As I taught you long ago, the Golden Globes aren’t so much a showcase for award-worthy talent and polarizing fashion as they are a hotbed for exclusive prattle. To wit, shortly after Sunday’s kudosfest ended, Melissa George presented me with a doozy of a scoop: She’s leaving Grey’s Anatomy, STAT.
“It was my choice,” the actress-slash-Golden Globe nominee (for In Treatment) confirmed to me at HBO’s red-hot after-party, held poolside at the Beverly Hilton. “My last day of work is Tuesday.”
But lest you think this is yet another in a long line of rocky Grey’s exits (see also: Isaiah Washington, Brooke Smith, possibly T.R. Knight), George, who joined the ABC soap last November as Mer’s maybe-gay BFF, is leaving on the best of terms.
“I love the show so much,” she gushes. “I’ve made some beautiful friends. I love T.R. Knight. I love Patrick Dempsey, Justin Chambers… I adore Ellen Pompeo. I think she’s a strong, incredible woman. And Katherine Heigl is the most beautiful creature on Earth.”
Then, um, why leave? George says she simply wants to “do something else.” Already? Well, a Grey’s insider does suggest that the parting of the ways was more mutual than simply the actress’ choice. “Melissa’s arc came to a natural end. Everyone at the show adores her. We’re genuinely sad to see her go.”
George’s initial deal called for her to appear in roughly 8-11 episodes with an option to become a series regular, like Kevin McKidd. But her Sadie had a much more rocky introduction than the Iraq doc, what with the self-mutilation and ambiguous sexuality. The latter characteristic was especially ill-timed coming off of Hahn’s controversial exit. “The character was cursed from Day One,” sniffs an ABC source. “She was very difficult to root for.”
George concedes that Sadie was unconventional, even by Grey’s standards. But recent episodes had revealed a calmer, gentler side to her. “When you take out your insides and you’re hitting on every guy and girl in the hospital… you have to pull back,” her portrayer suggests. “She’s a doctor. You have to be professional. For her, she had to stop doing that or else she would’ve been kicked out.”
Is that a tease for Sadie’s exit? George won’t say, but she reveals that “it won’t be a big send-off, but it’s really cool what they do.”
In other words, Sadie won’t be banished to the parking lot with Hahn.
So what do you think, Grey’s fans? Happy to see Sadie go? I am. As much as I love George, her character wasn’t working for me. Do you agree? Disagree? Sound off below, and be sure to check back often, as this was just the first of the Globes scoops I dug up! (Wednesday’s AA is going to be massive. Seriously.)
More Grey’s Scoop:
Faye Dunaway to guest star!
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Meh I’m not really digging this show this year, so I couldn’t care less.
that’s sad. i really like melissa george, though it is true that her character came off a little too strong a little too fast at an awkward time for the show (hahn’s exit).
Ehh, I could take her or leave her. I’m actually kinda glad to see her go. This funny business w/ Callie was a little strange.
Nice that the actress, whom I find horrid, realizes she would never get anywhere in an already overblown and overhyped cast. Keep hacking away at all the extra cast ABC, until we finally get back to the interns on which we should be focused; Mer, Christina, George, Alec and Izzie. All the other interns should be background ghosts-seen and not heard.
I never watch Grey’s but I think that little greasy T R Knight should leave. He should join the Army or leave the country.
THANK GOD! I HATED her character-she was so irritating and they are entirely correct-who could have liked her?
Very happy to see this character go. She served absolutely no purpose.
I take this to mean Dr. Arizona was very well-received and thus the show no longer had need for Sadie as Callie’s new love interest.
Thank god. Sadie was terrible.
It must’ve been really hard to go from In Treatment to Greys. She was so freaking good on that show. Sadie could’ve been a cool character, but the writing was such a let down.
oh thank GOD! I never liked her!
What a relief, I was hoping she’d go soon.
Sadie just wasn’t working on the show and the cast is already overbloated. I’m glad that Sadie is leaving. Good luck to Melissa George.
I stopped watching this show when Isaiah Washington was booted. Without him it’s just another bland show with bland issues i don’t care about. I could no longer associate with anyone on the show. If you want to see rating go though the roof and this show become the power-house that it once was bring him back and dump TK Knight and that non-acting Katherine Heigl.
Grey’s Anatomy sux anyway she is better off
I LOVE this show, and am sad it isn’t good this season. I am happy Sadie is leaving, didn’t like her at all. I hope George stays…I think this show is going to lose its viewers if original characters keep leaving (Addison, Hahn, Burke, and now possible George)
THANK GOD!!!!
Good
I love Melissa George and think she’s far too good for Grey’s Anatomy. I think she’s very smart to jump ship now, she’s even smarter than I thought.
The character just isn’t well written, and the show definitely needs to downsize their cast if it has any hope of staying afloat. Sad to see such a great actress go, but I look forward to see her on better things. I’d love to see her return to In Treatment somehow.
GREAT! She served no purpose.
Yay. At least poor Sadie now has the time to visit some quiet retreat to try figure out whether she is British, American or Australian.
thank goodness – what a boring character!!!!
Why couldn’t the scoop be about Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s last day of work! *sigh*
and when will “little Grey” go as well? I can hardly stand to sit through the scenes she is in. The story lines this year are utterly ridiculous.
Good luck to Melissa. The character was barely on, I’m sure she can get a better role elsewhere coming of a Golden Globe nom.
I love the show, but her performance was incredibly painful to watch. Not a moment too soon.
It’s better for her to leave. I want to see her for more time, not only 2-3 minutes an episode.
Nothing wrong with the actress, but the character she played was just too strange. Plus Meredith already has a best friend. They REALLY need to get rid of the Callie character. She has no storyline anymore and the whole gay thing is not interesting.
I loved Melissa in “In Treatment” on HBO. She was prettier and just better on that show. “Grey’s” is beginning to suck in an Ally McBeal way.The story lines/characters are just too fantastic. The characters are really annoying and Meredith and Derrick are so a pain.
Melissa left before “Grey’s” could ruin her “In Treatment” momentum. She should dye her hair back and consider herself lucky! I like her.
I agree with EX_Greys_Fan.
TK is a joke of a actor/character…seriously, how does a “guy” like that attract so many women. Secondly, bring back Washington…he’s the only character with “gravitas”. Thirdly, drop Ellen Pompeo…yes, she’s a horrible actress, and does nothing for the show….rename thwe show, “Yang’s Anatomy”..Sandra Oh is the only interesting character that can actually “act”.