The Grey’s Anatomy cast featured Dr. April Kepner for 202 episodes of the show. Played by actress Sarah Drew, the character was very recognizable due to her mannerisms and how she went about doing her job.
The first appearance of April was during Season 6, Episode 5 of Grey’s Anatomy. Mercy West Medical Center merged with Seattle Grace Hospital during the night, forcing all of the doctors from both places into one location. April came over from Mercy West, and as a result, she was not accepted right away by the inhabitants of Seattle Grace.
April stuck around and went from a supporting character on the show to a main character that routinely had stories at the center of episodes. That included marrying Jackson Avery (played by Jesse Williams) and having two kids with him. Their son Samuel passed away, while their daughter Harriet is still within the Grey’s Anatomy universe.
Things didn’t end up working out between April and Jackson, which later led to April getting married to Matthew Taylor (played by Justin Bruening). Matthew was a paramedic on the show and that’s how he crossed paths with April and ended up sticking around.
What happened to April Kepner on Grey’s Anatomy?
Grey’s Anatomy nearly killed off April Kepner, putting her in a severe car accident where it seemed like she wasn’t going to survive. At that point, fans already knew that actress Sarah Drew was leaving the show, so we all thought that her character was going to die. She didn’t, though, and April left Grey Sloan to help the homeless.
Why did Sarah Drew leave the Grey’s Anatomy cast?
As Season 14 of Grey’s Anatomy was closing in on a season finale, some news broke about the show. It was revealed that Sarah Drew and Jessica Capshaw (she played Arizona) were getting removed from the Grey’s Anatomy cast as the show moved in a different direction.
After nine years, Drew was cut from the cast as the show adjusted things behind the scenes. One of the rumors, at the time, was that the huge contract Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey) received would lead to cuts in other areas.
Grey’s Anatomy spoilers about April Kepner
Some exciting Grey’s Anatomy spoilers reveal that April Kepner is returning to the show. It will be very interesting to see how she is worked back into the fold, but we really hope that she is not stopping by due to a funeral for Meredith Grey.
Camilla Luddington (she plays Jo) also did a recent interview where she hinted at many other guest stars set to appear on Grey’s Anatomy Season 17. Fans will want to make sure to tune in each Thursday night as we get to see more faces from the past return.
Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.