Shonda Rhimes Discusses Erica and Callie
For Grey's Anatomy fans who began the season wondering if Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) was gay, last week's season finale offered an answer - she might just be, after Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) made her move.
The two-hour episode - which culminated with Callie planting a kiss on Erica outside of Seattle Grace - had people asking: For the love of The L Word, could EriCal eclipse MerDer as the Grey's Anatomy "It" couple?
Creator Shonda Rhimes tells Entertainment Weekly that we may not have seen the last of this budding (and much buzzed-about) Seattle Grace romance.
Is there a future for Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Erica (Brooke Smith)?
"Callie and Erica have an undeniable chemistry," says Shonda Rhimes.
"Watching the story unfold is something the writers are looking forward to. I wanted to illuminate their relationship in the same way we try to do all relationships on the show - funny, sweet, honest, and a little bit dirty."
As for Brooke Smith, she doesn't think Dr. Hahn was coming out of the closet in the last few weeks leading up to the finale.
In fact, she and Shonda specifically talked about Dr. Hahn not being gay when Smith first joined the show last fall.
"Earlier this season, we felt it was too obvious that a strong, powerful woman would be a lesbian," says Smith.
"In fact, Dr. Hahn decided she wasn't going to have a relationship at work, though clearly she came to the wrong hospital."
Like the fans, Smith said she and Ramirez were kept guessing about their relationship until days before taping of the final episode.
Even fellow Grey's Anatomy cast members like Patrick Dempsey (Derek Shepherd) were caught off guard by the surprise kiss; Smith remembers him gasping at the table read for "Freedom," saying, "Are you two getting together?"
"Sara Ramirez is not a bad choice. She's pretty hot!" says Smith.
"Why not? I'm game."
May 27th, 2008 7:25 AM
i think its a great idea to make erica gay...i cudnt see her being in a relationship with mcsteamy...hes out of her league....however im pissed off at callie....she has been thru too many men to jus be gay now...and the fact that she is gay makes me wonder if she and i will ever get married....:'(
May 27th, 2008 8:19 AM
Thank God Callie finally realized what she really wanted and thank God for Erica coming into the picture...we lesbians need to look forward to something besides the L Word since it's going into it's final season next year...can't wait for the new fall season
May 27th, 2008 8:33 AM
I'm not a fan of the Callie/Erica relationship. It just seems forced and not genuine. It isn't believable to me that Callie, a woman who has clearly been interested in men throughout the show, is now suddenly interested in a woman. I think this relationship will be a flop, kind of like George & Izzie. The chemistry just isn't there. I have no interest whatsoever in seeing where this relationship goes.
May 27th, 2008 9:24 AM
So great, thanks to Shanda for this excellent storyline and looking forward next season!
May 27th, 2008 9:26 AM
Erica: "That's right Callie, you can whet your appetite now...but we eat at home!!!
May 27th, 2008 11:26 AM
I truly believe that the people that do not find the relationship between Callie and Erica genuine, have never experienced what the storyline is trying to tell us. There are many lesbians that have been married, but woke up one day realizing that they've been wrong about themselves. Personally, I love that Shonda wanted to try something new and give viewers versatility, if not, it would get pretty damn boring.
May 27th, 2008 11:29 AM
I totally think this is a perfect couple. You can almost see the sparks flying between them in surgery. Han and McSteamy wouldn't have worked, Han is waaaayyy to good for him. This is an amazing couple, I hope they work out well.
May 27th, 2008 2:20 PM
I am so sorry that we could not have just one great show without forcing a "gay" experience. I am afraid you have lost a very loyal viewer.
May 27th, 2008 4:02 PM
Personally, I think their relationship together is great. Since George and Izzie flopped for the stupidest reasons, it's kinda nice to see another couple that's different and not MerDer. No offense to MerDer fanatics, but it's nice to see someone else for a change.
May 27th, 2008 5:20 PM
I just don´t see it. It´s just like the whole Izzie-George thing. It came out of nowhere. I mean, it never crossed my mind that Callie could be gay. I just thought that obviously George wasn´t the right guy. Being a pushover and all that. But Callie? Definetly not gay. She is perfect for Mark.
In Erica´s case, it could work, basically because there isn´t a male character for her on the show right now.
I don´t buy it, at least not yet. It just seems so out of the blue.
May 27th, 2008 7:23 PM
People who are commenting on this relationship not being real, genuine, or coming out of the blue; have you not being watching the past several episodes?!? The insinuations have been so blatant, Erica eyeing Callie and Callie seeking out Mark to prove to herself that she doesn't have feelings for Erica. Even Mark sees Callie's affections.
As for the people who 'boohooing' over Callie being gay, and having been with all these men and (gasp) not being able to get married. Haven't you ever heard of a bi-sexual? We are out there and don't exist in shows just like a Shot of Love. Its about damn time the GLBTQ community started showing up in mainstream media. Thank you to Shonda Rhimes, other writers on shows like Boston Legal, Ugly Betty, and all of the ABC network for showing America its true colors!
I'm also happy for Meredith and Derek getting back together. Its great for mental health that Meredith went to counseling, but the ending with her being 'healed/whole' is somewhat glossed over in the end. Though this is fiction and Shonda did mention that we'll see their relationship unfold more in the next season. Overall, a great season finale.
