Jessica Capshaw, Sarah Drew quit Grey's Anatomy after decade-long associations with popular show

Grey’s Anatomy is going to witness yet another high-profile exit of two of its series regulars, with Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew leaving the show after 10 and nine years respectively on the show, as reported by Deadline. [caption id=“attachment_4201133” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  A still from Grey’s Anatomy. Facebook[/caption] Capshaw, who plays Dr Arizona Robbins, has been one of the earliest LGBT characters who played to mainstream audiences on television, and Drew who plays Dr April Kepner, had represented a staunch Catholic character in a cast dedicated to showcasing diversity and acceptance. The popular medical drama created by Shonda Rhimes, centered on the life and work of Dr Meredith Grey played by Ellen Pompeo, has been capturing a loyal fan base for 14 years. It has witnessed several dramatic exits of its regular cast, including that uber-popular male lead Patrick Dempsey who had become a pop culture icon known as ‘McDreamy’ over contract issues. Now, Capshaw and drew will exit the show at the end of the current season, following the recent signing of series star Pompeo to an unprecedented $20 million price tag per season. Rhimes had also signed an overall deal with Netflix worth a whopping $100 million, which had taken the show away from its original producers ABC Studios. “It’s always hard for me to say goodbye to any of my characters. Both Arizona Robbins and April Kepner are not only beloved but iconic — both the LBGTQ and devout Christian communities are underrepresented on TV. I will be forever grateful to both Jessica and Sarah for bringing these characters to life with such vibrant performance and for inspiring women around the globe. They will always be a part of our Shondaland family,” said Rhimes, as reported by Variety. “The characters of Arizona and April are permanently woven into the fabric of Grey’s Anatomy thanks to the extraordinary work of Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew. As writers, our job is to follow the stories where they want to go and sometimes that means saying goodbye to characters we love. It has been a joy and a privilege to work with these phenomenally talented actresses,” said Krista Vernoff, the co-show runner, as reported by Deadline. Over the 14 years since the show premiered in March 2005, of the original cast only four series regulars remain in Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, Justin Chambers and James Pickens Jr.