With Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) coming back to Grey Sloan during the April 4 episode of Grey’s Anatomy, we’ve all wondered if Callie (Sara Ramírez) will join her.
Well, Season 20 showrunner Meg Marinis has the answer: Unfortunately, Callie will not appear in the episode.
Marinis told TV Line that “there are so many [alumni], and everyone has busy careers and schedules,” so Ramírez was unable to return. Arizona’s reason for coming back to Grey Sloan is “really connected” to her specialty as a pediatric surgeon, so it “made sense” in this case for Callie’s absence.
“We have an open-door policy here,” Marinis said about former cast members returning. “We always want to see old characters come back and interact with the new characters.”
According to ABC’s description of Season 20 Episode 4, Arizona “returns to Grey Sloan for a particularly complicated case. The interns are interrogated about their past mistakes, while Teddy is eager to return to work after her health scare.”
Capshaw’s return marks her first appearance as Arizona since the Season 14 finale. In the 2018 episode, Arizona leaves Seattle for New York, where Callie lives with their daughter Sophia. Arizona and Callie started dating in Season 5 and married in Season 7.
The fan-favorite couple’s relationship experienced incredible highs and devastating lows during their run on Grey’s Anatomy. Callie and Arizona’s custody trial over Sophia was particularly brutal to watch.
Ramirez left the show at the end of Season 12. Capshaw stayed on for two additional seasons. It’s unclear what Callie and Arizona’s relationship status is in the present day, but hopefully, Arizona will give an update while she’s at Grey Sloan.
Since leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Capshaw has appeared in the TV series Tell Me Lies and the Netflix rom-com Holidate. Ramirez notably starred as Che Diaz in And Just Like That… and Kat Sandoval in Madam Secretary.
Do you think Callie and Arizona are back together? Let us know in the comments below.
Grey’s Anatomy, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC