A Forgotten Grey’s Anatomy Guest Star Made 1 Controversial Character Much More Interesting

Grey’s Anatomy’s warehouse of guest stars has always been packed to the brim with a star-studded cast. Several actors graced the screens of the medical drama’s fans with heartfelt cameos before hitting their prime. From modern-day superstars like Sydney Sweeney to veteran actors like John Cho, each one of these talented entertainers has brought to life a character who may have been a temporary addition but was impactful in every sense.

Therefore, when the highly talented Sarah Paulson adorned herself with the ambitiousness and charm of a young Ellis Grey, she won the viewers’ hearts. Her short-lived yet profound portrayal of Meredith Grey’s mother’s days as a surgeon in training helped flesh out the perplexing character. Paulson’s brief addition diluted the controversial character arc of the infamous Harper Avery award-winner doctor.

Sarah Paulson Played a Young Ellis In a Flashback Episode

It Was the First Time Fans Saw Ellis Grey’s Backstory

When the interns learned of Meredith’s last name, they were quick to connect the dots. Everyone, including Cristina Yang, was impressed to know that Meredith was the daughter of the great Ellis Grey. Despite not portraying her in the flesh at that time, the series established Ellis Grey’s supremacy quite early on. She was regarded as one of the country’s best surgeons, having invented the famous “Grey Method.” It was because of this very achievement that Ellis became the first resident ever to be nominated for the Harper-Avery Award. She was relentless, brave and incredibly driven even before she became a world-famous surgeon.

Since Ellis stepped into the world of medicine at a time when female surgeons were looked down on, she had to go that extra mile to prove her worth. Ultimately, her resilience and ambition caused her to neglect her family, which ended up creating a rift between her, Thatcher, and Meredith. Understandably, Meredith’s emotional complexity was a result of her strained relationship with Ellis. She had to spend time in the ORs and near doctors when she should have been playing with dolls. Ellis’s affair with Richard and her being a neglectful mother eventually traumatized Meredith, which only worsened when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Fans first meet Kate Burton’s Ellis Grey in Season 1, Episode 1, suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s. The series later expanded her involvement in Meredith’s life when she was admitted to Seattle Grace for cramping pain and diarrhea. While at the hospital, Ellis treats Meredith poorly, forcing her daughter to relive her messy affair with Richard and break up with her husband. It’s through those excruciating times for Meredith that the fans learn of Ellis’s selfishness and reluctance to be a good mother. Seeing what she did to Meredith, the fans immediately developed a dislike of Ellis Grey, which only proved how impressive Kate Burton was. However, it was when Grey’s Anatomy took a trip down memory lane that the audience learned about Ellis’s struggles, and it was all possible because of Sarah Paulson’s spectacular performance.

Her Performance Was Pivotal to Understanding Ellis Grey’s Complicated Character Arc

Young Ellis Grey Was Optimistic and Driven

The American Horror Story actress appeared as a guest star in Season 6 when Richard Webber told interns and residents about his and Ellis’s memorable case in 1982. In a flashback scene, fans see the talented Sarah Paulson playing a young Ellis Grey, who has just started her residency program at Seattle Grace Hospital. Richard explains that he and Ellis were fiercely focused and competitive because of racial and gender discrimination. The episode is a surprising glimpse into the complicated life of a renowned surgeon who sacrificed everything for her career. Paulson’s depiction of young Ellis is more raw and grounded. She has yet to become the stone-cold and overbearing woman who was introduced in the series, and that offered fans an opportunity to rethink their perception of her. Young Ellis is a little less stern and arrogant and a completely different doctor than what her reputation has made her to be. As a surgical resident, Ellis came across the first GRID or AIDS case in Seattle.

Both Ellis and Richard were compelled to take an interest in Philip Nichols’s case because of the opportunity to stand out and sympathize with someone who was also discriminated against. It was a time when women and black people being at the forefront was considered a stigma, but the most significant social disapproval came at homosexuals and those who had AIDS. Ellis’s capacity to feel for her patient and to go to extreme lengths to ensure healthcare for a patient like Philip reflected her in a positive and humane light. It proves that Ellis Grey wasn’t inherently arrogant or self-serving, but her circumstances forged her into a stern woman. Paulson’s soft expressions and conduct perfectly contrast Burton’s rigidity. Grey’s Anatomy cleverly made use of Paulson’s talent to change the outlook on Ellis Grey, who had easily become one of the most disliked characters on Grey’s Anatomy.

Paulson’s Portrayal Explains Ellis and Richard’s Complicated Love Story

Their Romance Faced Several Setbacks and Obstacles

The flashback episode was pivotal to subduing the disdained relationship between Ellis Grey and Richard Webber. It took Meredith a fair amount of time to forgive both her mother and Richard for what their relationship did to her parents’ marriage. However, with how Ellis had set her path, her marriage would have been in shambles one way or the other. For instance, in the flashback scene, even Richard notices that Ellis is reluctant to spend time with a young Meredith. Even when she could have, Ellis preferred to reserve all her energies for excelling in medicine, which she did, but at the cost of her daughter’s mental health. Before Season 6, fans may not have had a soft spot for Ellis Grey and even Richard Webber. Their actions were self-serving, but that only proves that people aren’t always hardwired to make the right decisions.

With Ellis spending every waking moment in the hospital, she felt lonely, and Richard proved to be a worthy companion who understood her dedication and drive. On the other hand, Eliss’ troubling past had significantly impacted her perception of relationships. She might have found safety in Thatcher’s arms, but it seemed that she was never suited for domestication. Her brief fling with Richard may have seemed like a sure thing for Ellis at the time, but she was clearly in no shape to deal with personal problems. That’s why, for someone with such a tumultuous character arc, a gentler portrayal from Sarah Paulson came like a breath of fresh air. She was more optimistic, open-minded, and even a bit of a romantic. Ellis genuinely believed that she and Richard were meant to be and that they could have a better life and marriage than their current ones. However, Richard’s jealousy and fear of being in Ellis’ shadow led him to break her heart, a cruelty from which she never recovered.

Why the Famous Actress Did Not Return in Season 11

Paulson Was One Of the Most Memorable Guest Stars On the Show

Doctor Ellis Grey officially died in Season 3, Episode 17, but her character returned in Season 11 for a few flashback scenes. When Meredith Grey was struggling to juggle her personal and professional life, she involuntarily remembered her mother and her experience when they had to leave for Boston in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, Sarah Paulson didn’t return to reprise the role of young Ellis because of scheduling issues. By that time, Paulson had become a household name for her impeccable performance in American Horror Story. The actress had been caught up filming for American Horror Story: Freak Show, where she played conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler. Paulson was particularly praised for her unhinged portrayal of the twins, but the demanding role prevented her from committing to other projects. Ultimately, actress Sally Pressman ended up playing a young Ellis in the flashback scenes in which fans finally learned the truth about Maggie Pierce and why Ellis tried to commit suicide.

As Meredith tried to connect the dots in her traumatic memory, she discovered that Richard refusing to leave his wife at the last second completely broke her mother. That was the last time a young Ellis Grey appeared in the show, but veteran actor Kate Burton returned to play the original character for multiple episodes. She reprised her role in Season 15 to appear in Meredith’s dream and in Season 19 when Maggie imagines her mother’s presence during a crucial moment in her life. It’s safe to say that while Ellis Grey has not been a Grey’s Anatomy regular, her storyline and influence have been integral to the narrative. Her life experiences and choices resonated with her daughters, and despite not being a great maternal figure, she managed to transfer her talent and ambition to her daughters. Although fans initially blamed Ellis Grey for all that happened to Meredith, her past arcs softened her image and made her more relatable.