Grey’s Anatomy’s already stacked cast is expanding, leading to many questions about what Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 could look like after that gnarly conclusion to Grey’s Anatomy Season 18.
Per TV Line, the newest addition to the cast is Midori Francis, who is best known for Netflix’s one-and-done Dash & Lily, as well as HBO Max’s hilarious comedy Sex Lives of College Girls.
Francis will play Mika Yasuda, a first-year surgical resident.
A middle child with eight siblings, Mika is used to “being overlooked and underestimated — and uses it to her advantage,” according to the character breakdown.
“She’s dealing with overwhelming student loans from med school, but she’s scrappy and confident that she can make it in the program and rise to the top.
Earlier this week, Inventing Anna’s Alexis Floyd joined the cast in the series regular role of Simone Griffin, a new surgical resident who is smart, high-achieving and funny.
Simone has a painful personal history at Grey Sloan and, despite growing up in Seattle, never wanted to work at the hospital.
“Grey’s Anatomy, like all of Shonda [Rhimes]’ canon, is a genre re-defining show that remains masterfully committed to diversity, relevancy and vulnerability,” Floyd told Deadline of her casting.
“Joining the cast in its 19th season is an immeasurable honor, and quite simply, it’s gonna be wicked fun.”
Niko Terho also landed a series regular role this week, playing Lucas Adams. “the charming black sheep of his family. Likable to a fault, he has a great mind, but doesn’t have the grades to match,” according to the official character breakdown.
“He’s determined to prove himself as a surgeon, just like many in his family that have come before him, but he will have to stop relying on his people skills and put in the work.”
With all of the new faces, it certainly makes you question what’s on tap for the future.
Adding three new series regulars means that there will likely some more characters leaving the fold.
If you watch Grey’s Anatomy online, you know the recent season finale set the stage for a raft of big exits.
Now, it looks like some of those exits will stick given the recent casting updates.
ABC has yet to comment on any exits, but it did state that the show remains a huge hit when it landed a renewal for Season 19 earlier this year.
“Grey’s Anatomy is a true phenomenon, beloved by audiences around the world. Whether they catch it live on ABC, or stream it on Hulu or globally on Disney+ or Star+, it’s clear that fans can’t get enough of Shonda Rhimes’ brilliant creation,” said Dana Walden, chairman of entertainment at Walt Disney Television.
“We have enormous faith in Shonda, Krista Vernoff, Ellen Pompeo and the entire creative team to unlock new, untold stories that will continue to focus on modern medicine, tackle the issues that shape the world around us, and resonate deeply with loyal fans for years to come.”
The cast includes Ellen Pompeo (Meredith) Kevin McKidd (Owen), Camilla Luddington (Jo), Kim Raver (Teddy), Caterina Scorsone (Amelia), Kelly McCreary (Maggie), Jake Borelli (Levi), Chris Carmack (Link), Richard Flood (Cormac), Antony Hill (Winston), and Scott Speedman (Nick) also star.
The series has been bringing back former faces over the last few seasons, and it sounds like Kate Walsh could return again as Addison Montgomery.
“Who knows? There is a possibility. I don’t know what I would do,” Walsh recently told Cheat Sheet.
“We’re chatting a little bit about the possibility of coming back for something, but I don’t know yet.”
The star also teased that “changes” are on the horizon on Season 19.
“I just know that there’s going to be massive, just a lot in store for the next season, a lot of changes, a lot of really cool, I think new beginnings and different… just different places that the show is going to go.”
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.