Grey’s Anatomy’s Controversial Karev Storyline Gets Honest Response From Jo Actor 4 Years Later
Grey’s Anatomy star Camilla Luddington talks about Karev’s exit four years later, thoughtfully reflecting on what she thinks of it now. Citing a desire to diversify his acting roles, original cast member Justin Chambers departed from the role of Alex Karev in 2020, with his final episode airing in March of that year. In a divisive storyline, the episode confirms that Karev leaves Jo (Luddington) and reunites with his former flame Izzie Stevens.
In an interview with Variety, while discussing the Grey’s Anatomy season 21 premiere, Luddington reflected on Karev’s controversial farewell. The actor gave a lengthy and detailed response, explaining that she liked the breakup because it’s not one that’s often shown on television. Jo gets a letter from Karev and that’s all she has for a goodbye, with Luddington explaining that lack of closure is true to life and that a lot of people reached out to her to share that they had gone through something similar. She says that Jo is stronger thanks to the break-up.
Luddington is also asked whether she feels differently about the relationship now, responding that it is different because Jo is with Link (Chris Carmack) now. The actor goes on to say that Jo and Karev had terrible communication, going on to elaborate on why they were a bad fit, which is unlike how things are between Jo and Link now. Read the full quote below:
It’s interesting, because on a lot of shows, you want this moment of being able to tell somebody in a breakup, or see someone in a breakup be able to say, “Screw you!” or have this whole big argument. And in life, there are a lot of breakups where people don’t get that kind of closure. So, I actually really liked that we played a breakup where someone was not going to get that last moment with that other person. So, what does that mean for that character? Well, they have to end up finding closure for themselves.
I remember when [Alex’s goodbye] episode aired, there were a lot of people that actually wrote to me on social media saying, “I know this feeling. I know not being able to have that last fight or that last say,” and just kind of having to find that themselves. I feel like it’s not so common to see that kind of breakup on TV, so I enjoyed it, and I liked that she ended up again having to find that for herself. That’s tough. That’s really tough. But I felt like she’s stronger for it.
How do you feel about Jo and Alex’s relationship now? Has Justin’s absence from the show given you an opportunity to see your characters’ dynamic in a different light, or do you still have a special affection for that relationship?
It’s funny. It changes now to me that she’s with Link, because when I look back on their relationship or think back on their relationship, I realized their communication was horrible. There were so many things about her that she didn’t feel comfortable saying to him, even when they’d been together for a really long time. I feel like if you don’t have that communication, if you can’t be honest and vulnerable and you’re concealing things, it’s never going to work. What I love now is that she’s in a relationship where I feel like she can be open, things can be hard, and she can have those tough conversations. So, I feel differently playing this character in a new relationship. That’s how I reflect on the past for her.
Karev’s Controversial Storyline Is A Common Problem For Long-Running Shows
Because of the abrupt nature of Chambers’ departure, described at the time as a shock, Grey’s Anatomy was in a bit of a bind in terms of how to write off the original character. But beyond the specifics, it does speak to an issue that is common for long-running shows like the ABC medical drama. It is the question of whether it is best to honor the show’s past, the golden years that helped earn the show its popularity and viewership. Or, alternatively, whether the right choice to honor what the series has matured into since its heyday.
With Karev’s exit, Grey’s Anatomy decided to honor the fan-favorite pairing of Izzie and Karev. This is despite Katherine Heigl not returning to reprise her role as Izzie, with the ABC soap instead using a body double for Izzie’s scenes. It was a bit of maneuvering, but it showed that Grey’s recognized the importance of honoring the series’ origins and perhaps rewarding the viewers who had followed the story from the start.
Our Take On The Ending Of Jo & Karev’s Relationship
Considering that Grey’s Anatomy season 22 has a strong chance of receiving a renewal, the show is looking forward and continuing to explore the relationship between Jo and Link. For a lot of the reasons shared by Luddington, the pair have great chemistry after starting off as friends. Their path might not have been possible without the devastating Karev departure. However, it doesn’t take away from the shock of when an original cast member exits.
