Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr. Callie Torres was played by actress Sara Ramirez, who left the show after 10 years to seek and explore other acting opportunities.
Grey’s Anatomy is no stranger to bidding farewell to beloved characters. Considering that the show is 18 seasons in, the coming and going of characters is not surprising. However, some departures and characters have become more memorable than others.
One such character is that of Dr Callie Torres, played by Sara Ramirez. Ramirez announced that she was leaving the show in 2016 to take some “welcomed time off.”
Her departure seemed amicable as showrunner and creator, Shonda Rhimes publicly bid Ramirez farewell.
Who was Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr Callie Torres?
Grey’s Anatomy introduced Dr Callie Torres during the second season of the medical drama series in 2006. She was introduced as a senior orthopaedic surgeon, who married George O’Malley and later divorced him after he was unfaithful.
Callie then entered a casual intimate relationship with her best friend, Mark Sloan, before realising that she was bisexual, as she started dating Dr Erica Hahn.
However, her most memorable love story arc was with Dr Arizona Robbins, before divorcing her and relocating after finding new love with Penny. The two moved to New York with Callie and Arizona’s daughter, Sofia.
What happened to Callie on Grey’s Anatomy?
Dr Callie Torres left the world of the story when she decided to relocate to New York to start a new life with her new partner, Penny, and their daughter, Sofia. She had been part of Grey Sloan for 10 years after joining the hospital in 2006.
The character’s 10-year journey from cis-het to coming out as bisexual has made her the longest running LGBTQI+ character to have been on United States (US) television in history.
Sara Ramirez, who played the character of Dr Callie Torres announced her departure from the series and the character in 2016 with an Instagram post that read, “I’m deeply grateful to have spent the last ten years with my family at Grey’s Anatomy and ABC, but for now I’m taking some welcome time off. Shonda’s been so incredible to work for, and we will definitely continue our conversations! I send my love to Ellen, the rest of the cast and crew, and I look forward to always being a part of the Shondaland family!”
Shonda Rhimes bids farewell to Sara Ramirez
Following Sara Ramirez confirming her indefinite exit from Grey’s Anatomy with a touching post dedicated to Shondaland, the cast and crew behind Grey’s Anatomy, showrunner and creator, Shonda Rhimes responded with an equally touching post that read:
“Dr. Callie Torres came into our lives dancing it out in her underwear almost a decade ago, and I could not be happier or more proud of her journey. Sara Ramirez’s performance inspired me as well as millions of fans each week. We wish her the best on her well-deserved time off. I will miss Callie tremendously but am excited for what the future holds for Sara. She will always have a home at Shondaland.”
Will Callie return to Grey’s Anatomy?
Ramirez, who was a series regular on drama series, Madam Secretary in 2021, opened up about the possibility of returning to Grey’s Anatomy after leaving the show in 2016.
Speaking to PEOPLE in 2021, she shared, “I wouldn’t be who I am today without the experience I had on Grey’s Anatomy and my heart is completely open to going back and checking in with Dr. Callie Torres.”
She also added, “But that would only happen if the writers’ room and the story really organically led them to need a character like Callie to come back.”
What is Sara Ramirez doing in 2022?
Following her departure from Grey’s Anatomy, Sara Ramirez continued to work in the industry in various film and television roles.
Whether it was as the voice of the animated character, Queen Miranda on Sofia the First, or as Kat Sandoval on Madam Secretary.
Her latest role sees her in the Sex and City franchise as the non-binary, nonconforming Che Diaz on And Just Like That. Ramirez as Che continues to bring awareness to the continually evolving language surrounding the LGBTQI+ community.
Conclusion
Grey’s Anatomy is currently airing its eighteenth season. The longest and most successful medical drama series to air on US television has seen many of its beloved characters come and go, and sometimes even come back to reprise their roles on the series.
A fan favourite that has gone and there is hope of their return is Sara Ramirez as Dr Callie Torres.
Ramirez left the role in 2016 after 10 years with the series, in order to take some “welcomed time off” and explore other characters. However, she did affirm in 2021, that she was open to making a return.