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Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 1: Who is Stephanie Leifer, to whom the premiere was dedicated?

Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 1: Who is Stephanie Leifer, to whom the premiere was dedicated?

Vaseline 1 week ago

Grey’s anatomy has officially returned for its 21st season, and it will see the return of old faces and the loss of a regular.

The final premiere of America’s longest-running medical drama was dedicated to Stephanie Leifer and while casual fans of the long-running medical drama may not be aware of who she is, the tribute was a touching moment as Leifer played a major role in its enduring success of the show.

Leifer died of cancer in June at the age of 56. She was a program manager who provided oversight Grey’s anatomy while working at ABC – the US network on which the show airs – and at ABC Signature, the company that produces the show. She worked at ABC for 28 years until her departure in 2022.

Grey’s anatomy‘s showrunner and executive producer Meg Marinis was asked about the dedication in an interview discussing the episode. Marinis, who started as a PA at Grey’s Anatomy, worked with Leifer for more than 15 years and called her former employee “incredible.”

Speak with TermMarinis said: “Stephanie Leifer was an incredible person and a dedicated champion of Gray.

“She really believed in us from the early years and supported our creative vision.

“I started my career as a PA and delivered Gray scripts to her office, and I remember her door was always open. She was so encouraging to writers and attended several Gray milestone events. It was a heartbreaking loss for this family.”

(ABC)

In 2019, Grey’s anatomy changed American television history to become the longest-running primetime medical drama in the US, overtaking the previous winner, ER.

ERstarring Anthony Edwards, George Clooney and Julianne Margulies, it ran for fifteen seasons between 1994 and 2009. The overall record is held by the BBC series Victimwhich has been broadcast in Great Britain since 1986.

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Grey’s anatomy‘s former lead Ellen Pompeo made the shocking decision to leave the show in 2021, saying, “I am forever grateful and humbled by the love and support you all have shown me, Meredith Gray and the show for 19 seasons!”

However, Pompeo did not leave the show completely, as she still returned for a handful of episodes in the show’s 20th season and will continue to do so this season. She was brought back from a series regular to a recurring character.

She also remains an executive producer of the series and continues to narrate the opening and closing voiceovers for each episode.