It’s been a long time since Sandra Oh exited Grey’s Anatomy, with Cristina Yang telling Meredith in one of the medical drama’s best episodes that McDreamy “is not the sun. You are.” In the 12 years that have passed, Cristina Yang has remained a fan favorite, with near-constant questions about a potential return. However, everything could have played out differently, as Oh originally auditioned for a different role. The actress opened up about why she fought to be Cristina.
When Grey’s Anatomy Season 23 premieres on the 2026 TV schedule in October, Chandra Wilson will return as Miranda Bailey — one of just two OG characters remaining after 21 years. I think Wilson would agree with Sandra Oh that everything worked out the way it was supposed to, as far as casting goes. Oh sat down with Jesse Tyler Ferguson on Dinner’s On Me, where she revealed:
I actually was auditioning for Chandra Wilson's part, for Bailey. And then for me at that point, I was like, ‘I know what that character's about. Are there any other characters?’ And they say, ‘Oh, the character of Cristina has not been cast.’ And for me, I was like, ‘That's it. That's the antagonist.’
I’d argue that Miranda Bailey wasn’t exactly the caring mentor that she is today. Back in Season 1 the interns were terrified of her. However, Sandra Oh didn’t feel that was the right fit for her, and she made that known. Oh continued:
Do you know what I mean? It's like clearly Meredith is the protagonist. That's the antagonist, at least in the pilot. And I'm like, ‘I want that. I want to do that.’ I said, ‘I’ll come back in, but I only want to audition for Cristina.’
It’s funny to think that there was a time when Cristina Yang was the antagonist of Ellen Pompeo’s character, considering they would go on to become each other’s “person.” But it’s true the first-year interns had to overcome some things before they found common ground and became one of the best TV friendships of all time.
I think Sandra Oh is talented enough to have pulled off playing Miranda Bailey, but I’m certainly glad it worked out the way it did. I absolutely love Chandra Wilson in that role and how she’s evolved her character over the years.
I’m also really glad Sandra Oh advocated for the role of Cristina in such a way. I can imagine that was a scary thing to do, too, because if Shonda Rhimes hadn't thought she was right for the part, Oh would have been out of a job altogether.
We won’t be seeing Sandra Oh when Grey’s Anatomy resumes, but you can relive the Cristina Yang seasons (or rewatch from any of these starting points) by streaming past seasons with either a Hulu subscription or a Netflix subscription.
Meanwhile, big things may be in play for Chandra Wilson’s Bailey after some unexpected Season 22 cliffhangers. Don’t miss the Season 23 premiere at 10 p.m. ET Thursday, October 15, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.
