Today is Addison Montgomery’s birthday!Kate Walsh returns to Grey’s Anatomy as the beloved OB/GYN on Thursday’s episode, and she shared her excitement about her multi-episode arc with ET’s Nischelle Turner over Zoom on Monday evening from Australia, where she is currently residing.”It’s completely surreal,” Walsh said of his return to Grey’s Anatomy. “There’s no way to put it into words. I knew it would be strange, but it was so emotional, and so big, and so beyond, because when was the last time you went back to a job you started 18 years ago and left 10 years ago? You understand what I mean? There isn’t any infrastructure. There is no construct for it because, even if you say, ‘Oh, it’s like going home to your parents,’ and you’re like, ‘Wait, this is my room?’ ‘OK, that’s right, I have an aeroplane bed.’
” Walsh reappears in the halls of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to work on a complicated medical case while also whipping the new class of residents into shape. Because, as the preview suggests, they’ve become a little too relaxed.
The 54-year-old actress, who was a Grey’s Anatomy series regular for seasons 2 and 3 before launching her own spinoff, Private Practice, for six seasons, hasn’t worn Addison’s high heels in nearly a decade.”We’d been talking about [me] coming back and just having a quick visit for a while. It’s such an iconic show, and it was such an important show for me in my life and career, that [executive producer/showrunner] Krista [Vernoff] and I had been talking about finding the right time for Grey’s and storylines and scheduling and everything else “Walsh divulged. “And I thought to myself, “You know what? This is the ideal time. Also, as I previously stated, the storey and writing are fantastic.
Jamie Denbo, a longtime friend of mine, wrote the first episode in which I appear, and it is fantastic. The writing is… classic, almost vintage Grey’s Anatomy. Hopefully, it walks that fine line between making you laugh and cry.””It was very emotional, and I believe it will be for the fans as well. I think every interview I’ve ever done in the last ten years or so has included the question, ‘Would you ever go back?’ “She went on. “So, guess what, the answer is yes. I’m doing it, I’ve done it, and I’m hoping that people will enjoy it. I’ve received very positive feedback from a few people behind the scenes who have seen the episode and are very excited.” Eric McCandless/ABC Walsh also discussed the promo for her return episode, acknowledging that her fiery entrance was a nod to her dramatic introduction in the season 1 finale back in 2005, when Addison unexpectedly appeared and said to Meredith, “You must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband.”
“It was also amusing when we first did that in the Zoom table read. It was extremely amusing “She recalled that longtime Grey’s Anatomy fans would appreciate her updated line. “OK, this is awesome, I thought. It’s a complete wink and a nod, a complete kitsch moment.”She admitted she was “worried” and “nervous” about being reintroduced into Grey’s universe. “I told Krista and the delightful and incredibly talented Chandra Wilson, who plays Bailey and now directs a lot of the episodes — she directed the episode. It felt like an old-fashioned homeschool week, and I knew I was in good hands. ‘It’s so strange how you became an actress so quickly — ‘Wait, does my hair look OK?’ I said to her.
‘Did I do it correctly?’ You just become this quivering insecure person, and in that moment, all you have to do is land it, and I’m like, ‘I hope it worked!'”Walsh was coy when asked about the current state of Addison and Meredith’s relationship, which had been on a roller coaster of ups and downs.”I can’t say too much about it because it kind of unfolds and there’s a big reveal in this episode. But I believe Addison has always respected her, and I believe she has always respected Addison’s professional abilities and where they have led her. It’s one of my favourite scenes — the ‘Get me Meredith Grey,’ as seen in the trailers “She teased, saying she’ll be there for at least two episodes.
“So in this episode, we get to work together, and there’s some good personal stuff that comes up as well. Fans will be pleasantly surprised and satisfied, but in an unexpected way. That’s all I have to say.”With the renewed interest in her character as a result of her return, could Walsh see a future in which she returns to Grey’s for an extended period of time? She didn’t completely dismiss the idea, but she did point out logistical issues that would make a longer arc difficult.
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