Grey’s Anatomy Is Adding a New Gay Male Character Ahead of Jake Borelli’s Departure as Levi (Exclusive)

Amen to this: Grey’s Anatomy, TVLine hears, is adding to its hospital roster a new chaplain, one who is not only a superhero fanboy but openly gay and slated to recur throughout Season 21.

The timing of the imminent hire is curious, though, as it was just a couple of months ago that we learned that Jake Borelli, the fan favorite who plays gay doc Levi, and Midori Francis, the scene stealer who plays bi doc Mika, would both be returning next season only for long enough to wrap up their characters’ storylines. In Season 20’s finale (recapped here), Schmitt, you’ll recall, was passionately pursuing a peds fellowship. Yasuda, post-split from Helm, was thisclose to sharing a kiss with bestie Jules.

Now, if the long-running ABC drama was beefing up its LGBTQ+ representation before the twosome scrubbed out, that would be understandable. But so far as we can see, the canvas has no viable love interest on offer for the newbie. (Nerdtastic Levi would’ve been a no-brainer… if his portrayer was being kept on.)

In other Season 21 cast shake-ups, OG Ellen Pompeo will have an increased role as Meredith; she’ll appear in seven of the 18 episodes (and possibly as many as 14). Jason George, who crossed over Bailey’s better half Ben to spinoff Station 19 seven seasons ago, is also set to reprise his role in a series-regular capacity as the doc-turned-firefighter turns doc again.