When “Grey’s Anatomy” viewers last saw Jessica Capshaw as Arizona Robbins —at the end of the ABC drama’s 14th season — she was moving to New York City so her daughter Sofia could be with both of her parents. But at the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena on Saturday, ABC announced that Capshaw will be among the show’s Season 20 guest stars and will appear on one episode.
Alex Landi, who’s appeared as orthopedic surgeon Nico Kim since Season 15, will also return to the show as a guest star.
Natalie Morales (“Dead to Me,” “The Morning Show”) and Freddy Miyares (“When They See Us”), meanwhile, will make their “Grey’s Anatomy” debuts. Morales will play Monica Beltran, who, according to her character description, is “a pediatric surgeon whose pragmatism and level-headedness have made her one of the best in her field.” And Miyares will be among the recurring cast as Dorian, who is “an intelligent, warm and likable patient who is involved in a serious accident and is struggling with his future.”
It will be Capshaw’s return as Arizona that will garner the most attention from fans, since she was let go from “Grey’s Anatomy” in a cast culling before Season 15 —one that also included series regular Sarah Drew (who played April Kepner). ABC has not specified when viewers will see her. Season 20 of “Grey’s Anatomy” will premiere on March 14.
Capshaw first joined the medical drama in its fifth season for what was meant to be a three-episode arc. She stayed for the rest of the season, and ended up becoming up a series regular in Season 6, making Arizona one of the the first lesbian characters on network television in leading roles.
Along with Sara Ramírez’s Callie Torres, Arizona was one half of the supercouple nicknamed “Calzona.” As Capshaw said about Arizona in a statement when she left “Grey’s Anatomy,” “She was one of the first members of the LGBTQ community to be represented in a series regular role on network television. Her impact on the world is forever.”
