Thunderclap for "Gray's Anatomy": after the disappearance of many characters to which the fans of the series have been attached for years, it is the turn of Jessica Capshaw (Arizona Robbins) and Sarah Drew (April Kepner) to make their white coat at the end of season 14. The two actresses, whose contracts were coming to an end, do not leave of their own free will, but according to the newspaper "Deadline", they are the expenses of "creative decisions" taken by the production and the writers who wanted to put an end to the intrigues of Arizona and April.

Say goodbye to characters we love

"The Arizona and April characters will forever be part of the" Gray's Anatomy "universe thanks to the extraordinary work of Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew, and as writers, our job is to follow the stories where they are. want to go and sometimes it means goodbye to characters we love, it was a pleasure and a privilege to work with extremely talented actresses, "said the season 14 producer and co-showrunner, Krista Vernoff.

Shonda Rhimes , the creator of the series, also commented on this departure: "It's always difficult for me to say goodbye to one of my characters, Arizona Robbins and April Kepner are appreciated but also iconic, knowing that LGBT and Christian communities are underrepresented on television, and I will always be grateful to Jessica and Sarah for bringing these characters to life in such a vibrant way and for inspiring many women around the world who will always be part of the family. Shondaland ".

If this is a new difficult to digest for fans, it is as much for actresses who have learned the news recently and have not prepared for this announcement. Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew spoke quickly on social media to express themselves to their fans and the production they thank.

"Hi friends Thank you for all your support I know you're sad I'm sad too I did not really have time to digest the information I was notified less than 48 hours ago So, I'm not yet ready to give a big thank you, nor to publish a statement about my 9 years here, but it will come :) For the moment, I would like to tell you that I love you, that I love April, and her story is not over yet, and the real good news (at least for the moment) is that I'm shading one of my favorite characters, Kevin McKidd (Dr. Owen Hunt) I'm going to be with my Grays family all week and the week after, so I'm going to be able to manage my feelings in this community that has been nurturing and growing for almost a decade. I'm really grateful, with love, Sarah "

"Over the last ten years I've had the exceptional privilege of playing Arizona Robbins, but also falling madly in love with this character." Arizona is kind, smart, funny, insightful, daring, playful, strong and really talented in her job She was one of the first members of the LGBT community to be a regular character on a big chain, her impact on the world will last forever, and I'm grateful to have been able to bring her life to life. I'm sad to see her go, but the idea that she will continue to live in our consciences and our spirits is comforting me Shonda, thank you for the incredible ride in this roller coaster. heart full of love, Jessica ".

For its part, the character of Meredith Gray is far from leaving the series. Indeed, Ellen Pompeo has just announced the renewal of its contract for two seasons estimated at 20 million dollars .