Why did Dr Torres leave Grey's Anatomy​?

Last Modified Apr 13, 2025 20:07 EDT
Why did Dr Torres leave Grey's Anatomy​?
Dr. Torres (Source: Instagram)


Dr. Torres left Grey's Anatomy in Season 12 to move to New York.


Grey’s Anatomy is a superhit American medical drama series made by Shonda Rhimes. It was released in 2005 on the ABC network and currently has 21 seasons. The 21st season aired recently in September 2024. The show is set in the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital formerly known as the Seattle Grace Hospital. The story is about the personal and professional lives of interns, residents, and attending doctors in the hospital. The original cast of Grey’s Anatomy included Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, Sandra Oh, Isaiah Washington, James Pickens Jr., T. R. Knight, and Chandra Wilson.


Dr. Callie Torres, played by Sara Ramirez, was one of the main characters of Grey’s Anatomy. Her character was introduced in the 2nd season. She was portrayed as a confident, competitive, and fun person. She was known for her one-liners. Her character added humor to the show and she is one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ characters in TV history. Fans were saddened when they learned that she had left the show, as she was one of the fan favorites. Here’s a look at the reasons why Dr. Torres left Grey’s Anatomy.


What made Dr Torres leave Grey's Anatomy?


Why did Dr Torres leave Grey's Anatomy​?
Dr. Callie Torris in Grey's Anatomy (Source: Instagram)


In Season 12, Dr. Callie started dating Penny Blake, a surgical resident. In Season 12, Callie's storyline mainly centered on her relationship with her ex-wife, Dr. Arizona Robbins. Penny receives the Preminger Grant and asks Callie to move to New York with her. Callie started planning to move to New York with her and informed Arizona about her decision. Arizona got upset that Callie didn’t discuss it with her before making such a big decision. She filed a lawsuit against Callie for the full custody of their daughter, Sofia.


Throughout the season, Callie fought a tough custody battle with Arizona over their daughter. She managed to get her friends Owen and Meredith to testify for her. Ultimately, Callie lost the lawsuit and Arizona got custody of Sofia. After losing the custody battle, she and Penny ended their relationship. In the Season finale, despite the court order, Arizona agrees to co-parent with Callie after seeing her sadness and allows her to move to New York. She wants Sofia to spend time with both of her mothers.


Related: why did alex leave greys anatomy


Why did Sara Ramirez leave Grey’s Anatomy?


Why did Dr Torres leave Grey's Anatomy​?
Sara Ramirez (Source: Instagram)


After working on the show for 11 seasons, Sara Ramirez announced her exit from Grey’s Anatomy in 2016. US Weekly reported that in a statement, Sara Ramirez had announced that they would be leaving the show. Sara acknowledged the love they received from the fans over the 10 years and expressed their gratitude to the creator of the show, Shonda Rhimes, and their co-actors for their support. They felt that it was time for them to leave the show as they had worked on it for a long time. Sara decided to take a break from work and explore new opportunities.


Shortly after leaving the show, Sara came out as nonbinary and bisexual. After Grey’s Anatomy, Ramirez produced a teen comedy film, Loserville, in 2016. They joined the cast of CBS’s Madam Secretary replacing Bebe Neuwirth in 2017. They appeared in the 4th and 5th seasons of the show from 2017 to 2019. They starred in Sex and the City revival show, And Just Like That…, in 2021 as a non-binary podcast host and comedian.



FAQs about Dr. Callie Torres

A. Sara Ramirez played the role of Dr. Callie Torres in Grey’s Anatomy.

A. Dr. Torres has one daughter, Sofia.

A. Dr. Torres leaves Grey's Anatomy at the end of Season 12.

A. They divorced due to a multitude of reasons including Arizona's infidelity, differing desires for the future and Callie's desire for more independence.

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