Eric’s character?
CHYLER LEIGH: No way. I really wasn’t expecting that at all. I was cast before they told me anything about my character – and I was terrified on my first day on set. Back then, I started reading all the online message boards and I found out a lot of people hated me. That was the last time I read a message board! It’s been an interesting journey with my character, but I could never have expected to end up with Mark Sloan. I’m very glad that our characters are together, though.

You were pregnant when you filmed season five… Can you talk to us a little about that?
CHYLER LEIGH: It’s interesting because this is the first time I’ve been pregnant while I’ve worked, so it’s a bit of a learning experience. I have two other children as well, but both those times I had the time off. This time, I have a little bit more on my plate – but everybody was wonderful in helping take care of me. I was constantly getting chairs wheeled up to me. People would say, “Sit down. Sit down.” I was very well taken care of, so it was fun to be able to still be at work. My pregnancy was a very unplanned, wonderful surprise.

Do your children ever visit the set?
CHYLER LEIGH: They have come to the set a few times, but they go to school during the day. We live about 30 minutes from the set, so if they come after school they don’t really get too much time here before they have to go home to bed.

Is it difficult to balance your work and family life when you’re on a busy show like Grey’s Anatomy?
CHYLER LEIGH: My kids stay pretty busy anyway. My son is five and my daughter is two and a half, but they have school all day and they know I have to work. We have a very good family dynamic at home and we try to keep everything very even. I’d have them come to the set more often, but it’s a little hard to schedule it out. It doesn’t matter because we have such a big cast now that we usually get days off during an episode, so I get to see them anyway.

Do you find it difficult to switch off when you leave the set?
CHYLER LEIGH: There has to be a separation between work and home – but everybody has to do that, don’t they? The time I spend at home and the time I get off is extremely special – and we make the most of it. We go and we do what every other family does.

When you told the producers about your pregnancy, did you think it would be written into the show?
CHYLER LEIGH: There was always that possibility, but it wasn’t written into the storyline. I just spent a lot of time creatively blocking an obvious bump.

Who did you tell first on the set?
CHYLER LEIGH: Out of respect, I told [Grey’s Anatomy creator] Shonda Rhimes first – and I was terrified. She was very congratulatory and everybody has been very supportive, but she took a little while to tell me whether or not it was going to be in the show. It was a tough decision, but I think she thought it would be very, very difficult for a first-year intern to become pregnant and stay in the program. My character has a photographic memory, so she’s advanced in some ways – but it would have been way too difficult for Lexie. It was a bit of a relief for me because that must mean I’m staying around for a while.

How far in advance do you find out about storylines?
CHYLER LEIGH: We’re not told a tremendous amount beforehand. If it’s a major, major storyline, then we’ll get a little bit of a notice. Otherwise, we’re literally learning things on the day we read the scripts out loud together. We do a table read every week for each new episode, so a lot of the time we’re flipping the page and thinking, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this is going to happen… That’s so cool.’ Most of us have no idea what’s coming up.

But the writers warn you about any major developments for your character?
CHYLER LEIGH: They will tell you if it’s a pretty significant thing that they want you to prepare for – like the guys having to take off their shirt. If somebody is doing more sit-ups and push-ups, you sense he must know something about what’s coming up for his character.

Do you watch the show?
CHYLER LEIGH: Sure, I watch the show. I was a fan of the show before I signed up for the role, so it’s wonderful to be able to watch a progression of the story that you fell in love with. That’s especially wonderful when you’re a part of it, too.

Does it affect you when you see tales of backstage bitching in gossip magazines?
CHYLER LEIGH: The funny thing is, most of the people who write those stories have no idea what they’re talking about. A lot of the stories are based on silly rumors, but I don’t bother taking any notice. The dynamic behind the scenes has changed significantly less than it appears. At the end of the day, we all still come into work and everybody is professional. We all do our job and have a great time doing it.

A number of actors have left Grey’s Anatomy in the last few seasons… Are you sad to see them go?
CHYLER LEIGH: You know what? It’s realistic. It’s real life. People come and go in real life, so the show reflects that. When people come into your life they can affect it either positively or negatively – but then they go and you have a new energy that comes in with new people. It keeps things lively. It keeps things real.

