Note: This story contains spoilers from “Grey’s Anatomy” Season 22, Episode 6.
“Grey’s Anatomy” is headed for a holiday hiatus after tonight’s episode, so of course, one of our favorite doctors’ lives is on the line.
Episode 6, titled “When I Crash,” followed as Dr. Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) struggled with heart complications stemming from her pregnancy — leading to a risky procedure to try to give her twins more time before birth that ended in the worst-case scenario. Once the babies started showing signs of distress in the O.R., Dr. Winston Ndugu (Anthony Hill) had no choice but to perform Jo’s C-section himself, despite not having done the procedure since he was in med school.
“This is what we do best, these horrifying, terrifying midseason finales,” Luddington told TheWrap exclusively on Thursday. “The script was written so well, and that being the last thing that we see, I was like, ‘Oh my god.’ The writers are just incredible.”
“This is a situation where everything hangs in the balance and survival is not guaranteed for a lot of us involved. The cost of a mistake could be everything,” she added. “Emotionally prepare, because the next episode … it’s worse, to be honest.”
Jo’s fate will be up in the air until Jan. 8, when “Grey’s Anatomy”returns with more episodes. This marks a shorter hiatus than usual for the long-running medical dramas, which typically leans toward a March date for its midseason premieres.
And that’s great news, given all the cliffhangers we were left with in this episode. Richard (James Pickens Jr.) told Bailey (Chandra Wilson) that he’s been diagnosed with cancer. Blue (Harry Shum Jr.) acted on his feelings for new surgical fellow Dr. Kavita Mohanty (Anita Kalathara), while Simone (Alexis Floyd) resisted her feelings for surgical intern Dr. Wes Bryant (Trevor Jackson). And of course, Helm (Jaicy Elliot) returned from a long European vacation.
Below, Luddington breaks down Jo’s heart-stopping ending, what’s in store for 2026 and if she’s talked about her pitch to bring back Katherine Heigl with the writers. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
TheWrap: I’m still reeling from this incredible episode. And that ending!! What was your reaction when you learned what was coming for Jo in this fall finale?
Luddington: I’d heard some whisperings that something was going to happen that was really big [for Jo]. And then when I got the script, I just knew I was going to have to really emotionally prepare myself, because it gets dark. This one and then the next episode after this … it’s really dark.
Jo has grown so much through the years, but I loved seeing her navigate the situation calmly as the expert that she is on childbirth as an OB, but also as probably one of the strongest people at Grey Sloan at this point. How does it feel to play Jo at this moment in her journey?
This is the incredible gift about being on our show. I’m in my 14th season, and it’s so rare that you get to sit with a character like this for this long of a time and to see her growth. Because even four seasons ago, I don’t know if she would have handled this situation in the right way.
But what I love about her is that she is a survivor in so many different ways. We had a lot of conversations shooting this episode about, emotionally, where she was internally and externally, and what she was willing to show. So there was a lot of her navigating wanting to keep Link calm, what she was understanding herself about the situation that maybe he wasn’t understanding. And then you see towards the end of the episode, there’s just no holding back, she realizes that it could get really dire.
Just tracking that journey through the episode was difficult, because I as Camilla wanted to cry from the very beginning. But Jo’s way stronger than me.
The episode ends with the twins at risk as Jo was about to undergo a heart procedure. That means Winston has to perform an emergency C-section and there’s no time to wait for help. How was it filming that moment for you and Anthony?
It was very “be careful what you wish for.” I love him so much. We have so much fun together. We see each other at table reads and, maybe if there’s a crossover at rehearsals, but we never really get to work together. It’s very rare. So we’re always like “God, we hope we get to work together,” and then this came along and I was like, “Damn.”
I think it’s such a fantastic storyline for him though, to have to step up at this moment. So I was weirdly excited for this. This is what we do best, these horrifying, terrifying midseason finales. But I was excited to work with him. Yes, I wish it’d been under different circumstances, but the script was written so well, and that being the last thing that we see, I was like, “Oh my god.” The writers are just incredible.
How was it working with Phylicia Rashad in the director’s chair for this episode?
She was the perfect person to come in and direct because, I almost feel like it was such a high-stakes episode that we needed a calming presence to come in and give us that direction and be soft with us, if that makes sense. Her energy just paired perfectly. She always let me know exactly where she wanted Jo to be [emotionally], whether she wanted to amp it up or hold it back. She was so incredibly well prepared. She knew these characters inside and out, so that was also amazing to have someone come in and really understand the journey that this character has been on. She came in and made it a banger episode.
We also get the bombshell of Richard’s cancer diagnosis in this episode, so it was a doozy. How did this table read go?
It’s funny because the way I go into a table read is, I actually don’t read the whole script. I read my part so I understand what I’m bringing to the table, and I like to hear the whole script for the first time out loud. Some of us read ahead of time and others do what I do.
So I remember when it got to the Richard part, I audibly gasped. And then of course, the Teddy (Kim Raver) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) stuff. I think that table read was very overwhelming for everybody. We couldn’t wait to get the next script, because we just want answers. But listen, we’ve all done this long enough that we know when we walk into a midseason finale or a mid season premiere episode, they’re going to be tough table reads. I don’t think I’ve been to one where it’s been easy, it gets very emotional. There’s oftentimes where we cry, or we find it really hard to even speak through our lines.
Now we have to make it past the holiday season before Grey’s returns and we see what happens next. What’s your message to the fans as we go into this hiatus ’til January?
If there’s one word to sit on it would be “brutal.” Emotionally prepare because the next episode coming up after this, it is worse, to be honest. So yeah, just drink a lot of wine and try to compartmentalize this is not happening on “Grey’s Anatomy” until January.
You’re one of the longest-tenured cast members in Grey’s history, I think you’re close to 250 episodes so far. What keeps you coming along for this ride season after season?
That’s an insane number!
It’s storylines like this that we’re playing right now that are the reasons I have always wanted to come back, because it continues to push us, it keeps us on our toes and they are incredible. There’s always something around the corner, there’s always a revelation, there’s also fun to play or something heartbreaking to play. So that’s the writers, and by the way, the fact that they’ve kept me up until this point is incredible. I am so grateful for all the seasons that I’ve had on the show.
You said on your podcast you have an idea to bring Katherine Heigl back on the show. How did the pitch go?
(laughs) I have not pitched that storyline yet. And listen, I don’t know if I can pitch the storyline right now, because it would involve Jo being there. And it would mean a continuation of that character, and that’s not something I can really talk about right now.
“Grey’s Anatomy” returns Jan. 8 on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
