Grey’s Anatomy star exposes ‘brutal’ sacking that ‘came out of nowhere’ – and left her begging for an explanation NINETEEN times during exit meeting
A Grey’s Anatomy star has exposed her ‘brutal’ sacking from the long-running series, admitting she begged NINETEEN times for an explanation during her exit meeting.
Actress Sarah Drew, who first appeared on the show during its sixth season in 2009, played Dr April Kepner in the hit ABC medical drama.
The series, which follows the resident doctors and nurses at Mercy West Hospital, has been on screen since 2005, with the show renewed for its 22nd season last year.
Sarah, 45, was a fan-favourite character during her near ten-year stint on screen, but was sent packing from the series after its 14th season over a decade ago, alongside her co-star Jessica Capshaw, who played Dr Arizona Robbins.
Now, the actress has opened up on what really went down behind-the-scenes of her brutal sacking, revealing that it ‘came out of nowhere’.
She told the Women In The Nude podcast, hosted by singer and actress Sasha Pieterse: ‘It was pretty brutal because it came out of nowhere… absolutely no idea.’
Admitting she likely asked show bosses ‘why’ around 19 times during their meeting, she said she was given the reason that they had ‘run out of stories to tell’.
Sarah continued: ‘What I’ve come to realise is my nine years on the show was amazing and I never would have left if they hadn’t have written me off.
‘It was such a weird dichotomy because it hurt a lot in the moment but then the outpouring of love was so unbelievable and extraordinary from cast and crew.
‘That was so exactly what I needed for that full circle closure. It was healing.’
It comes after Grey’s Anatomy background actress Laura Ann Tull was slammed by fans after she called Eric Dane a ‘bully’ in the days following his death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at 53.
Tull, who was an extra on the long-running medical drama series, went on a scathing rant via Threads last week, claiming she got Dane fired from the show in 2012.
The actress called Dane, who played Dr. Mark Sloan on the show, ‘evil’ as well as a ‘coward’ and a ‘jerk’ in response to comments from fans, who called her out for acting like a ‘bully’ herself.
‘I am why he was fired from Grey’s,’ she wrote, though she did not provide any evidence for her claims. Tull further claimed Dane was a ‘narcissist’ who allegedly ‘abused’ her on set.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Tull for comment.
Grey’s Anatomy background actress Laura Ann Tull was slammed by fans after she called Eric Dane a ‘bully’ in the days following his death at 53; Tull is pictured in 2013
Fans blasted the actress, with one writing, ‘The man has died. He has young children. The fact that you are talking about this after his death of a terrible disease. You seem like the bully here.’
‘So why didn’t you speak to your story while he was alive?’ another asked.
‘Yikes. Too soon, Laura.’
‘You couldn’t say these things about him when he was alive and able to defend himself?’
‘You’re both of those also for saying this about someone who just passed away,’ someone else added, in response to Tull calling Dane a ‘bully’ and ‘an a hole.’
‘He can’t defend himself, so now you’re brave? That’s not honesty that’s cowardice.’
‘Shame on you,’ yet another person wrote.
Another person responded to Tull’s claim that Dane reportedly called her ‘weird’ writing, ‘In your own words, you said that somebody told you that he called you weird. So based on heresay you think it’s OK to speak ill of somebody who died from a debilitating disease? Doesn’t that make you know better than him? Seems like you’re also a bully.’
Tull previously accused Dane of calling her ‘weird’ years before he lost his battle to ALS, in a 2018 essay on Medium.
At the time, Tull claimed she was given the information in an email she got from ‘[Arne] Starr, an elected representative of Sag Aftra.’
‘I never talked to Dane… I never spoke to Dane once directly. But I did hear him talk about me,’ she alleged.
She also mentioned Grey’s Anatomy leading man Patrick Dempsey, claiming he ‘also seemed to comment about’ her.
Dane was a main cast member on Grey’s Anatomy for six seasons, appearing as Dr. Mark Sloan from 2006 to 2012. He first appeared as a guest star in season two and became a series regular in season three.
His character was written out at the beginning of season nine. Following a tragic plane crash in the season eight finale, Sloan succumbed to his injuries in the second episode of season nine.
In 2024 he revealed there were several reasons he was written out of the show.
‘I didn’t leave so much as I think I was let go,’ he told Dax Shepherd on the Armchair Expert podcast.
When asked about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction during his tenure, Dane said ‘I was struggling. They didn’t let me go because of that, although it definitely didn’t help.’
Instead, Dane believed the reason he was let go was because he had become ‘very expensive.’
‘I was starting to become, as most of these actors who have spent significant time on the show, you start to become very expensive for the network,’ he said.
‘And the network knows that the show is going to do what it’s going to do irrespective of who they keep on it — as long as they have their Grey they were fine.’
The actor died on February 19, less than a year after announcing his ALS diagnosis; Pictured in 2025
The actor died on February 19, less than a year after announcing his ALS diagnosis.
‘With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,’ his family said in a statement to the Daily Mail on Thursday.
‘He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world,’ they continued.
‘Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight.
‘He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time,’ their statement concluded.
The award-winning Euphoria actor is survived by his two teenage daughters, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13, and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.
ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control and paralysis as it gets worse over time, per the Mayo Clinic.
