Jessica Capshaw Blew Grey's Anatomy Audition Twice, But Still Got The Best Part

If you have watched at least some parts of Grey's Anatomy, you are probably familiar with fan-favorite pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins, portrayed by Jessica Capshaw, who was a recurring character in the medical drama from season 5 through season 14.

She was incredibly strong, positive, funny, and at times charming, and her on-screen presence was loved by so many people that some of the most loyal fans left the show after her.

It's hard to imagine the show today without Arizona Robbins. However, not many people know that she wasn't supposed to be a character at all.

Jessica Capshaw admitted that she has always loved Grey's Anatomy so much that when the chance to audition came up, she couldn't pass it up.

Two weeks after giving birth to her son, the Spanx-clad actress went to audition for Shonda Rhimes but never got the part.

That wasn't the end for the actress, however, as her performance was remembered and she was invited to audition for another role. Unfortunately, this was also a miss.

"And then, you know, they treated the people they love the way they should. They called me and said "Come in, do three episodes", and then I did, and the character grew into a series regular, which I feel very grateful and happy about," the actress recalled in her interview with Ellen DeGeneres.

Although Capshaw seemingly failed in both auditions, she managed to impress Shonda Rhimes with her writing so much that she wrote Arizona Robbins as a recurring character with a three-episode arc.

Needless to say, she turned out to be worth many more episodes, as Capshaw stayed on as a regular cast member for another 9 years.

If you're feeling nostalgic and want to relive Arizona Robbins' arc from start to finish, you can watch past seasons of Grey's Anatomy on Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu.

Or tune in every Thursday to catch up on the new season 19 episodes currently airing on ABC.

Source: TheEllenShow Youtube