T.R. Knight: “Why I left Grey’s Anatomy”
Knight says what we were all thinking: there was a “breakdown of communication” with executive producer Shonda Rhimes.
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Actor T.R. Knight has finally spoken up on his exit from Grey’s Anatomy in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Knight, who played George O’Malley, says what we had all pretty much concluded, that there was a “breakdown of communication” between himself and executive producer Shonda Rhimes.
That would explain why he was barely on screen for the whole last season.
Rather than discuss the problem with Rhimes, he tellingly admits, “My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given [about George],” he explains. “And with respect, I’m going to leave it at that.”
He adds that he came to the conclusion that his character had simply “expired.”
Knight also talks about the incident with Isaiah Washington, which led to his coming out publicly as a gay actor.
He says Rhimes was among those who tried to discourage him from coming out: “I think she was concerned about having my statement come out so close to the [initial] event.”
Rhimes denies this: “I said, ‘If you want to come out, that’s awesome. We’ll totally support that.’ And then he went away, thought about it, and came back and said, ‘I’m going to make this statement.’ I remember saying to [fellow executive producer] Betsy Beers, ‘This is our proudest day here. T.R. got to come out, and I got to say to him that it wouldn’t affect his character’ — because he was concerned that he was going to come out and George would suddenly be gay. I was like, ‘We are not going to do that.’ The idea that a gay actor can’t play a straight man is insulting.”
Castmate and friend Katharine Heigl tried to talk him out of it. “I didn’t think it was the right decision,” she says. “I felt like some of the problems could be worked through. But by the time it came to fruition, I was [glad] for him because he was ready to go.”
Before Grey’s Knight had not hit the realms of TV stardom. But to those who dismiss his move as a spoiled ‘star’ he says: “There are a lot of people who would like to be in my position. But in the end, I need to be fulfilled in my work.”
Source: EW.com
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7 Responses
“his coming out publicly as a gay actor.”
hehe
:'( thats two much to handle at once: gay – and an actor
phwoar
so just leave it.
“Why I left Grey’s Anatomy”…to save your credibility?
Being out as gay (not that there’s anything wrong with it) wouldn’t have helped TR’s work situation, as some actors (like Neil Patrick Harris) are happy being open about it if they’re asked, whereas other gay actors whom readers could name (who they know also are) prefer being private.
The problem was that George’s storylines were too dependant on his relationships with the female characters in the show. Once they were all settled in relationships with other men, there was nothing/no-one left for George. That’s why he “expired”.
Good luck to him. Its going to be interesting to see if he will be around in 5 years time
George was under used but it’s a shame he has to go, we all know the last scene now but does that mean he will be killed off? Is there a chance of a guess appearance in coming years?