![Grey s Anatomy Is Adding a New Gay Male Character Ahead of Jake Borelli s Departure as Levi 807](https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Grey-s-Anatomy-Is-Adding-a-New-Gay-Male-Character-Ahead-of-Jake-Borelli-s-Departure-as-Levi-807.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all)
Jake Borelli. Disney/Nino Muñoz
Gray’s Anatomy is reportedly including a brand new homosexual character for season 21 amid Jake Borelli’s departure from the collection.
TVLine reported on Monday, July 15, that the longstanding medical drama will introduce a brand new character who’s the chaplain at Gray Sloan Memorial. In response to the outlet, the character will likely be overtly homosexual. The function will likely be a recurring one and no particulars about casting have been shared.
ABC declined to remark.
The addition of the brand new character comes two months after it was revealed that Borelli, 33, was exiting after seven seasons. Deadline reported in Might that Borelli will seem in a number of episodes of the brand new season to wrap up his storyline.
Borelli performed Dr. Levi Schmitt, a fan favourite amongst Gray’s viewers since season 14. Levi began off as an intern and labored his means as much as senior resident, who guides the brand new class on their medical journey. In season 15, Borelli was a significant a part of an LGBTQIA+ storyline the place his character started a romance with Dr. Nico Kim, portrayed by Alex Landi.
In June, Borelli opened up about how grateful he was to be a part of Gray’s historical past and play a personality that meant a lot to him on a private degree.
“Levi has meant an indescribable quantity to me over the previous 7 years. I’ll want SO rather more time to course of simply how immensely my life has modified due to this chance to assist convey queer moments to a worldwide viewers,” he wrote by way of Instagram. “Having illustration on a significant platform like that is so essential, and I promise to maintain doing my half to inform queer tales — through the the rest of my time on Gray’s and in my subsequent chapter.”
![Grey s Anatomy Is Adding a New Gay Male Character Ahead of Jake Borelli s Departure as Levi 808](https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Grey-s-Anatomy-Is-Adding-a-New-Gay-Male-Character-Ahead-of-Jake-Borelli-s-Departure-as-Levi-808.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all)
Borelli’s departure wasn’t the one shakeup on Gray’s for season 21. Midori Francis is exiting the drama after two seasons. Whereas followers acquired information of the back-to-back exits, excellent news got here in June when it was introduced that Jason George could be returning as a collection common following the Station 19 collection finale.
George, 52, performed Ben Warren on each Gray’s and the firefighter spinoff. Since becoming a member of Station 19 as a forged member, he has made frequent visitor appearances on the medical drama since his character is married to one of many hospital’s most senior surgeons, Dr. Miranda Bailey (unique forged member Chandra Wilson).
After including George to the forged, it was reported that Ellen Pompeo, who has performed Dr. Meredith Gray because the collection premiere in 2005, could be growing her screentime in season 21. Pompeo, 54, confirmed in 2022 that she had a decreased function for season 19.
“I’m going to all the time be part of that present,” she advised Deadline on the time. “I’m an government producer. I spent twenty years of my profession on [Grey’s Anatomy] — it’s my coronary heart and soul. I’ll by no means really be gone so long as [it’s] on the air.”
Though she not seems as a collection common, Pompeo narrates every episode and serves as an government producer.
Gray’s Anatomy season 21 will premiere on ABC Thursday, September 26 at 10 p.m. ET.