'Grey's Anatomy' Will Have A "Groundbreaking" Storyline With A New Character

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'Grey's Anatomy' Will Have A "Groundbreaking" Storyline With A New Character

Entity Mag

Grey's Anatomy, the show where we're constantly wondering who is next to fall in love and worried about who is going to die next, has become considerably more progressive every year.

Whether these storylines are shocking or predictable, it's a step in a new direction for the show, and it's going to continue to have more "groundbreaking" plots.

The 14th season of the ABC medical drama is a great example of this. If you've been watching the latest season, you've seen the episode where Casey, an intern played by Alex Blue Davis, a trans actor, revealed his true gender identity to his co-workers.

"I've been waiting for a moment like this on TV my whole life. I am so honored I got to say that line on TV because it's a long time coming," Davis told THR after the episode.

This reveal came right after Casey saved Grey Sloan Memorial from a hacker who was putting the health of patients in jeopardy by manipulating computer and air conditioning systems.

"We wanted the audience to get to know this character before they knew his private medical information; we wanted his disclosure to not feel like an 'A-ha!' shock but a genuine unfolding of this character's truth when he felt safe with someone," Showrunner Krista Vernoff told The Hollywood Reporter.

If you loved the first part of season 14, you're going to love the rest with this new character the show is introducing...

Grey's will continue its path telling stories about transgender individuals. They've enlisted trans actress Candis Cayne for a multiple-episode arc in season 14.

Cayne is most recognizable for starring in I Am Cait, Transparent, and The Magicians.

Cayne will play the character of a patient who comes to Memorial Hospital for a "groundbreaking" vaginoplasty surgery.

Showrunners got inspiration for this storyline after reading Hayley Anthony, a trans woman who helped Jess Ting, the director of surgery at the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Mount Sinai, developed an innovative method for vaginoplasty procedures.

"[The surgery] revolutionizes the making of a vagina and we thought that was a really cool story and Candis is playing a character inspired by something we read," Grey's Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff told The Hollywood Reporter.

Cayne told Glamour that the most important part about her character is that her transgender identity isn't "a capital-T 'Thing', it's just a part of who she is."

"I think the biggest thing I want people to take away is the reaction of my colleagues [meaning the other characters] on the show and how there was never a raised eyebrow, never a cocked head," Cayne said. "It was, "˜This is Dr. Michelle Velez,' and that's it. She's just another person in society who just happens to be transgender."

"A lot has changed in 10 years, and the idea that we're still having a dialogue and the parts and the roles are becoming deeper and more complex and more advanced, it says something for our society," she added, excited about her new role. "Of course we have a long way to go, but Grey's is another great show that's taking the steps to include everyone in their show."

Are you excited to see the rest of season 14? What do you think about 'Grey's' new storyline?

Moojan has been a writer at Shared for a year. When she's not on the lookout for viral content, she's looking at cute animal photos. Reach her at moojan@shared.com.