It’s been 11 years since Sandra Oh starred on Grey’s Anatomy (apparently causing Shonda Rhimes a bit of grief), and pretty much ever since then, fans have been wondering if and when we’ll see Cristina Yang again. The series’ 22nd season is set to hit the 2025 TV premiere schedule this fall, and once again the actress addressed a potential comeback, giving quite a thoughtful response in the process.
Sandra Oh has said she gets asked about a Grey’s Anatomy return all the time, and despite her basically saying it’s never going to happen, I’ve remained thick-skulled enough to continue holding out hope for Cristina to reunite with BFF Meredith Grey. Oh has put a lot of thought into it over the last decade, and it sounded like she was warming to the idea when she was asked about it again at a New York Times event this month. She said (via People):
What I have noticed, this is 10 years out from leaving the show, is the deep appreciation that I have for the people who appreciate Cristina. It is that love that has made me go, ‘Oh. The fans really, really, really want it,’ and for the first time, that’s when I started opening up the idea.
sudden loss of anonymity as “traumatic” when she, Ellen Pompeo and their co-stars skyrocketed to fame in 2005. Her anxiety and the pressure she put on herself began affecting her physical health.
The actress’ final episode of Grey’s Anatomy was the Season 10 finale in 2014 — “Fear (of the Unknown)” — in which Cristina dances it out with Meredith one last time before leaving for Zürich and her new job at the Klausman Institute for Medical Research.
Rumors began spreading almost instantly that she was making a comeback, even after she shut them down, voicing her commitment to Killing Eve, a role that — like Grey’s Anatomy — earned her a Golden Globe Award and several Emmy nominations. It also changed TV forever.
Sandra Oh has continued to stick to her guns, insisting that Grey’s Anatomy is behind her, and the fact that she’s given it so much thought is really a sign that it’s time for fans to make peace with moving forward. Even if she won’t appear on Season 22 this fall, however, we can still relive Cristina Yang’s 10-season run — or any of our other favorite Grey’s Anatomy eras — with all 21 seasons available to stream with either a Netflix subscription or a Hulu subscription.