Guest Stars News

Dr. Bailey and the gang — but mainly Bailey — will have their hands full in the two-hour Grey's Anatomy Season Five premiere, TV Guide reports.

Why? A trio of gal pals of a certain age descends on Seattle Grace.

In the September 25 episode, Bernadette Peters, Mariette Hartley and Kathy Baker will guest star as friends who each require the hospital's care.

This comes the very same night that Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprises his role of Denny Duquette, although our guess is that is a separate story line.

Popular guest star Jeffrey Dean Morgan is on his way back to Grey's Anatomy. That much has been confirmed - but when, why, and how?

Is Grey's Anatomy really going to kill Izzie, as has been rumored frequently, with Denny resurfacing to welcome her to the afterlife? Not likely.

For starters, at least one inside source says there are no plans to off Izzie as a means of punishing outspoken cast member Katherine Heigl.

Second, Morgan already filmed his scenes, which are to air in the season premiere, so the timing is wrong for this stunning development.

But ABC Entertainment chief Steve McPherson issued vague denials of a plan to eliminate Izzie, and another insider says that the rumored brain tumor contracted by Dr. Stevens was indeed the plan for Heigl's character in Season Five.

After her diagnosis, Izzie was to see “visions” of Denny.

Of course, if that was (or is) the plan, Shonda Rhimes may change it since the word is out. She’s not a fan of Grey's Anatomy spoilers (with the exception of her giving away the Mer-Der reunion at the end of Season 4 weeks beforehand).

A few seasons back, E! Online reported that Cristina Yang was to have a lesbian storyline. That plan? Scrapped, then revamped (much) later in the form of Callica.

The conclusion is that we're stumped. Morgan's casting confirmation lends credence to the notion that the brain tumor plot could still happen, but the reports we're hearing the subject are conflicting and far from set in stone.

What do you think of Jeffrey Dean Morgan returning to Grey’s Anatomy - and is the brain tumor a good idea? Tell us what you think - and hope.

Could another hot doctor be scrubbing in at Seattle Grace in Season Five?

It looks possible, as Kevin McKidd, a Scottish actor who headlined last year's time-traveling drama Journeyman, is in serious talks to join the cast.

He'd play an M.D. who comes to the hospital after a stint in Iraq. It's expected to be a relatively long Grey's Anatomy story arc for Kevin McKidd, who also played the soldier Lucius Vorenus in HBO's short-lived series Rome.

It's not a spin-off starring Ava / Rebecca / Jane Doe, but Elizabeth Reaser, one of Grey's Anatomy's many memorable guest stars, will play the lead role!

The show, entitled Mythological X, is about about a woman who discovers (via a psychic) that she's already dated and dumped the man she is destined to marry.

The series, if it gets the green light from execs, will zoom in on Elizabeth Reaser's character (named Annabel) going backwards through dating timeline.

Mythological X will air on Fox should the pilot get picked up. Right now, it's only in the "sell, sell, sell" stage of TV production. Hopefuly it works out!

Amy Madigan (Gone Baby Gone, Twice in a Lifetime) has reportedly been cast in a recurring role on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The actress, nominated for an Oscar for her role in Lifetime, will appear in all five new episodes (Grey's Anatomy returns April 24) as a psychiatrist at Seattle Grace.

Add Amy Madigan to the list of high-profile guest stars (key characters are played by Lauren Stamile and Elizabeth Reaser, plus former star Kate Walsh) to be appearing on Grey's Anatomy as the series returns from its strike-induced absence.

It appears Joshua Jackson's Grey's Anatomy guest starring turn has ended before it began, and once again, the writers' strike is to blame.

Michael Ausiello of TV Guide has the scoop, and as he puts it:

"Grey's Anatomy announced last fall that the ex-Dawson's Creek-er would be joining the cast for a multi-episode arc as a doctor and, as I would later report, a love interest for Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh). Unfortunately, just weeks before he was scheduled to shoot his first episode, the writers went on strike and Joshua Jackson's stint, just like the TV biz itself, was put on hold."

Cut to present day: The strike is over, Grey's Anatomy is headed back into production (due back April 24) but Jackson is no longer available.

During the work stoppage, J.J. Abrams hand-picked the actor to headline his new X-Files style Fox series, Fringe, which is currently in production in Toronto (and will be through mid-March). Although an attempt was made to make scheduling work for Josh Jackson to do both, the logistics proved too daunting in the end.