ERIC DANE

What’s in store for Mark Sloan in season five of Grey’s Anatomy?
ERIC DANE: I think season five is a great season, but the biggest change for Mark Sloan is that he’s becoming a one-woman guy. He’s completely smitten by the most unobvious character in the show, which is the younger Grey sister, Lexie Grey. I don’t know what it is about her, but she has gripped him.

Do you like this change in Sloan? He used to be a bit of a womanizer…
ERIC DANE: I do like this change because it’s something new. I feel like we played Sloan as a player for long enough. It became a little redundant. Everybody got the picture, so it’s now fun to explore something different.

Your character suffers from a painful problem in season five…
ERIC DANE: Are you talking about the broken penis storyline? This was a shocker.

What did you think when you initially read about it?
ERIC DANE: To be honest, I didn’t know what to think.

Can you really break a penis?
ERIC DANE: The ligament breaks, which is why I call it a break. It’s not a bone, but technically it’s a broken ligament. How do you fix it? You just don’t use it for a few weeks.

What was the fan reaction to the storyline?
ERIC DANE: It was the most searched Google phrase the next day – and Jimmy Kimmel wanted me to talk about my broken penis on his show. I went and talked about it on the Ellen DeGeneres show, too. Everyone wanted to hear about it.

Were those scenes difficult to film?
ERIC DANE: I laughed hysterically the whole time we were shooting. I’ve spoken at length about this broken penis – and the only regret I have is that most of the storyline never made it into the episode.

What scenes were deleted?
ERIC DANE: There was an interaction with a few more of the other doctors coming in to check on me and my predicament. Shepherd comes in to check on me – and all he can do is laugh hysterically. I had asked him to operate on it, but he tells me that I have to get another surgeon. I can’t sacrifice a single nerve ending, but everybody has their turn coming into my room with their own special comments. Most people responded by just laughing at me.

Do you think the deleted scenes will end up on the DVD?
ERIC DANE: I’m sure half the stuff with my broken penis will end up on the DVD. You know what? Patrick does that laughter scene so well and I’m really envious of him. He has a great laugher. He can tap into joy like nobody else. It’s intoxicating when somebody laughs like that. You just have to laugh with them – but it never made it into the episode, which is a shame.

Did you do any research for this storyline?
ERIC DANE: I was told not to research it. The writers said, “This is what’s happening. Trust me. You don’t want to see it.” But the break is definitely possible and it’s extraordinarily painful. And, yeah, we went there.

Have any guys sidled up to you to say, “This has actually happened to me?”
ERIC DANE: No. But like I said, a lot of people went to Google the next day, so I think a lot of guys were worried about it.

How far in advance do you know about upcoming storylines?
ERIC DANE: I just get a heads-up to go to the gym. They’ll say, “You’ll be taking your shirt off in two weeks.” And that’s when I go to work out.

Talking of taking your shirt off… How does it feel to be a sex symbol?
ERIC DANE: You know what? I’ve been married for four years and I’ve been with the same woman for over five years, so the whole ‘sex symbol’ thing is kind of weird to me. I don’t know if my wife agrees. She thinks it’s funny. I’m not used to it – and I’ll probably never get used to it, but it beats digging ditches. It’s really flattering, but when I look in the mirror, I don’t think I see the same person everybody else does.

Why is that?
ERIC DANE: You have your own interpretation of who you are. I feel like I’m as neurotic as Woody Allen sometimes.

Is there a lot of pressure to stay fit when you’re a sex symbol? Do you look at what position you fall in the Top 50 Sexiest Men polls?
ERIC DANE: I think I popped into the top 40 once. I made it to around 37 and then I was off the list last year. There’s no pressure. If I hit the top ten, then there’s a pressure to perform – but not now.

How much time do you spend on set every week?
ERIC DANE: In a week? I’d say we spend 50 hours on set, at least, every week.

Is there anywhere on set you hate to act?
ERIC DANE: I have a hard time in the operating room – and this is a hospital drama, so there’s a conflict of interest somewhere. I get a little bit sketchy the night before we have to shoot in there. It’s very hot and I feel boxed in. There are a lot of tools that I’m unfamiliar with in there and I have to use them, so it’s all a bit much. It’s very natural for some of the actors to hold these tools, but I find it tough because I’m an obsessive perfectionist. If I’m not doing it right, I can’t get through the scene and it creates a lot of pressure for me. I feel very restrained in the operating room, too. It’s the mask and the hat and everything. You feel almost suffocated.

