Hard to imagine now, but one of Shonda Rhimes’ most beloved shows almost never made it to TV. Behind the glitz, the Emmy chatter, and the unforgettable storylines was a behind-the-scenes drama of its own. If it wasn't for Rhimes' fearless determination and her refusal to settle for the ordinary, the predictable, or the “just like everyone else” approach, the groundbreaking series we know today might never have existed.
You've probably guessed what show we're talking about by now, but if you haven't, it's the iconic medical drama that redefined primetime TV and launched Rhimes into television legend status. It's none other than ABC's Grey's Anatomy.
In the new HBO mini-documentary series, Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television, Rhimes opens up about the surprising moment during casting for the Grey's Anatomy pilot episode when the network almost steered her toward an all-white cast. Despite telling her casting agent to consider “everyone,” they kept sending mostly white actors. She confronted the network president and insisted she would not make an "all white show."
Rhimes recalls that everyone in the room was surprised and caught off guard by her statement. She remembers many of them repeatedly saying, “Of course not, of course not. That’s never been the plan,” as they scrambled to reassure her that diversity had always been their intention, even though their initial casting choices suggested otherwise. But that was all it took. After her bold statement, they began sending in a much wider range of actors.
What empowered her to boldly stand up to the network president, you ask? Well, Rhimes states in the documentary that she knew she couldn’t make a show she would be "embarrassed to put on TV." She wanted a show she could proudly share with her parents, and that meant staying true to her vision and insisting on the diversity she believed the story deserved.
“I just knew that I was not going to make a show that I would’ve been embarrassed to put on TV. I wasn’t going to make a show that I was going to turn to my parents and go, ‘Yeah, it has an all white cast, but that’s how TV’s made.’ How was I going to say that to my dad?” - Shonda Rhimes via Parade
In my opinion, what Rhimes did was amazing because she stood up for diversity and inclusion when it wasn’t the easy or expected choice. By insisting on casting actors of all backgrounds, she didn’t just make a more interesting and realistic show.
She created opportunities for talented actors who might otherwise have been overlooked. She also helped change the landscape of television, showing that representation matters, that audiences crave authentic stories, and that one creator’s courage can inspire an entire industry to do better.
Grey's Anatomy season 22 is scheduled to start airing on ABC on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, at 10/9c.