Grey’s Anatomy saw another cast exit in the fall finale and the actress is speaking out. It was reported back in May that Midori Francis was set to leave the ABC medical drama after joining in Season 19 as Mika Yasuda, part of the crop of new interns at Grey Sloan Memorial. It was unclear just how Mika would exit at first, but then the show brought in her younger sister, Chloe, who was battling cancer. While it seemed like things were going to be fine, the two got into a car accident after Mika fell asleep at the wheel, and Chloe later succumbed to her injuries.
In an interview with Deadline, Francis spoke about her decision to leave the series, noting that it was “surreal” when she first joined. But when it came to her exit, she said it was a “very full circle moment” because she started with watching Grey’s Anatomy, and Mika would only leave the hospital if something terribly bad happened, such as her sister dying and not wanting to be constantly reminded of her. When it came time to say goodbye, Francis said she was “just so excited” for Mika’s dramatic final arc.
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“You know how I say full circle. How cool it was that for a few seasons, we got to know this character as being very funny and having this quirkiness about her and being, at times, comic relief,” Francis explained. “And then to be led by the writers’ hand into this darker place — I mean, how well-rounded Mika became. That I got to do that as an actor, that I got to do both sides of the iconic Grey’s Anatomy pendulum in one character, I was so, so happy about that.”
As for a potential return, Midori Francis said Mika has “a lot of healing to do, and she’s going to go home and do that.” She continued, “In the back of my mind, because I know how passionate she is about what she does, do I think and do I hope that she will find a way to use this grief as a way to continue pursuing caring for other people? Yes, I do. As far as returning to Grey’s, I would be so delighted. These people and this world has become part of my trajectory of acting families, and I would be absolutely delighted to return. I don’t know if Mika would, I think for Mika it would be triggering.”
Francis was the latest departure on Grey’s Anatomy, following Jake Borelli just a couple of episodes prior. The series is unpredictable when it comes to exits, and not everyone who leaves is permanently exiled, so it’s possible that Francis will return in the future as long as it makes sense for Mika’s story. In the meantime, Grey’s Anatomy will return on Mar. 6 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. All episodes are streaming on Hulu.