Grey’s Anatomy has announced the addition of Michael Thomas Grant to the season 21 cast. Grant, 30, will be portraying James, the hospital’s new openly gay Episcopal chaplain. Described as warm, trained, and spiritual, James has a special affinity for his younger patients and is comfortable in any situation. The character is depicted as being at a crossroads, open to love and taking great leaps of faith.
Grant, known for his role as Leif on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, confirmed the casting news on social media, expressing excitement to join the Grey’s Anatomy cast. The actor reprised his role in the holiday movie Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas following the cancellation of the series in 2021.
Grey’s Anatomy recently announced the addition of a new gay character after the departure of Jake Borelli, who played Dr. Levi Schmitt for seven seasons. Borelli will make several appearances in season 21 to wrap up his storyline.
In addition to Grant’s casting, fans can anticipate the return of Jason George as a series regular. George, who plays Dr. Ben Warren, joined Grey’s Anatomy in 2010 and transitioned to a main cast member from season 12 to 14. He later moved to the firefighter spinoff series, Station 19, where he had a leading role.
Chandra Wilson, an original cast member still on the show, plays Miranda Bailey, who is married to George’s character. Ellen Pompeo, another OG cast member, briefly reduced her on-screen presence in season 20 but is expected to feature in at least seven episodes of season 21 as both a narrator and executive producer.
Grey’s Anatomy season 21 is set to premiere on ABC on Thursday, September 26 at 10 p.m. ET.
