If the words “Grey’s Anatomy” and “happy ending” don’t feel like they belong in the same sentence, it’s understandable; the Shondaland hit has delivered so many tragic conclusions to its seasons — and its characters’ lives — that it’s practically illegal to watch a season finale without a box of tissues in hand. Not this time, though (unless you’re crying happy tears). Despite some nail-biting moments, the end of season 22 was ultimately a joyful affair, with no scene sweeter than when the estranged Teddy and Owen closed out their time on Grey’s with an ecstatic romantic reunion.
The most exciting part? The couple’s move to Paris so that cardio queen Teddy can run a surgical innovation incubator. Finally, it’s now the time when her career is coming first. It’s a fitting coda to the character’s 16-year transformation from a self-described “Attachment Barbie” to a powerful and self-reliant leader. She ends up with Owen (Kevin McKidd), yes, but it’s on her own terms — much to the satisfaction of actor Kim Raver, who (along with McKidd) is sadly hanging up her scrubs after this season of Grey’s.
“That was really important to me,” Raver tells Shondaland. “I love that Teddy was able to open up a space for herself and her needs as a human, as a woman. That opened her up to then be able to come back to the love of her life.”
Below, read more of the star’s thoughts on leaving Grey’s, her exciting new projects, and why Teddy and Owen needed to be the “endgame.”
RACHEL SIMON: That finale was such a nice goodbye to Teddy Altman, especially that ending montage showing all her major Grey’s Anatomy moments.
KIM RAVER: They did such an incredible job. It was a beautiful finale. The writers’ room did a great lead-up to it, and they put forth a great story.
RS: What was it like to film that final episode?
KR: I just felt enormous gratitude every day that we were filming the finale, for being able to inhabit such an incredible character over the years and for how hard our crew works. It’s been such a gift to be able to work with such an extraordinarily talented crew and cast and writers’ room. … I’m so grateful for all of the hours that we’ve all spent together and how this has really become a family for me.
RS: What do you think about Teddy and Owen ending up together?
KR: We all really wanted Teddy and Owen to be endgame because they have been through so much and our fans have gone through so much with them. I think everyone agreed in their heart of hearts that they should end up together. I love that they got back together but that they are stronger individuals [than before], which is going to make the relationship even stronger down the road. I was really happy about that.
RS: Me too. I’m so glad Teddy took that amazing job in Paris because it’s proof that she’s finally prioritizing herself.
KR: I completely agree with you. That was important. Meg [Marinis, the showrunner of Grey’s] and I had a wonderful conversation about how one of my favorite moments last season — even though it was sort of heartbreaking. As women, we give a lot to everyone around us, so I thought it was so profound that she was choosing herself even at the expense of other things around her. I wanted to be able to tell that story.
RS: Teddy’s come a long way since her early days on Grey’s. How do you think she’s changed the most over the years?
KR: I think she’s fully come into her own in terms of wanting to have her own voice and know what her own needs are. She’s now able to self-advocate and love herself. Instead of trying to live through others, she’s really come into her own power. And it’s other women who’ve helped her find that power, which I think is really important. Like when she was trying to figure out how to negotiate a salary, it was Bailey and Amelia who helped her ask for more, for what she deserves.
She’s become a professional titan who’s breaking barriers in medicine with new surgeries, but she’s still also trying to navigate the very everyday life of being a human … and she’s taking more accountability for a lot of her big, bold mistakes. In her personal life, she’s made some really messy choices. But what I have loved about being on the show and being part of Shondaland is that it allows the characters to take big swings, make mistakes, and be held accountable for them but then also to grow from them.
RS: Speaking as someone who separated from her husband to explore her LGBTQ+ identity at the exact same time that Teddy did last year, I found her whole to be especially meaningful.
KR: Oh, my god, that’s incredible! Isn’t it so great that you had Teddy? That’s what’s so unbelievable about Shonda Rhimes, and Shondaland, and all the writers, and Meg. Life is complicated, and to be able to have characters reflect back that real life, to have that representation, is so nice. … I’m sure that must have been a lot, but I think it’s amazing that we can show characters’ growing pains so that people who are viewing them feel less alone in the world.
RS: Speaking of viewers, Grey’s Anatomy fans expressed an outpouring of love for Teddy when the news broke that you were leaving the show. What did you make of these reactions?
KR: What’s so beautiful about this show is the fan base. It’s a beautiful, reciprocal thing. Shonda Rhimes was able to create this wonderful world with these very messy characters that are very human, and I think the fans really react to that. The show has continued this long because of this amazing fan base that we have. They’re just so clued in! They know all of the moments and all of the details — like, they remember things that we forgot from years past. And they’re so caring. You can see it in the videos and tributes that they make, and the things that they send [to us]. It’s an honor to be part of such a historic show that is supported by such a devoted fan base.
RS: You’ve gotten to be part of the world of Grey’s not only as an actor but also of multiple episodes. Why did you decide to take on that role?
KR: My mentor Debbie Allen opened up the directing world for me. … As an actor, you get to imagine how the story is going from what the incredibly talented writers provide, and I love the collaboration that springboards from that. But directing does that on such a larger scale by telling the greater story through everyone. I also love being an advocate for all the actors, seeing how everyone approaches their craft in different ways, and being there to support them.
It’s been so exciting for me to be able to expand on my own craft I’ve been doing for so long. And Shondaland is so generous that way. When you look around and see who they’ve hired in all the different departments, it’s like the medical saying “See one; do one.” Well, it feels that way in Shondaland too. It’s like, “See one; be one.” You see Debbie directing, and you’re like, “It’s possible,” and then you go on that path. It’s so inspirational.
RS: Are you going to keep directing?
KR: Yeah, I really want to keep directing. That’s very exciting to me. I’m working on a project I have the book rights to. It’s female-led, female-driven. That’s something I’m definitely passionate about.
RS: I can’t wait to see what’s next for you, even though we’ll all miss you on Grey’s.
KR: In television, it’s lightning in a bottle that a show lasts this long. To have been able to inhabit this character for so many years and play all of the different experiences she’s gone through, with such an extraordinarily talented ensemble of cast and crew, has been a blessing. It’s been this amazing journey, and I still look at it as ongoing.