You’ve also been hitting the headlines as a co-star on the movie, Marley & Me… How was that experience for you?
ERIC DANE: That was a lot of fun. In fact, it was like a vacation. We were on the beach and it was very laid back. The script is like the bible on Grey’s Anatomy, but when I got to the set of Marley & Me, the producers said to me, “Just look at the script as a guideline. Say whatever you want to say. Just have fun with it.”

Did work on the movie teach you anything about handling fame?
ERIC DANE: I was working with people that were far more famous and far more successful than I was, so it was interesting to see how they dealt with it. I was really happy to see that everybody was just as much – if not more – professional than I was. And I had a good time. It was a lot of fun.

Has your appearance on the show helped you with movie offers?
ERIC DANE: Grey’s has got me a lot of exposure, which is good – and Marley & Me was a movie with the biggest Christmas Day opening of all time in the States. The movie made a ton of money and everybody saw it. That helps when you’re looking to do more movies – but it was Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston’s movie, not mine. I guess only time will tell what the movie has done for my career and what else I get offered, but I’m happy with my work on Grey’s for now – and I’ll be sticking here for a while.

JUSTIN CHAMBERS

What can you tell us about the main themes of season five?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: The main storyline concerning Alex is the fact that [Katherine Heigl’s character] Izzie has cancer. She’s got a disease and she’s going to fight it – and Alex is going to be there for her to support her. He is also getting a little more confident at work. He goes into solo surgery and he starts to take the medical stuff a little further than he used to. He takes charge of situations and he’s passionate about the work. He pulls off a few good things, but he also fails a little later on in the season. There’s a lot of good stuff going on, but the most interesting storyline is what happens with Alex and her illness – and where this takes Alex.

Your character softens up when he has to deal with Izzie’s condition… Do you think he’s ever going to be a tough guy again?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: I don’t know. I guess that’s really up to the writers. I would expect him to shut down a little bit if something awful happens to her, but these are opportunities to see his chivalrous ways and his true love for Izzie. There will be some interesting issues coming with up with her and her situation that I’m really looking forward to watching. The show tackles these issues very well, so it’s going to be very interesting.

How far in advance do you hear about upcoming storylines?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: We’re not told a tremendous amount beforehand unless it’s a major storyline – but the writers often don’t know what’s going on themselves. I think they change it up all the time.

Are you still enjoying work on the show after five years?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: Very much so. It could be frustrating to play the same character for so long, but the show is good and I’m having a great time.

What’s the toughest aspect of being on a long-running show like Grey’s?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: I think it’s toughest on the writers because they have to do 24 of these shows every year. That’s a lot of work. Sometimes they have to stretch it out and us actors can get a little frustrated by that. You think, ‘Oh… I’m playing the same beat again here.’ However, I think the storylines all go somewhere this season and it’s all really good. They take these characters and then, right when you think you know what’s going on, they will turn them around. There are a lot of twists with the characters on the show, which is something I really enjoyed working on.

In the last few seasons a number of characters have left the show, including Isaiah Washington and Kate Walsh… How does that affect the cast?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: It’s always sad to see anyone go because these are people we’ve worked with for years. We’ve spent a lot of time with them and we’re going to miss them. The cast all gets along very well for such a large group – and I guess it’s especially sad to see a fellow actor leave because we all like to work. It’s sad, but then we get new people on the show, too.

What do the new cast members bring to the show in season five?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: We always welcome new people because they offer opportunities for our characters to have different storylines. That’s always a good thing. The new actors keep you on your toes, too. Most of the people on the cast have worked together for years and we’ve all developed a great rapport because we’ve been doing the same thing every day – but the new energy is always great to refresh us all.

What new characters appear in season five?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: Jessica Capshaw joined the cast as Arizona Robbins. We really like her, which is cool. We also have Kevin McKidd as a new regular, and Melissa George was also on the show, as well as Mary McDonnell for a few episodes. Faye Dunaway also came in, which was amazing.

Would you ever consider working on a spin-off?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: I can’t imagine being the lead of a show. Kate Walsh has a lot of crazy energy and that’s what you need when you start something new, like Private Practice. She could take it, but I’m not sure that’s what I would want. Never say never, but I think it would be pure hell to be in every scene. I think it would be awful.

