‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Camilla Luddington on Sticking With the Show for 13 Seasons, Jo’s Pregnancy and Alex Choosing Izzie
This article contains spoilers from “If Walls Could Talk,” the Season 21 premiere of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.”
In 2012, Camilla Luddington tested for an unsold ABC pilot called “Gilded Lilys,” a soapy, 19th-century period drama executive produced by Shonda Rhimes. While Luddington didn’t land one of the roles, Rhimes’ production company, Shondaland, soon afterward asked her to audition for the ninth season of “Grey’s Anatomy” — a show that Luddington would try to watch live every Thursday.
There was only one issue: On the Friday that she was supposed to audition for “Grey’s,” Luddington was already contracted to go to San Diego Comic-Con to promote the “Tomb Raider” video game, in which she voiced its lead character Lara Croft. After wrapping up her obligations, Luddington learned that the producers still hadn’t found the right actor to play a new intern who would become the new love interest of Justin Chambers’ Alex Karev. So, she went in for the role the following Monday, learned that she had booked it that Wednesday — and then found herself walking on the set of “Grey’s” that Friday.