“Grey’s Anatomy” is bringing back another familiar face for Season 22. Jesse Williams, the actor behind fan-favorite Dr. Jackson Avery, will guest star on the Oct. 30 episode of the ABC medical drama, setting the stage for a tense reunion with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo).
His return was teased in a promo for Episode 4 after Thursday’s new episode. The short moment saw him bonding with new chief resident Dr. Ben Warren (Jason George). A logline for the episode reads, “The interns juggle a bizarre trauma, while a complex breast reconstruction forces Meredith into a tense partnership.”
That tense partnership likely signals that Jackson and Meredith will be partnering up to help this patient, the first time they’ve worked together since the titular surgeon sparred with Dr. Catherine Avery (Debbie Allen) over her Alzheimer’s research — with Jackson siding with his mother in the disagreement.
Williams’ return comes just two weeks since “Grey’s” welcomed back Kelly McCreary as Dr. Maggie Pierce for the 450th episode on Oct. 16. Despite coming to Seattle to comfort Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) after the death of Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales), Maggie ended up dropping a bombshell of her own when she revealed she was pregnant from a sperm donor. The visit ended up inspiring Amelia to take a sabbatical from the hospital — sparked by Scorsone’s extended hiatus from the show until her return in 2026.
The show also saw the return of Dr. Nick Marsh (Scott Speedman) in Thursday’s new episode, as he helped Meredith navigate growing pains with her son, Bailey.
Williams joined “Grey’s Anatomy” as a recurring character in Season 6 and was promoted to series regular in Season 7. He exited the show in Season 17 but has made guest star appearances in Seasons 18-19 and 21. Beyond “Grey’s,” his TV credits include the lead role in “Hotel Costiera” at Prime Video and guest appearances in “Power,” “Only Murders in the Building” and “A Black Lady Sketch Show.”
“Grey’s Anatomy” airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