It sounds like Private Practice is a lot of hard work for Kate Walsh…
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: It is, but Grey’s is also tough at times because we have to put a lot of hours in. We’re here a lot of the time, but I can’t imagine what it must be like if you’re the main character of a show like Private Practice. I guess we’re lucky that there are so many of us on Grey’s. We work a lot, but you do get some days off. I don’t know how those other actors do it.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: I’m always here. I don’t really get any time off, but when I do, I sleep. Seriously, that’s all I do.

You must enjoy something in your private life…
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: I enjoy being a father. My kids are in school and it’s always cool to go and check out their activities. Today my daughter is going to do scat singing at school, so I’m going to check it out. I’m really looking forward to that.

How do you unwind and relax?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: I just do normal family things, like go out to eat and go to the beach. We just enjoy each other and spend time together as a family.

Is it true you had a sleeping disorder a while ago?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: Yes, I did. How is it going? Well, I’m sleeping now. It’s all good. I went to a specialist to get it sorted out and it was an accumulation of things, but I definitely got help. It got pretty bad and there were times when I only slept for one hour a night.

How did you get through that?
JUSTIN CHAMBERS: I don’t know how I got through it, but I did. Thankfully it was during the writers’ strike, so I wasn’t at work. I’m not sure what would’ve happened if I had been here at that time. Your mind keeps racing, but your body is tired. It wants to go to sleep, but it can’t. I’m glad it’s all over.

KEVIN McKIDD

What can you tell us about your character in Grey’s Anatomy?
KEVIN MCKIDD: I play a new character called Dr. Owen Hunt. He is a trauma surgeon who joins the show in the premier episode of season five. By chance, he is involved in a road traffic accident and he does an unorthodox procedure in the field to save a guy’s life. The chief notices this and offers him a job – but Owen is a trauma surgeon who’s serving in the U. S. Army. He’s home on leave, but he has to return to his tour of Iraq. However, he manages to shares a kiss with Cristina Yang before he leaves.

How does he return to the show?
KEVIN MCKIDD: He returns a few episodes later, which is when he takes the job offer by the chief. By this time, there’s been more than a little electricity between him and Cristina Yang – and I think she expects him to pick up where they left off, but he’s changed. Something bad has happened in Iraq that he goes on to tell her about – and it’s almost like a big cloud has come over him. They still have feelings for each other, but he’s dealing with a lot of unresolved issues, as well as psychological things that are connected to some of the trauma he witnessed in Iraq. It’s an interesting love affair between him and Cristina – and it’s a really interesting storyline because it’s bringing to light the really relevant and topical subject of how we deal with our veterans. How are we reintegrating our soldiers and helping them get back to a normal life? What are we doing about post-traumatic stress? We tackle some great issues with Owen Hunt.

If you could give some personal advice to your character, what would you say?
KEVIN MCKIDD: Owen Hunt has a lot of stuff going on in his life, so I think I would probably say to him “You should try and have a little more fun.” I would also advise him to clear his own decks before he drags somebody else into this hellish place where he’s living right now.

Have you received any reaction to your role from troops in Iraq?
KEVIN MCKIDD: I’ve received a few letters from people who are dealing with loved ones who have post-traumatic stress. Every letter I’ve received so far has been very grateful that a primetime TV show is talking about this issue and raising awareness because it’s very current and very traumatic for these families.

What have you learned about post-traumatic stress?
KEVIN MCKIDD: The most important thing I’ve learned about this condition is the way there’s a big stigma about it in the military world. Men and women are suffering in silence because of this stigma attached to it. They feel they are trained soldiers, so they can’t reach out for help and they can’t acknowledge what is going on. That is very much the story we’re telling and I think it’s really important that we’re doing this. I feel really proud to be part of something like this on TV.

Were you nervous about joining a successful show that’s been running for five years?
KEVIN MCKIDD: I thought I was over getting nervous about work, but I’ve never joined a long-running show like this before. I was, as we say in Britain, ‘bricking it’. What does that mean? I’m not completely sure, but it means I was nervous. My hands were shaking. It was a little strange, but it’s been an amazing experience – and the transition has been relatively painless.

How does it feel to be the new kid on the block?
KEVIN MCKIDD: It’s really fun. I mean, I get to work with Sandra Oh, which is fantastic. I’ve always respected her work and when I was told my character and Sandra’s character fall for each other, that was my main pull to come to Grey’s Anatomy. It’s been really wonderful. I think we really focus hard on telling this story because it’s an important story, so being the new kid has been great. Everybody has been really nice to me, but they didn’t have to be. I’m very grateful for that.

