Ahead of Grey’s Anatomy season 22 finale airing May 7, Kevin McKidd reflected on his nearly 20-year run on the show and whether he plans to return after his exit.
Kevin McKidd is well aware that the carousel never stops turning.
As the fate of his Grey’s Anatomy character Dr. Owen Hunt remains up in the air ahead of the Shonda Rhimes series’ finale May 7, the actor reflected on officially hanging up his scrub cap after announcing his exit from the show last month.
“I feel really grateful,” McKidd told E! News in an exclusive interview. “I started on this show as a guest star and I didn’t know how long I’d stay but me and Sandra Oh and the cast got on really well and the character seemed to pop.”
Indeed, McKidd joined the series during its fifth season back in 2008 as a love interest for Oh’s Dr. Cristina Yang, and has continued playing Owen alongside the show’s remaining stars including Ellen Pompeo, Caterina Scorsone and Kim Raver—who also recently announced her exit after 16 years—ever since.
“Most actors don’t get anything like this—I feel really lucky that this has happened,” McKidd continued. “This show really—in a real way—has completely changed my life in many, many great ways.”
McKidd might be feeling grateful, but Grey’s fans are currently feeling anxious after quite the cliffhanger in season 22’s penultimate episode.
In the final moments, Dr. Teddy Altman (Raver) listens to a voicemail that reveals Owen is in grave danger following a catastrophic bridge collapse.
Grey Sloan Memorial doctors have certainly survived worse, but if Owen’s latest crash proves to be fatal, it wouldn’t be the first time a beloved Grey’s character has met a catastrophic end.
And while fans will have to wait for the finale to see his character’s fate, McKidd could at least be certain that he hasn’t said his final goodbye to the show.
“The thing about Grey’s Anatomy for me, it’s been 20 years, almost,” McKidd explained. “It really is like my family and my home in a very real sense, not just a metaphorical sense. Some of my best friends are there. The connections we’ve made and the episodes we’ve made. It’s a really strong family.”
McKidd—who has directed nearly 50 Grey’s episodes—assured at the very least, “I’ll be back to direct on the show for sure.”
Naturally, McKidd also played a large part in his character’s swan song, adding, “I have to say, I directed this finale and I’m really proud of this episode of television.”
