As a dedicated fan who has been following Grey’s Anatomy since its inception, I must say that this behind-the-scenes revelation about Jake Borelli and Jaicy Elliot’s reaction to Patrick Dempsey’s return as McDreamy was absolutely mind-blowing! It’s not every day you find out that even the cast members were kept in the dark, just like us fans.
Jake Borelli, who played beloved character Dr. Levi Schmitt on Grey’s Anatomy, has bid farewell as a regular cast member after seven seasons. His appearances in the 2024 TV lineup signify the end of his tenure. Throughout his journey on the show, Borelli’s character evolved from the awkward intern nicknamed “Glasses” to one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most significant queer characters. Looking back at his time with the series, a particular memory that stood out for him was sharing a major plot twist with the fans – just as they did when the episode initially aired.
Returning to 2020, the premiere of Season 17 followed Meredith’s narrative closely mirroring current events, as Ellen Pompeo’s character contracted COVID and fell unconscious. In her mind, she found herself at a beach, but in an unexpected twist, not Derek Shepherd—her deceased husband from Season 11—appeared at the end of the episode, contrary to what Jake Borelli and Jaicy Elliot had read in the script. As Borelli explained to BuzzFeed:
During the heart of the pandemic, Dr. Taryn Helm (Jaicy Elliot) and I were tuning in to watch the live premiere of Grey’s Anatomy Season 17. Interestingly enough, we’ve read all the scripts, been part of every episode. But let me tell you, they pulled a fast one on us! The script indicated Meredith conversing with her deceased mother. And then, out of nowhere, McDreamy appeared running down the beach. Jaicy and I were taken aback! We had no clue about that twist. To make things even more surprising, we didn’t anticipate any other characters returning.
It appears that everyone’s response to Patrick Dempsey’s comeback on Grey’s Anatomy was very similar to the reactions of viewers that night, with the exception of Jaicy Elliot and Jake Borelli who might have been even more taken aback. This is because they had anticipated seeing Ellis Grey (Kate Burton), not Derek-surprisingly-Shepherd!
Showrunner Krista Vernoff confessed to playing a trick on the cast for the purpose of preserving that significant surprise. She explained that during that specific period she kept junior writers out of the writer’s room, and the versions she sent to the studio lacked that scene. During the table read, as Jake Borelli mentioned, the scripts displayed “Ellis Grey,” and Vernoff instructed Ellen Pompeo to say, “Mom,” instead of “Derek,” in those dramatic final moments.
The event turned out to be quite unforgettable, not only for the audience but also for those behind the scenes, it seems.
The departure of Jake Borelli from Grey’s Anatomy was announced before the start of Season 21 due to budget adjustments at ABC. Although some viewers have been dismayed by the departure of regular characters like him and Midori Francis, it is at least reassuring that Levi left on a positive note.
The medical drama will be back on your screens in a while, specifically airing on ABC’s 2025 TV schedule at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 6. Until then, you can revisit Jake Borelli’s time on the show from Season 14 or start watching from any of these popular starting points for Grey’s Anatomy. All episodes are accessible to stream with a Hulu subscription, and the first 20 seasons can be viewed with a Netflix subscription.
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2024-11-27 16:07