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Roughly eighteen months since his mystifying Grey’s Anatomy exit, a barely recognizable Justin Chambers reunited with his former on-screen BFF Ellen Pompeo Friday night on the actress’ Instagram feed.
Sporting bleach blonde hair, Chambers — playfully taking on the role of waiter — can be seen interrupting Pompeo’s seemingly intimate dinner with fellow former co-star Eric Dane. “What would you like for dinner?” Chambers asks the pair, prompting Pompeo to break character. In a subsequent video (also posted to Pompeo’s Instagram stories — watch here before it disappears!), Pompeo captures Chambers and Dane sitting silently alongside each other.
Scroll down to check out a pair of screen grabs from the mini-Grey’s reunion.
Chambers has maintained a fairly low profile since departing Grey’s Anatomy amid controversy a year and a half ago. (The actor’s last episode aired in November 2019, but viewers were not aware it was his swan song until his exit was announced publicly two months later. Chambers later returned, but only in a voiceover capacity, for his send-off installment in March 2020, which revealed that Alex had left his wife Jo and reunited with ex Izzie, who had his children.)
“For me personally for Karev to go back to the beginning…. was the best possible storyline,” Pompeo wrote on social media at the time. “It pays homage to those incredible first years and the incredible cast… that created a foundation so strong that the show is still standing. So let’s not be sad. As our fearless leader [episode director Debbie Allen] always says let’s PULL UP and celebrate the actors, the writers and the fantastic crew who make this show come to life every week.”
Prior to that, Pompeo characterized Chambers’ exit as one of Grey’s Anatomy‘s “biggest losses yet.”
To this day, neither Chambers nor anyone connected with Grey’s Anatomy has revealed the reason behind the actor’s abrupt departure — although Chambers has hinted that a desire to pursue other projects played a role.
“There’s no good time to say goodbye to a show and character that’s defined so much of my life for the past 15 years,” Chambers said in a statement at the time. “For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time. As I move on from Grey’s Anatomy, I want to thank the ABC family, Shonda Rimes, original cast members Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens, and the rest of the amazing cast and crew, both past and present, and, of course, the fans for an extraordinary ride.”
We’re reporting the actors private lives now? Do you want to know who I’m having lunch with? It’s an exclusive!
The guy basically disappeared after the strangest exit from a show I’ve ever seen…
Don’t forget Callie’s ex Dr Hahn who walked to her cat and was. Never mentioned again
I think you meant to type “walked to her car” (in the parking lot at then-named Seattle Grace). However, that was at or toward the end of season 5. A reasonable explanation for her unexplained subsequent absence from the show is that she ended her employment at Seattle Grace and found a job elsewhere. Additionally, while she was never mentioned again in an episode, the audience only gets glimpses of the lives of the characters. It’s possible that any subsequent mentions just weren’t highlighted in episodes, like most of the times Owen Hunt presumably talks to his sister on the phone, for example.
It’s strange for a character exit where some form of closure or explanation was provided on screen. However, there are several noteworthy tv show character exits where early-run family members were seemingly erased from existence, or characters who were integral to the work or lives of other characters on the show just vanished, with no explanation.
Enough, I for one don’t mind seeing what they are up to. After all, I am a die hard Greys Anatomy fan!
“We’re?” When did you start working for TVline? It’s an entertainment website. They report on actors’ private lives ALL the time. Grey’s Anatomy is a popular show. The star of said show posted pictures of her previous co-stars–one of which left under mysterious circumstances. Perhaps it’s not newsworthy to you but that’s your opinion.
It’s not like it wasn’t posted on social media for all to see anyways. So what’s the big deal?
Actors private lives? She posted it on Instagram, not exactly private, lol. These are also actors that she used to work with not her family. It was obviously staged and they meant it to be made public, or do you think Chambers is now really a waiter? Lol, so relax.
When you’re a celebrity and you make social media entries about your private life, one might reasonably conclude that you were not interested in privacy.
Must be a slow day a tvline if this is a news story. But I clicked on it and am commenting so I guess it worked lol.
It’s interesting to read the IMDB info on actors who leave shows to pursue other projects. For example, Bailee Madison leaves Good Witch does a couple of B movies and falls off the planet except for 2 minute cameo on GW. Nothing yet for Justin Chambers although Covid did affect the production of shows.
Did you play a popular character on a mega hit show and then have a controversial exit from said show? If yes, then do tell.
I’m just hapy to see him, looking well.
Same here. My wife showed me the video this morning and it was a pleasant surprise to see him and see him smiling and looking good. Considering all of the speculation on the nature of his exit. Makes me hope for an appearance before the end of the show (whenever that may be)
Me too! It seems he left for a personal or health issue so I’m glad to see him looking well & healthy. I would love to see him on TV again someday if it is something he is interested in.
I only watch the reruns of Grey’s Anatomy to see Alex Karev the nonstop run of amazing events captivating dialogue creative clips I can’t watch it anymore Amelia is a great actor and has been downsized to a home cooking blah her Ken doll husband has no acting abilities I love Ellen Pablo
But she is in a hospital bed for the whole entire season I don’t understand the beach as some of the living members did not escape death or die and they were on the beach I miss the old shows and watch them only the new ones are horrible
Welcome back Justine” Karev”!!!!
Ok so Christina is Mer’s person. Recast the unwilling Sandra Oh and bring the character back. Nobody misses Sandra Oh anyway!!
Nobody!!!! She’s a bad actress and very unattractive I’m glad she left. Half a peace sign to Sandra Oh.