‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Premiere Surprise: Scott Speedman Joins ABC Medical Drama As Series Regular For Season 18

Nellie Andreeva

September 30, 2021 at 9:35 PM·10 min read

Oops!
Something went wrong.
Please try again later.

SPOILER ALERT: The story includes a detail about tonight’s Season 18 premiere of Grey’s Anatomy.

EXCLUSIVE: Scott Speedman, one of the most memorable guest stars in Grey’s Anatomy history, has joined the cast of ABC’s venerable medical drama as a series regular for its upcoming 18th season. Speedman just made his first appearance in the Grey’s Anatomy season premiere as the surprising reveal to the “someone from Meredith’s past comes back” tease ABC has been running in promos for Thursday’s premiere. (You can see it below.)

More from Deadline

Since Grey’s Anatomy alumna Kate Walsh will be reprising her role as Addison in multiple episodes this coming season (as Deadline revealed earlier this month), many fans assumed that the tease was a reference to her return to the show. But in fact, this “someone from Meredith’s past” was Speedman’s fan favorite Nick Marsh. For the story behind the high-profile cast addition, read Deadline’s exclusive interview with Speedman and Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff, which will be posted after the East Coast airing of the premiere. (UPDATE: You can read it here.)

Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) ran into Nick during a trip to Minnesota, invited by neurosurgeon David Hamilton (played by new recurring guest star Peter Gallagher) to attend the dedication of a research library to her mother. After a brief chance encounter at a restaurant, Nick and Meredith have a drink at her hotel. (You can watch the video below the post.)

The location was a clue because Speedman’s Nick Marsh was a transplant surgeon at the Mayo Clinic when he was introduced in the “One Day Like This” Season 14 episode of Grey’s. Inspired in his career by his mother, who died when he was 15 of heart failure while waiting for a heart transplant, Nick also cared for his teenage niece at the time.

A liver transplant recipient himself, Nick was treated at Grey Sloan when he collapsed while visiting the hospital to retrieve a liver for a patient of his. It was Meredith’s quick thinking that led to the discovery of a life-threatening clot which she surgically removed, saving Nick’s kidney — and likely his life.

Speedman’s instant chemistry with Pompeo had Grey’s fans swooning as sparks flew between Nick and Meredith and she admitted that he made her feel things she hadn’t felt since Derek (Patrick Dempsey) died.

The impact of Speedman’s March 2018 guest spot was so big, fans were convinced he would be joining the show full time in Season 15. Speculation further intensified when it was confirmed shortly after Speedman’s Grey’s appearance that he had left the TNT drama series Animal Kingdom, where he was the male lead. But at the Felicity 20-year reunion panel in July 2018, Speedman dashed fans’ hopes by revealing that he was not returning to the ABC series.

That changed this past summer. In the interview with Deadline, Speedman and Vernoff reveal how he was brought back as the only new series regular for the upcoming Season 18, how long he might be sticking around for, the great lengths to which the show went in order to keep his arrival secret, whose idea Meredith and Nick’s reunion scene was based on, what is in store for the new couple, and whether a potential love triangle with Cormac Hayes is looming. Vernoff also touches on a couple of other major developments in the Season 18 opener.

Adding a big name like Speedman as a new series regular and new love interest for Pompeo’s Meredith, in addition to the return of Walsh, could reinvigorate Grey’s Anatomy following the exits of series regulars Jesse Williams, Greg Germann and Giacomo Gianniotti last season as the series’ producers ABC and Pompeo will soon face the annual decision whether to extend or end the hugely successful series.

The Grey’s Anatomy stint was Speedman first and only one-off guest-starring appearance since the very start of his acting career. Focused primarily on features, he has had three major series runs so far on Felicity, Last Resort, Animal Kingdom and a recurring arc on the upcoming third season of You. He is currently seen in the movie Best Sellers, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. His upcoming features include Sharp Stick and Crimes of the Future.

Speedman is repped by CAA.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Grey's Anatomy Official (@greysabc)

Best of Deadline

SportsYahoo Sports
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly declined $10 billion for team, stadium and F1 race
The value of the Dolphins and Formula One racing is enormous.
SportsYahoo Sports
Welcome to the WNBA: Caitlin Clark's regular-season debut is anything but easy
Clark set the Indiana Fever’s franchise record for turnovers (10), shot 5-of-15 from the floor and struggled with the Connecticut Sun’s physical defense.
U.S.Yahoo Sports
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tees off at PGA Championship after being arrested, charged with felony for incident outside Valhalla
Scottie Scheffler was arrested by police en route to Valhalla Golf Club during a traffic incident.
SportsYahoo Sports
Caitlin Clark, Fever facing plenty of growing pains early after another blowout loss in home debut
The atmosphere was electric for Clark's home debut and there were brief flashes from the Fever, but it's clear they've got plenty to work on before they can compete with the WNBA's elite teams.
SportsYahoo Sports
NBA Draft Combine reactions: Edey oh my, Bronny James is ready & whose stock is rising? | On the Clock with Krysten Peek
Yahoo Sports NBA draft expert Krysten Peek is back for another season of On the Clock with Krysten Peek. Krysten just spent the week in Chicago at the NBA Draft Combine and kicks off draft season joined by CBS Sports' Kyle Boone.
SportsYahoo Sports
2024 NBA Mock Draft 7.0: Who will the Hawks take at No. 1? Our projections for every pick with lottery order now set
With the lottery order set, here's a look at Yahoo Sports' projections for both rounds of the 2024 NBA Draft.
U.S.Yahoo Sports
Scottie Scheffler releases statement following arrest: 'There was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do'
Scheffler was arrested following an incident with an officer outside the entrance to Valhalla Golf Club.
SportsYahoo Sports
What scouts think of Bronny James' NBA prospects
The biggest question looming over the NBA draft combine this week: How will Bronny James do?
SportsYahoo Sports
Fox Sports host Doug Gottlieb hired as Green Bay's coach, will reportedly still host radio show
Gottlieb's repeatedly courted controversy in his media role and will reportedly continue to host his nationally syndicated radio show while coaching Green Bay.
SportsYahoo Sports
2024 NFL schedule: Everything you need to know about this season's slate of games
Here's what you need to know about the 2024 NFL schedule after Wednesday night's announcement.

News

Life

Entertainment

Finance

Sports

New on Yahoo

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Premiere Surprise: Scott Speedman Joins ABC Medical Drama As Series Regular For Season 18

Recommended Stories

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly declined $10 billion for team, stadium and F1 race

Welcome to the WNBA: Caitlin Clark's regular-season debut is anything but easy

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tees off at PGA Championship after being arrested, charged with felony for incident outside Valhalla

Caitlin Clark, Fever facing plenty of growing pains early after another blowout loss in home debut

NBA Draft Combine reactions: Edey oh my, Bronny James is ready & whose stock is rising? | On the Clock with Krysten Peek

2024 NBA Mock Draft 7.0: Who will the Hawks take at No. 1? Our projections for every pick with lottery order now set

Scottie Scheffler releases statement following arrest: 'There was a big misunderstanding of what I thought I was being asked to do'

What scouts think of Bronny James' NBA prospects

Fox Sports host Doug Gottlieb hired as Green Bay's coach, will reportedly still host radio show

2024 NFL schedule: Everything you need to know about this season's slate of games