Were you looking for an American series when this role came along?
KEVIN MCKIDD: Well, I did a show last year that didn’t work out for various reasons and we were nearly packing up our bags to leave and go back to Europe when I heard about this role. This is a crazy business and something like this always happens. You get a call and somebody says, “We need to see you – and here’s an idea for this character.” I’ve never had a master plan in my life. I just follow where things take me, but that’s just the way the dice fell and here I am today.

Why were you thinking of returning to Europe?
KEVIN MCKIDD:  I’d been in Los Angeles for 18 months. We were renting a big house and we had all these kids, but there was no money coming in. What were we going to do? The whole town was in shutdown because of the writers’ strike, so it was the worst year for any European to move into Hollywood.

What made you decide to stay?
KEVIN MCKIDD: My wife and I sat down and said, “We should just tough this out and see what happens next.” I’m glad we did because it’s worked out well.

Were you a fan of the show before you were cast?
KEVIN MCKIDD: When I found out about the role, I bought the first two seasons on DVD because I hadn’t really watched it before. I thought to myself, ‘I’ll watch a couple episodes and I’ll be fine.’ I ended up spending the whole weekend watching both seasons back to back because it’s so highly addictive. I love the way there are procedural stories each week, but there’s the on-going drama of these people’s lives, too. I think that is why I loved watching it on DVD. I found it really satisfying to watch the whole season in one sitting.

What were your initial thoughts on the show?
KEVIN MCKIDD: I thought it was cleverly written and it was very emotional. I really connected to it as a satisfying meal in each episode because there was comedy and emotion, as well as more heart rendering stuff going on.

Is there any truth to the rumor that a piece of equipment from the set was used on you during a recent health scare?
KEVIN MCKIDD: It is kind of true, but it wasn’t a big deal. I had this weird bruise that came up on my calf after working out at the gym, so a real nurse on the set had a look at it. I mentioned this during an interview in Britain and somehow it was turned into the headline: “Health scare shock! Kevin saved by medic on Grey’s Anatomy set.” It was only a little bruise on my calf and she just checked it to make sure there was no blood clot there. She was just being vigilant. There weren’t any big red flashing lights and it wasn’t an emergency.

So they didn’t have to amputate your leg on the set?
KEVIN MCKIDD: No. It’s still my own leg. I was fine. Thankfully.

SANDRA OH

Cristina finds love in season five of Grey’s Anatomy, but is romance going to soften her character?
SANDRA OH: No way. There is an episode in season five where the beautiful Faye Dunaway comes onto our show. She plays the first female surgeon of Seattle Grace and there’s a wonderful old school/new school head-to-head battle. Cristina goes for Faye Dunaway’s character, so you will still see vintage Cristina, which I just adore playing.

How did it feel to act against such a legend?
SANDRA OH: It was fantastic. It’s hard because you try to erase all this iconography out of your head when you’re facing her, but to be in the presence of Faye Dunaway was fascinating. I’m so blessed to be able to say that in my career. That woman understands everything going on and it’s really interesting to see her act up close. She is amazing.

Were you sad when Kate Walsh and Isaiah Washington left Grey’s Anatomy?
SANDRA OH: Life tumbles on. I have no control over these things and the dynamic certainly changed within the cast and the show when they left. However, we’ve all learned to roll along with these changes.

Were you excited to discover Cristina finds a new love interest this season?
SANDRA OH: I was really pleased with it because she has had a very long, dry spell. You know what? I appreciate the way that Cristina was alone for a while because she’s not the kind of character that would hop into bed with someone immediately after such a significant relationship. In the fourth season, Cristina’s storyline was more about her being frustrated with her desire to rise up in the cardiothoracic world. Now, in this fifth season, they’ve changed direction and you see her relationship with Owen Hunt grow. I definitely welcomed the storyline and I’m very pleased with it. I’m also very pleased that I get to work alongside Kevin McKidd [who plays Owen Hunt in the show]. I think he’s a wonderful actor.

How does Cristina and Owen’s relationship develop in season five?
SANDRA OH: You see them figure each other out, but it’s a little complicated. There is a genuine connection between the two of them. Owen Hunt seems to open up Cristina and you are able to see this character as you have never seen her before. I’ve had some amazing scenes to work on in season five. I’m very happy with it.

