Ten years after leaving the hit ABC drama, the actress recalls her audition (for Bailey!
), the “Somebody sedate me!”
meme, and Cristina’s friendship with Meredith.
Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Credit:Eric McCandless/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
Frank Ockenfels/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What madeGrey’ssomething you wanted to audition for?
It’ll never go."
There was a year that I shot four films, but really I only worked four weeks.
(Clockwise from top left) Isaiah Washington, Sandra Oh, James Pickens, Jr., Ellen Pompeo, T.R. Knight, Patrick Dempsey, Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, and Chandra Wilson on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Frank Ockenfels/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
And you know me, that’s just not enough.
I want to work.
So I decided I wanted to try a data pipe show out.
George Bailey (T.R. Knight), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Ron Tom/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
What was the audition process like?
I have to tell you, I really, really remember it.
I remember where people were even sitting in the room, and I wore scrubs!
Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Ron Tom/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
And they said, “Okay, great.
Come back in, we’d like to see you test [for the data pipe executives].”
But every so often you just need to grow.
Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Scott Garfield/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
you gotta push yourself.
And it was not cast.
I thought that there was a lot of real dramatic gold in that character.
Sara Ramirez, Chyler Leigh, Kevin McKidd, Patrick Dempsey, Eric Dane, Jessica Capshaw, and Sandra Oh on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Karen Neal/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
I would really like to try for Cristina."
And they were open to it.
And the rest is history?
Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.Karen Neal/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
And I have very, very good representation, and they told me just to leave the test.
So I actually never tested for Cristina.
Ron Tom/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
What was it like filming that first nine-episode season?
The ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ cast.Michael Desmond/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
And how did you feel the character of Cristina evolve over that time?
And I felt that the character of Cristina was laid out really, really well.
And I think that’s true of people: There are certain characteristics that just don’t ever change.
She doesn’t have an understanding of how to be relational.
And it’s really the friendships that make her a fuller person, a deeper person.
She used to put her ambitions and need to be right first.
That eventually softened because of the relationships that grew over the 10 years that Cristina was on television.
Did you all have a feeling then that it would be something that would take off with viewers?
And I did not.
But it makes sense.
I also loved being able to use my full body to express the character.
It was such a bonding thing between them.
We also have to talk about the “Somebody sedate me!”
scene from season 2….
Oh, man.
Knight…. [laughs] Basically, here’s a woman who is going through a breakdown, right?
It’s very sad and serious.
I remember I was absolutely crying, crying non-stop.
That has to be one of the most meme’dGrey’smoments.
That and Cristina winning the hot dog eating contest later that season.
And someone who’s having a breakdown and crying non-stop, but yelling at people to sedate her….
I just think that says so much about a character.
That was a hard scene to film.
I’m free."
And I just remember I really understood it.
It was a very, very emotional shoot.
It was going to be the two of them.
Was that invigorating, or did you yearn for when it was just the original cast?
Honestly, we needed it.
And also, it just creates drama and new dynamics especially when you get those great love triangles.
So I was always happy for all of that.
Some things the show tried out might have not have worked, and then they went away.
People absolutely came, people left.
I think lots of characters died.
But the writers were always trying to find interesting ways just to keep the show going.
And I’m so happy for it.
You always eventually neednew people, new ideasto breathe in new life.
I took it very, very seriously.
I really had a lot of contemplative time to figure out what it was that I wanted and needed.
I knew in my gut that I had done as much as I could.
I really, really felt I did my job.
How long did you feel that way?
I had a real heart-to-heart talk with Shonda, and she was great.
She was like, “What do you want to do?”
And so I took it really seriously.
But that was the right decision for me.
I felt like, “I think I’m ready.”
So you knew seasons in advance….
It creatively gave the writers a runway, so they could plan.
And I think that they planned it beautifully.
And I think that at least I hope myself and the writers, we did that.
That’s means so much.
Yes, as Cristina, but also for me, as the actor.
It was a beautiful, beautiful goodbye.
And do you envision a scenario in which you’d actually physically appear as Cristina ever again?
I am glad for the show to use the character as they see fit.
The character should still be there to service the story and so, yay!
And it’s just….
I don’t know.
I just don’t know.
When you finish something, it’s a deep process….
I just cannot tell you….
I can’t stress to you enough how consciously I tried to fully process leaving.
That’s the part that makes me just go,hmmm.
Michael Desmond/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
What fan reactions do you still get that are the most rewarding?
And I also meet people who say it inspired them to go into the health field.
That thrills me, that this show that Shonda put together 20 years ago could have such an impact.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