Now Grey's Anatomy is forced to either recast the role or scrap it.

An ABC spokesperson declined to comment, but a Seattle Grace insider says a final decision will likely be made in the coming days.

Any suggestions for a Josh Jackson replacement? Who would be a great new love interest for Cristina? Much as many of us surely (and understandably) want to throw out the name Isaiah Washington, let's focus on new ideas...

Kristin Veitch of E! Online reports today that, pending the official end to the writers' strike (which is all but over as of today, the Los Angeles Times says), Grey's Anatomy will indeed restart the suspended production on Season Four.

This burst of production expected to produce a handful of new episodes (as many as five, TV Guide first reported) to air in April and May, Kristin writes - and Joshua Jackson is expected to finally fulfill guest star duties as Cristina's love interest!

Grey's Anatomy fans hoping for a guest appearance by Josh Jackson this season may still get their wish as the writers' strike ends, according to recent reports!

TV Guide's Michael Ausiello has some scoop on Joshua Jackson's future guest spot on Grey's Anatomy - as well as a rumor that a cast member wants out:

Question: Some very mean and nasty people have been saying that Sandra Oh is leaving Grey's Anatomy, whenever it comes back. Since you are known as the god of TV scoop, I knew you'd be able to deny this for me.

TV Guide: Unfortunately, I can't verify that rumor's authenticity. What I can verify is that someone â€" and a major someone â€" wants to be discharged from Seattle Grace, STAT. But, as far as I can tell, that someone is not Sandra Oh.

Thankfully, it looks like the awesome Sandra Oh will be staying put.

Question: You mentioned that Joshua Jackson's three-episode Grey's Anatomy arc was delayed indefinitely because of the writers' strike. However, there's a new Grey's Anatomy airing this Thursday. Will he be in that episode?

TV Guide No, hence the "delayed indefinitely" thing. The good news is that I hear Shonda Rhimes has every intention of shoe-horning Joshua Jackson into Seattle Grace (and Cristina's bed) the second the strike is over.

Grey's Anatomy finally returns tomorrow, for what will be the last episode we'll see until the writers' strike comes to an end. It's extremely sad, but at least "Lay Your Hands On Me" is shaping up to be rather interesting.

One reason? Rose. The character introduced a few episodes ago, and played by the lovely Lauren Stamile, has done nothing but spark controversy. Here is an interview Lauren recently did with E! Online's Kristin Veitch ...

E!: I heard your mom and dad met just like Rose and McDreamy.
Lauren Stamile: Yes! My mom is a nurse, and my dad is a doctor, and it's actually kind of cute, because you know how they wear the surgical masks? Well, my dad saw my mom's eyes, and that was it. Very romantic.

Lauren Stamile (Rose), Patrick Dempsey (Derek), Ellen Pompeo (Meredith).

E!: So, what was it like the first time you met Patrick Dempsey?
Lauren Stamile: I met him in my last meeting [with the producers], and I didn't realize how nervous I was until I met him! He's definitely one of the most charismatic and charming people I have ever met. I wasn't ready, I don't think. I was laughing and red and embarrassed and probably ridiculous looking.

E!: How very Rose-like of you!
Lauren Stamile: Yeah, I was so very much myself during that audition. I wasn't sure at first if that was good or if that was bad. I guess it wasn't too bad.

E!: So, how jealous are your friends that you're smooching McDreamy?
Lauren Stamile: Very! [Laughs] I would be, too, if I were them. My family is very excited. I can't quite believe that's really my job!

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Newcomer Lauren Stamile, who joined Grey's Anatomy on November 15 as feisty nurse Rose, will stick around for at least four more episodes to play Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd's new love interest, Entertainment Weekly reports.

Lauren Stamile was cast in September and, as expected, was over the moon about the possibility of acting with Patrick Dempsey, albeit slightly shocked.

Lauren Stamile is excited - and nervous - about her role on Grey's.

"It was like, are you kidding me? I'm kind of geeky. I hope people aren't disappointed," said Stamile, 31, a native of Oklahoma and graduate of Northwestern.

It's unclear when Lauren Stamile's fourth episode will air; it's also the last remaining original episode of Grey's Anatomy that ABC had in production before creator Shonda Rhimes and her team of writers joined the picket line November 4.