As we reported last week, the final scene in Grey's Anatomy's fifth season finale was supposed to feature Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Denny Duquette, who was seen throughout the season, as Izzie's heavenly escort as the ailing resident's life hung in the balance.
However, series creator and executive Shonda Rhimes had an epiphany and decided to use T.R. Knight's George O'Malley in the parting shot-cliffhanger instead
According to Entertainment Weekly, having wrapped filming for the season, T.R. Knight went ahead and shaved his head, believing he was done for the summer.
That posed a new problem - but ultimately a solution - for Rhimes.
"[Director] Rob Corn calls me up and goes, 'What do we do?'" Rhimes said, before she remembered George enlisted in the Army right before being struck by a bus.
Luckily, the workaround quickly came to Rhimes when she thought of that fact. "I said, 'I know. Put him in a military uniform!' It wasn't a big amazing plan I had."
The climactic, season-ending scene, which left the two characters literally in limbo and viewers on the edge of their seats, left Knight with a bag of emotions as well.
"It was brilliant of Shonda to put George in the dress blues," said Knight, who will not be returning to Grey's Anatomy next season. "It was such a powerful image."
Katherine Heigl, who plays Izzie, was in Atlanta shooting a film and was not present for the big re-shoot. So to ensure Heigl and Knight's expressions were in sync, T.R. Knight picked his BFF's brain over the phone before stepping in front of the camera.
"I was like, 'What did you do in that scene?'" the Grey's Anatomy actor said, laughing. "It's nice when you've worked with someone for five years. There's a shorthand."
Katherine Heigl was worried over whether the switcheroo could be pulled off.
"Katie called me and was like, 'Are my expressions going to match his? Is it going to work?" Rhimes said. "And I was like, 'I promise you it's going to be perfect.'"
It was.
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15 Comments
July 22nd, 2009 2:42 PM
Hmm.. I wonder if the JDM scene with Izzie will be featured as a deleted scene on the Season 5 DVD since, according to the reporting, it had already been shot and adding in George O'Malley was a re-shoot of the original.
July 22nd, 2009 2:44 PM
It's also interesting to note that the expressions from KH as Izzie were for JDM as Denny; it really speaks of TR's talent how he was able to emote so much and didn't have KH's reactions to play-off of.
It's very reminiscient of season 3's closet-scene when Izzie and George said nothing to each other yet their actions and non-verbal communications somehow was able to resonate volumes.
The elevator shot, like the closet-scene, is hauntingly beautiful.
July 22nd, 2009 3:50 PM
Yes, it is.
I love the closet scene. I think TR can express so much with his eyes and gestures without saying a word. He has those haunting expressive eyes.
I always loved his scenes with katie. They are so natural together.
July 22nd, 2009 3:53 PM
If I remember correctly, Shonda said she knew exactly what she wanted in the season finale since the beginning of the season. In order to make it a huge surprise cliffanger she made George very scarce throughout the season, but this article clearly states that TR thought he was done for season and shaved his head - then shonda didn't know what to do, and that is when she decided to have him in the dress blues.
July 22nd, 2009 5:58 PM
Lesley,
I think you misunderstood. He was made scarce so no one would immediately think that John Doe was George, his decreased exposure had nothing to do with the elevator scene. And in regards to the shaved head, originally JDM was filmed with KH. The episode wrapped and the season ended. Probably during post is when Shonda decided to have George in the elevator, and since the season had already wrapped in terms of filming, that's when TR already had his head shaved. So when Shonda decided to reshoot that portion of the finale, the shaved head aspect of it worked since it fit with the military uniform.
I hope that clarifies it for you.
July 23rd, 2009 12:06 AM
I'm so sad we were robbed of our last moments with George. It was his last season, and Shonda seemed to know it, and she refused to give us George scenes all for a cliffhanger at the end.
I hate that. I feel robbed.
July 23rd, 2009 12:07 AM
I agree, Ace. That elevator scene shows TR's pure talent. I hope he finds someone that can really use it to its full potential. Grey ahsn't in a long time, but TR still always shined even when he had 2 seconds on screen.
July 23rd, 2009 8:58 AM
Wow, TR came out explaining why he left, and he does blame the show :
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/07/23/2009-07-23_tr_knight_reveals_why_he_left_greys_anatomy.html
July 25th, 2009 9:47 AM
Ace writes:
"It's also interesting to note that the expressions from KH as Izzie were for JDM as Denny; it really speaks of TR's talent how he was able to emote so much and didn't have KH's reactions to play-off of.
It's very reminiscient of season 3's closet-scene when Izzie and George said nothing to each other yet their actions and non-verbal communications somehow was able to resonate volumes.
The elevator shot, like the closet-scene, is hauntingly beautiful. "
Very well said, Ace. Couldn't have said it better myself. TR is so incredibly talented. :)
~ Cindy
July 27th, 2009 10:41 AM
I just want to say something pertaining to KH--I think her phone call to Shonda about the final scene really shows her commitment to the quality of the show. She's gotten a lot of bad press but it's very obvious to me that she takes a great deal of pride in her work and it really comes through on-screen. She's a huge part of what makes Grey's such a great show!