Sara Ramirez’s Callie left after Grey’s Anatomy season 12 — here’s why. The medical drama series has seen many, many characters leave for different reasons that range from behind-the-scenes troubles to simply wanting to try other projects. Among those is Callie Torres, played by Sara Ramirez, who left the series after season 12 in 2016. Created by Shonda Rhimes, Grey’s Anatomy debuted on ABC in 2005 as a mid-season replacement, but it was so well-received that it has lived on for over ten seasons. Of course, the cast has gone through a lot of changes, with many fan-favorites leaving the show and many more joining to add more drama to the mix.
Grey’s Anatomy follows the basic premise of medical dramas, focusing on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attending physicians as they do their best to juggle their personal and professional lives. The series is led by Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), through which the audience has met a variety of people. Among them is Callie Torres, who first appeared in Grey’s Anatomy season 2. Callie went on to become part of the main cast and a favorite among fans, which is why her departure in season 12 left viewers shocked and wondering why she left in the first place.
Callie is an orthopedic surgeon whose personal life became the primary focus of her arc. Callie was married to George O’Malley but she divorced him after he cheated on her with Izzie Stevens. She later got involved with her best friend Mark Sloan, and eventually realized she’s bisexual. Before Erica Hahn left Grey’s Anatomy in season 5, she and Callie were romantically involved. Callie went on to marry Arizona Robbins, but the marriage ended after she started to feel “suffocated,” while Arizona stated she couldn’t live without her. Callie started dating Penny and wanted to move to New York with her, but after a custody battle with Arizona over their daughter, Sofia, she broke up with Penny. Arizona ended up offering her a custody agreement so she could move to New York, and so Callie left Grey’s Anatomy in season 12.
Why Sara Ramirez Left Grey’s Anatomy
More often than not, especially in Grey’s Anatomy’s case, actors end up leaving due to behind-the-scenes issues, but that wasn’t the case with Sara Ramirez. Callie Torres was on Grey’s Anatomy for ten years, so Ramirez felt it was time to leave the show after having been on it for that long, sharing on Twitter that she was “deeply grateful” to have been a part of Grey’s Anatomy for a decade, but was going to take “some welcome time off.” Rhimes later shared (via US Magazine) that she had a different plan for Callie when Ramirez told her she needed to take a break, but Ramirez left the door open to return someday, though that hasn’t happened yet.
Callie’s departure seemed abrupt to some, but compared to the fates of other characters in Grey’s Anatomy, it wasn’t a bad ending. It’s unknown if there are plans to bring Callie back, even if briefly, in future seasons, but it’s good to know Ramirez isn’t opposed to the idea – after all, Callie became one of the most important characters in Grey’s Anatomy, as well as the longest-running LGBT character in TV history. Following her time on Grey’s Anatomy, Ramirez moved on to other projects, including playing Che Diaz in Sex and the City’s revival series And Just Like That…
Will Sara Ramirez’s Callie Return To Grey’s Anatomy?
While Grey’s Anatomy fans shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for Callie to return, never say never. In May 2021, Sarah Drew, who played April Kepner, returned in Grey’s Anatomy season 17, episode 14. April and Jackson reunited onscreen and many fans hoped the same thing would happen eventually for Callie. If nothing else, Callie’s return could include a storyline between her and Arizona, who moved to New York to be closer to her. While it’s hard to imagine Grey’s Anatomy will bring Callie back unless she returns to Seattle for a while, there have been several alums revisiting the medical drama as of late — including Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd, who appeared to Meredith in a dream — and the opportunity for Sara Ramirez to come back as Callie at some point before Grey’s Anatomy is over is always a possibility.
