The Truth Behind T.R. Knight's Grey's Anatomy Exit

For many fans of "Grey's Anatomy," particularly in the early days, George O'Malley was a favorite from the jump. One of the original interns nearly 20 seasons ago, lovable George stood out from the crowd. Suddenly the actor who portrayed him, T.R. Knight, was a face many people in America recognized. Gradually, however, George's presence began to dwindle. (Spoilers for "Grey's Anatomy" ahead!)

When George — also known as 007 because he lost his first surgery patient — died tragically while saving someone else, fans were shocked. "Grey's" fans were accustomed to losing favorite characters, but that Season 6 premiere was a real kick in the teeth. Knight has made a few reappearances on the show since his departure, telling followers on Instagram, "George O'Malley will always claim my heart." It's clear that the role was one that Knight cherished, so it makes sense that fans might not be totally up to speed about what prompted his decision to leave. Why did Knight say goodbye to Grey-Sloan Memorial?

Back in 2006, then-cast member Isaiah Washington used a queer slur against T.R. Knight, who was not yet publicly out. The incident of Washington's verbal bigotry prompted Knight to come out later that year. "I guess there have been a few questions about my sexuality, and I'd like to quiet any unnecessary rumors that may be out there," he told People. "While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me." 

Then in 2009, Knight revealed that he also wasn't happy about the way his character was developing on the show. "My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given [about George]. And with respect, I'm going to leave it at that," he told Entertainment Weekly (via CNN). The choice wasn't super surprising, as fans noticed Knight's general disappearance in Season 5. In the wake of "IsaiahGate," Washington was fired. Although Knight said he didn't blame showrunner Shonda Rhimes for how the situation unfolded, he did say that Rhimes wanted him to hold off on coming out. "I think she was concerned about having my statement come out so close to the [initial] event." Rhimes denied this claim, saying, "I said, 'If you want to come out, that's awesome. We'll totally support that.'" She added, "... he was concerned that he was going to come out and George would suddenly be gay ... The idea that a gay actor can't play a straight man is insulting."

Leaving "Grey's Anatomy" was far from the end of the road for T.R. Knight. He has returned to his original home on the stage several times since leaving the show. He got his professional start at The Guthrie Theater in the Twin Cities where he has returned as a guest. He even played Bottom in the Chicago Shakespeare production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in 2018, per WGN. 

Based on his Instagram, Knight is living his best life, surrounded by his dogs and his husband Patrick Leahy — whom he married in 2013, per People. Being away from Grey-Sloan Memorial also hasn't stopped Knight from being best friends with his former co-star Ellen Pompeo. The duo posted an adorable selfie on Instagram to commemorate their friendship, which Knight captioned: "I'm just happy we met when we were fetuses." The original post by Pompeo had a similar caption alluding to how long they've been besties: "Old friends are the BEST friends @t.r.knight... but like we aren't old... we've just known each other for a very long time yes yes that's it...."

Knight has also played Davey Bowden in "The Flight Attendant" for the past two seasons, Max Jacob/J. Edgar Hoover in "Genius," and Reince Priebus in "The Comey Rule," per IMDb. He has even been on Broadway a handful of times, according to Playbill. So if you are a big fan of Knight and miss George O'Malley on "Grey's," keep an eye out for him onscreen and onstage.