Do you sometimes pinch yourself that you’re in a long-running show with a potential contract of two more years?
SANDRA OH: For sure. When we first started on the show, it was really tough because there was a lot of work involved in bringing Grey’s Anatomy to the screen. The first three years were full on. You would wake up, go to work, then go to sleep and wake up for work again. It was non-stop, but they’ve started to make it easier on us now. I’m supremely thankful and grateful to see what’s going on.

How did you cope with the pressure in the first three years?
SANDRA OH: This is a very individual and very personal question – and I can’t speak for anyone except myself. Taking care of my health was paramount. It was exhausting and your adrenals are shot, but everyone was on a steep learning curve back then. Not only the actors, but the crew and the writers as well. Everyone.

Do you think that TV offers more for actors these days?
SANDRA OH: That’s a very interesting and multi-layered question. I have always found television welcoming and I think television is 10 to 15 years ahead of casting compared to films. Independent films are where I spent most of my life, but I’m not talking about that here. I’m talking about the giant, $200,000 gazillion films where they have two to three bankable stars. That’s the way those machines are run, but they have not necessarily welcomed my skill set into its fold, so I’m not going to go there.

So why did you sign up for Grey’s Anatomy?
SANDRA OH: I’m very proud of this show and I think it came along at the right time for me. It’s a changing time on television because five or ten years ago you wouldn’t have a major network show where half of the cast were not white. I’ve got to bring up Slumdog Millionaire for a second here. There’s a lot of talk about why certain companies let the film go or wanted to make it straight to video – but I’m so glad that someone said, “No, I can do something with this.” I don’t think a lot of people saw that vision. They just thought, ‘What are we going to do with a film filled with brown people that no one knows?’ Someone saw its potential and look what happens. I think that’s great. I think Grey’s Anatomy is similar in some ways because our casting has changed television. It’s great to see such a mixed cast together on a show.

Has your medical knowledge improved after working on the show for so long?
SANDRA OH: I think I’ve become much more of a hypochondriac because you know a symptom could mean a million things. And then I get scared that it’s a million things! I know more general things about the body, but my medical knowledge hasn’t really expanded.

Did you ever consider being a doctor when you were growing up?
SANDRA OH: Oh, no. I was terrible at math. All my parents’ dreams and hopes for me to be a doctor quickly vanished around junior high, where I discovered I was not the science and math kid. Nope. But I will say now, having done this for a while, that it’s a really important job and it’s really hard. I feel there’s such great honor in being a good doctor. I never thought about doctors when I was younger, but I think about it much more since being on the show.

Is there any particular place you like to rest on the set?
SANDRA OH: Interesting question! Well, there are plenty of beds around, but I don’t like to lie down in front of the crew because they can’t lie down. But every now and then I take ten minutes to myself when they’re setting up. I’ll pull the curtain around the bed and relax. We also have a massage chair on the set. It’s actually for the crew, but you can sit in it if you want to.

Life on set seems incredibly busy… Is there ever time for jokes?
SANDRA OH: Oh, sure. We work hard on the set, but we also have time for fun every now and then. One of my funniest memories happened during season five when I was filming a scene with Kevin McKidd. We’re supposed to walk slowly towards each other, looking deep into each other’s eyes. It was a slushy scene. They had to film it from loads of different angles – but at one point, Kevin walks towards me when someone in the crew cranked up a Barry White song. You can see Kevin’s face thinking, ‘What’s going on here? I’m just going to keep on acting.’ And then he gets the joke and starts to crack up into laughter. It was really funny. The editors cut together this entire video of Owen and Cristina falling in love to a Barry White soundtrack. I believe it’s on YouTube. It’s hilarious.

SARA RAMIREZ

What can you tell us about your character in season five of Grey’s Anatomy?
SARA RAMIREZ: Callie continues her journey of self-exploration in season five. I guess she’s still on a quest to find love – whether it’s with men or women, but she hopes to find it one day. I don’t know if it will happen at the end of this season, but I hope it happens before the end of the show, whenever that is.

What’s been your personal highlight to the new season?
SARA RAMIREZ: I think some of the medical cases have been really fascinating and interesting this year. Eric Dane’s character performs a face transplant, which is an extraordinary feat. It’s amazing to think these procedures are going on in the world. It’s fascinating. Only four face transplants have been done in the country, but he successfully pulls it off.

Has your character been involved in any interesting medical procedures?
SARA RAMIREZ: I built a guy a titanium leg, which was really cool. It was a lot to take on as it was a pretty massive procedure, but then the guy died. It’s a really dramatic storyline for Callie because at that point her relationship had also died.

