Which 'Grey's Anatomy' Stars Will Be In Season 13?

After spending a decade in her role as Dr. Callie Torres on the ABC medical drama, Sara Ramirez's announcement that she would be leaving Grey's Anatomy came as a huge shock to fans. If you want this whole Grey's Anatomy Season 13 actors issue resolved so you can finally sleep at night, though, I have some very welcome news for you: other than Ramirez, all your favorites will be back. Yep. Let's sit and savor this for a moment. Original co-stars like "Chandra Wilson (Bailey), James Pickens Jr. (Richard) and Justin Chambers (Alex) in addition to Kevin McKidd (Owen)," are returning, states The Hollywood Reporter and have signed contracts that will keep them on the show for the next season. This is in addition to the fact that Meredith Grey herself, Ellen Pompeo, has been confirmed to return as well.

This wasn't necessarily a given: Sara Ramirez's departure from the show came just one season after longtime hospital heartthrob Patrick Dempsey's character perished in a car crash. His character Derek Shepherd's death came as a surprise to both cast and audience alike, since Dempsey had signed a contract committing him to both Seasons 11 and 12.

“We didn't know a whole lot. It was kind of on the fly,” James Pickens Jr., one of the few original cast members, told ABC News at the time. “So whatever information we got, we pretty much got it kind of right before it happened.”

Despite Dempsey's absence, the show has gone from strength to strength in Season 12, with the same Hollywood Reporter article citing figures that show Season 12 took the spot as ABC's highest rated drama for "the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic — a rarity for a show in its 12th year."

This is pretty special in the competitive world of medical dramas — NBC cancelled Heartbeat after just one season in May 2016. And it's extra special when you consider how Grey's Anatomy came into being, starting life as a mid-season replacement for Boston Legal.

So fingers crossed that what they say about the number thirteen holds true for Grey's Anatomy's upcoming season: lucky for some. And hopefully, luckiest for those at the Seattle Grace hospital.

Images: ABC (2)