There Was the Sweetest 'Grey's Anatomy' Reunion at the 2024 Emmys

While the red carpet may steal the spotlight at big events like the Emmys, tonight's ceremony — which marked the 75th anniversary of the awards — had a major moment that involved one of the most beloved shows of all time. Ahead of the big show, it was announced that the cast of Grey’s Anatomy would be reuniting to present one of the trophies, including Katherine Heigl and Justin Chambers, who played Izzie Stephens and Alex Karev, respectively. The long-running ABC series, which has been nominated 35 times (!!!), wrapped up its 19th season last year.

According to multiple sources, Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey), James Pickens Jr. (Richard Webber), and Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) were set to join Chambers and Heigl and give fans a major dose of nostalgia.

"I'm not sure if Shonda Rhimes knew that she created a show that would have a lasting imprint on television and create lifelong friendships," Pompeo said on the stage. "And yes, there have been some changes over the years, but the one thing that has remained a constant is the incredible fan base," Heigl added.

Wilson finished, saying, "You stayed with us through plane crashes, super storms, earthquakes, and a global pandemic. And as we start our 20th season, we are officially the longest-running primetime medical drama in TV history."

During her time on the red carpet, Heigl said that although fans have been waiting for a reunion for what feels like forever, she feels like the cast stays in touch and that reunions actually happen all the time. 

"It's disconcerting," she told E!'s Laverne Cox about how the cast members' children have grown up together and how they've all shared so many milestones in the last two decades. The show premiered in 2005.

“It was really about how can we celebrate 75 years of television differently?” Emmys executive producer Jesse Collins told The Associated Press when the news broke that the ceremony would pay homage to great moments in television. The show also had tributes to I Love Lucy and had reunions from the casts of Martin, The Sopranos, Ally McBeal, Cheers, and American Horror Story.

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