How does it feel to be on a show in its fifth year?
SARA RAMIREZ: It’s so crazy, but it’s great. It’s wild. I’m having such a wonderful time on the show and I think it continues to get better every year.

Callie’s love life has been very interesting this season…
SARA RAMIREZ: Yes, it has. There have been lots of developing relationships in season five. You see Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd’s character get together. You see Chyler Leigh and Eric Dane’s characters grow closer together – and you also get to see what happens with Izzie and Alex. Izzie has a lot going on in her life with her illness, which is going to be an amazing storyline on the show.

Were you disappointed to see Brooke Smith’s character, Erica Hahn, leave Grey’s Anatomy?
SARA RAMIREZ: Yes, but I like the fact that their relationship wasn’t a cookie-cutter journey. The ending was very abrupt for everyone involved, particularly Brooke, but I like the fact that it wasn’t a simple journey that they went on together. It’s sad that she left, but things happen and she’ll keep working because she’s a great actress.

How would you describe Callie in season five?
SARA RAMIREZ: I like that Callie is entering this middle ground where she’s not straight, but she’s not necessarily gay. She’s sort of open. She’s open to considering a relationship with anyone and it doesn’t matter what their gender is. She will be attracted to someone because of their personality and the spirit of the person as opposed to their gender – and I think that’s very interesting.

What do the fans think of Callie?
SARA RAMIREZ: There’s mixed feelings. I’ve received positive feedback and I’ve also received a letter from a fan who hates it. Someone even said they’re going to stop watching the show because of Callie. Everybody has an opinion – and her sexuality is unfortunately still a controversial subject for some people. It doesn’t matter, though. Controversy is sometimes good on a show.

Did you have to do any research to prepare for the role of Callie?
SARA RAMIREZ: Actually, we had a big meeting with GLAAD [Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation] when we were working on the Erica Hahn storyline. That particular story was based on the experiences of two women, so we researched the hell out of it in order to make it true. Now we’re entering a whole new phase and I think we always try to keep the relationships that we’re representing in mind because it is a sensitive subject for some people.

What do you make of the rumors and backstage gossip about Grey’s Anatomy in the tabloids?
SARA RAMIREZ: Let’s not beat around the bush. Stuff like that keeps people watching. Publicity is a huge thing in this industry and people thrive on it, so it’s just part of the show’s machinery.

Do you ever read gossip in the press and think, ‘If only they knew the real story?’
SARA RAMIREZ: Yes, I do. If they knew the real story, they’d probably be bored and they wouldn’t be watching. At the end of the day, I just want to do good work. I don’t want to worry about how people feel about me because nobody is ever going to like you all of the time.

Do you enjoy performing surgeries on the show?
SARA RAMIREZ: I enjoy being in the ER. I really get off on it. I love it because it’s creepy and great. And I love blood and guts. However, I had a bad time with work this year because a friend of mine was diagnosed with liver cancer and he died within six weeks. During that time, I was shooting in LA but I was flying over to New York to see him as much as I could. I would be working in the ICU on the show and then I’d fly to New York and visit him in a real ICU – and it felt like I was walking right back onto the set.

That must have been a tough experience…
SARA RAMIREZ: It was extremely difficult to be here after he passed away. I discovered how up-to-date we are with the machines on the show because they were exactly like the machines in the New York ICU. It took a long time to get over it, but I’m feeling much better now.

Do you think you’d make a good patient?
SARA RAMIREZ: I’ve become a total hypochondriac. The show doesn’t help because it makes my mind over-run with possible illnesses. I go to the doctor all the time if I think something is wrong, but I think that’s a positive thing. I’m blessed that I have medical insurance that allows me to do that. I go and get checked up all the time.

Do you have a grueling schedule on the set?
SARA RAMIREZ: Well, it takes ten days to shoot an episode, but I’m only on set two to three days a week. Sometimes I’ll be there more, but I feel very lucky that I have time off. I know some of the other actors have to put a lot more hours into the show, so I’m lucky.

How far in advance do you hear about upcoming storylines?
SARA RAMIREZ: I don’t get to hear about anything unless it’s a major storyline involving my character. Otherwise, I get to hear about it on the day of the read-through. That’s when we really know what’s gone into the script – and most of the time, we’ll be as shocked as the viewers.

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