"Grey's Anatomy" will return for its thirteenth season a few weeks from now. According to recent reports, Jessica Capshaw's Arizona will not be seen in the first few episodes of Season 13 because the actress is taking some time off to take care of her newly born fourth child.
"Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes revealed the news about Capshaw in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Rhimes also shared that Arizona will have a new love interest in Season 13 after Callie's (Sara Ramirez) departure from the medical drama last season.
Rhimes said the introduction of Arizona's new romance will be done "organically" and viewers will root for it. Arizona's upcoming story arc on "Grey's Anatomy" will also allow her to "be who she is, and to see who she is post the relationships that she's had."
Ramirez may have left the show, but her character Callie would still continue to be an off-screen presence on "Grey's Anatomy" because of her and Arizona's co-parenting arrangement with Sofia, the two's child with Mark Sloan (Eric Dane). Rhimes said the show would feature Arizona visiting Sofia in New York and the child coming with her back to Seattle. Callie's exit will not be a "sense of loss" for fans of "Grey's Anatomy" unlike the other characters who have died during the long-running series' course.
Caterina Scorsone, who plays Amelia in the show, told The Hollywood Reporter that "Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 would feature a "big explosive drama" immediately after the finale's events, which involved Amelia marrying Owen (Kevin McKidd), Jo (Camilla Luddington) and Alex (Justin Chambers) fighting, and Maggie (Kelly McCreary) admitting her feelings for Nathan (Martin Henderson) after her sister Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) had sex with him.
Scorsone said the "emotionally explosive" Season 13 premiere episode isn't directly connected to Amelia and Owen's wedding, adding that the couple will be occupied after the ceremony. The actress said the new drama will be "a key story this year that a lot of people are going to be interested in."
"Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 will focus on the original stars Meredith, Alex, Bailey (Chandra Wilson), and Richard (James Pickens Jr.). There were rumors that Sandra Oh's Cristina Yang will return to the show but Wetpaint dismissed those claims, saying that the actress and the writers wrapped Cristina's story perfectly by announcing her departure a whole season in advance.
Oh, however, said she would return to the series finale of "Grey's Anatomy," whenever that will be. "Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 premieres on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9 PM ET/PT on ABC.
