Why did Alex leave Grey's Anatomy​?

Alex left Grey's Anatomy to be with Izzie and their kids.

Grey's Anatomy is a superhit American medical drama made by Shonda Rhimes. It was released in 2005 on ABC and currently has 21 seasons. Its 21st season premiered in September 2024. The show is set in the Seattle Grace Hospital which was later renamed the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The story focuses on the lives of residents, interns, and attending doctors working in the hospital. The show has a long list of cast members, as it is in its 20th year, with only a few original cast members remaining. The original cast had Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr. And Isaiah Washington.

Alex Karev was one of the protagonists of Grey’s Anatomy. He was part of the original cast of the show. He was introduced as a surgical intern at the Seattle Grace Hospital in the 1st season. The show highlights his journey from being an arrogant intern to a compassionate and talented surgeon. His exit from the show left viewers shocked and raised questions regarding the reason behind his exit. Here’s a look at the reasons why Alex left Grey’s Anatomy.

What made Alex leave Grey's Anatomy?

Alex Karev’s exit from the show in Season 16 was unusual and surprised many viewers. In Season 16, he remarries Jo Wilson and helps Meredith with her medical license. In the middle of the season, he left Seattle in the name of visiting his mother in Iowa. Alex started ignoring Jo and Meredith’s calls and messages. Jo calls his mother to understand the situation and learns that he never visited his mother’s house.

In episode 16, titled “Leave a Light On” Jo, Meredith, and Miranda receive letters from Alex. He reconnected with Izzie to find out if she would support Meredith during the trials by giving a recommendation letter. In the middle of the conversation, he heard voices of children in the background and asked Izzie if she had kids. Izzie reveals that she gave birth to his kids by using his embryos which were frozen years ago when he had cancer.

He decided to stay with Izzie and his children in Kansas and leave Jo. He describes his twin children—Alexis and Eli—as stubborn and hilarious like Izzie. He admits that what he did with Jo was wrong and that she deserves better. He informs her that he met a lawyer, signed their divorce papers, and left her the shares he had at the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

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Who played Alex on Grey’s Anatomy?

Justin Willman Chambers played the role of Alex Karev on Grey’s Anatomy. He is an American actor, born on July 11, 1970 in Springfield, Ohio. He started as a model and worked with many fashion brands like Calvin Klein, Armani, and Dolce & Gabbana. He started his acting career in 1995 with the music video "Ants Marching" by Dave Matthews Band. He made his TV debut in 1995 with the TV show Another World.

He is best known for his work as Alex Karev in Grey’s Anatomy. He gained worldwide popularity and received praise from critics for his performance. He won many awards for the show including the Screen Actors Guild Award and the People's Choice Award. Other than Grey’s Anatomy, he has worked on many projects like Liberty Heights (1999), The Wedding Planner (2001), The Offer (2022), etc.

He got married to Keisha Chambers in 1993. The two met when Justin was modeling for a Calvin Klein ad campaign. The couple have 5 children together- 4 daughters and 1 son.