May 27th, 2008 7:30 PM
ewww. i don't like them together at all! i like callie the way she is and think her and mark should keep whatever they have going. i don't like hahn at all and think she should be fired. she doesn't live up to the expectations of a greys cast member because she is simply boring, ugly and doesn't have anough drama in her life. i want her gone.(:
May 27th, 2008 7:59 PM
I like the way the storyline is going with Hahn but.....I think she is hot for Yang. The writers could go alot of diifferent ways with that one! I think they shoulld keep Hahn gay for sure....great storyline!!
May 27th, 2008 8:37 PM
Just wanted to comment on the use of the word lesbian to describe Callie. Sexuality isn't cut and dry. Just because Callie may be involved with Erica Hahn in the future doesn't mean that she is a lesbian. She could be bisexual. Some people prefer not to label their sexuality at all, saying that there are no sexual orientations only sexual experiences.
May 27th, 2008 10:53 PM
I do not like the Hahn/Callie relationship at all. Since when is Callie gay? I've been watching her for 2 Seasons, and there was never any indication that she was gay. I also would like to see Hahn with Mark. I really don't understand how Callie/Hahn would want each other, instead of Mark. They should be fighting for him!!!! What was all this talk from Erica saying to Christina that she dates men, and calling the two gorgeous men, Pretty and Prettier. Always commenting on how good looking they are. Telling Mark that if they weren't working together that she would consider him. She implied it. Sorry, folks, but this makes me sick.
May 27th, 2008 11:33 PM
i completely agree with mamaloa! I really liked the whole thing between Mark/Hahn and calliee....dude thats just messed up! I have nothing against lesbians but this is just a ridiculous pairing. Ever since Hahn came in the show shez been implying her striaghtness and we come back from the strike to find her gay! The finale was awesome...i think in the whole finale my least favorite scene was the kiss between Hahn/ Callie...no offense to anyone..that's just my opinion!
May 28th, 2008 2:01 AM
I think it's a great storyline, i really like the chemistry between these 2 and i can't wait to see what will happen next season.
May 28th, 2008 10:19 AM
The writer's strike forced Shonda and co. to speed this relationship along. If we had of been given the regular amount of episodes it may not have seen like such a sudden thing.
May 28th, 2008 11:25 AM
I am with Beth on this! Sexuality is NOT cut and dry. You are attracted to who you are attracted to. Sometimes its men and sometimes it is women. This is a very difficult thing for "straight" women to realize. Kudos to Grey's for showing a dimension of the experience of being woman that most shows are too afraid to touch. The last time I saw this was Sex and the City when Samantha was in a realationship with a woman - and that didn't fail because it was with a woman, it failed because Sam was no good at committed relationships.
So, people, open your minds and hearts and prepare for a great next season!
May 29th, 2008 4:58 PM
I loved the Grey's finale more than any other this season (except for my fav LOST...which isn't until tonight), and thought that the writers handled the Callie/Hahn relationship realistically and with respect.
It will be very interesting to watch the growth of their relationship, wherever it may take them. There is no need to label it now; two of the top surgeons at Seattle Grace have new and strong feelings for one another, and they happen to be women. It is more common than you might think.
And there are plenty of opportunities to make it entertaining (Callie shares an apt. with Christina, and won't that be a surprise for her one morning).
Bravo to Shonda and all involved.
May 29th, 2008 10:36 PM
George and Izzie are nothing like Erica and Callie, a lot of us have been waiting for them to get together since day 1 and a lot of us have quit the show since they ended, me included. So I would not call them a flop, they had at least half the fanbase watching just for them.
The fact that some people hated them does not mean it was a flop especially not when they have so many loyal fans.
Erica and Callie have been coming for 4 episodes, they were traces of Izzxie having feelings for George all the way back to season 2.
May 29th, 2008 10:37 PM
I love Gizzie and they were not a flop. They were the best couple that ever was on this show.
I have not watched one episode since they ended.
May 30th, 2008 11:42 AM
I am just going to start buy saying that I have absolutely loved Grey's Anatomy. It was like the greatest show ever until now. I hated hated the Erica Calie thing. I think Calie should get with Mark and Erica should leave the show. I haven't like her from the first time they showed her fighting with Berk over a heart. I would way rather have Berk back. I am going to have to say this season was not that great compared to the others. The Erica Calie thing made me sick. Homosexuals try to say that they are in love with a person of the same sex, but this shows that it is not love, it is nothing but perversion. They are not in love with each other they just want to get with each other. That is all homosexuality is, a sexual perversion. I hated it. I can not keep watching the show if this continues to be this way. I hate it because up until the last three episodes it was my favorite show of all time. Everyone I know that watches the show was totally disgusted with it as well and refuses to watch the show anymore. It just makes me upset and sad.
May 31st, 2008 1:09 PM
I have to agree, the Hahn-Callie thing seems rushed and/or forced. mamaloa nailed my feelings pretty clearly: they've laid the foundation of Erica saying she dates men; she'd probably date Mark if they weren't coworkers, etc... then we return from the strike to WHAM, let's have Callie develop feelings for Erica and push the boundaries of TV once again.
I was truly enjoying the great friendship that Callie and erica were building. But does everything have to lead to a sexual relationship on GA? Apparently so.
May 31st, 2008 7:34 PM
To sarah, your comment is backward and confused. Its a shame that there are intolerant people like you in this world. I am a lesbian and I do not feel that love is a privelage afforded only to heterosexuals. Love is a right. Callie and Erica have a blatant and obvious chemistry that has been building up for four episodes. Their kiss was an awsome ending to an amazing finale. Well done