‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Cast Then & Now: See Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey & More After 15 Years

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is now the longest-running medical drama on TV. The beloved series has had many cast changes over the years, but fans have come to love them all. See the amazing cast then and now.

Grey’s Anatomy is now in its 17th season, and fans are still loving it as much as they did when it premiered all the way back in 2005. Ellen Pompeo, 51, is still leading the way as Dr. Meredith Grey and has been since day one. She’s joined by an incredible ensemble cast that definitely looks a lot different than the one when the series first aired.

Ellen is only one of three remaining original cast members. The other two cast members are James Pickens Jr., 66, a.k.a. Dr. Richard Webber, and Chandra Wilson, 51, a.k.a. Dr. Miranda Bailey. Ellen is now the last original intern left after Justin Chambers’ sudden departure as Dr. Alex Karev in season 16.

The Grey’s Anatomy fandom was completely shocked by the final moments of the season 17 premiere when Patrick Dempsey, 54, returned as Dr. Derek Shepherd. Meredith collapses after contracting COVID-19 and wakes up on the beach. In the distance, she sees her beloved husband, Derek.

Grey’s Anatomy fans are still not over Derek’s devastating death via car crash in season 11, so to see McDreamy back again on the show was a real treat. It’s not just a one-time deal, though. The character is still dead, but Patrick will be appearing as Derek multiple times in season 17.

Patrick’s return to the show has fans thinking about all of the incredible cast members Grey’s Anatomy has had over the years. It’s wild to see the cast has changed from back then in 2005 to now. From Katherine Heigl, 41, to T.R. Knight, 47, to Eric Dane, 48, to Sara Ramirez, 45, these stars may not be on the show anymore, but they’re still near and dear to our hearts. The cast members have made amazing transformations and have gone on to star in other major movies and TV shows.