Gray’s Anatomy star Kim Raver was shocked by Teddy and Owen’s resolution to open their marriage — however greater than able to tackle the problem as an actress and director.
“It’s such a difficult matter, and we’ve by no means accomplished it on Gray’s. Everybody you speak to has very sturdy emotions about it. Kevin [McKidd] and I have been actually apprehensive, like, ‘OK, wait, that is actually difficult terrain.’ We each love this couple and the years that we’ve been constructing it [along with showrunner] Meg [Marinis] and the writers,” Raver, 56, instructed Us Weekly throughout an unique interview forward of the Thursday, April 3, episode of the medical drama. “Gray’s has additionally by no means shied away from actually intense, controversial matters, so that is such a enjoyable one to do.”
Raver credited Marinis for a way she approached the story line.
“Meg has been so unimaginable. We had a number of sit-downs on [discussing], ‘How can we shield the characters that we love on this state of affairs but in addition open up, so to talk, the dialogue about it?’” she defined. “Teddy and Owen have been arguing for therefore lengthy they usually’re not getting alongside. Once we have been speaking with Meg, it got here from a spot the place Owen and Teddy love one another so deeply that they’re not able to stroll away from the connection. So what do you do?”
Whereas Teddy and Owen established within the March 27 episode that one of many guidelines of their open marriage is to maintain issues bodily and never set up an emotional reference to another person, Raver agreed with Us that that will be troublesome for these characters.
“Teddy and Owen are so emotional! And their complete relationship has at all times been very bumpy, tumultuous,” Raver stated earlier than referencing Teddy’s previous affair with Tom Koracick (Greg Germann). “My huge factor to Meg was, Teddy actually tousled when she cheated and if Teddy has advanced in any respect, it might’t be only a foolish, open marriage. It must be a lot deeper and far more layered. I feel even the followers responded, like, ‘Oh, thank God. They’re lastly being sincere.’”
On Thursday’s episode, Teddy is reunited with fellow trauma surgeon Cass (Sophia Bush), who’s in an open marriage of her personal with husband David.
“She is so implausible,” Raver gushed of Bush. “She is tremendous clever, tremendous beneficiant. For an actress to come back into a gaggle that’s been collectively for therefore lengthy and be so constructive — she’s an unimaginable addition.”
Whereas the 2 girls beforehand felt sparks throughout a November 2024 episode, Teddy pulled away. This time, Teddy and Cass acted on their emotions.
“We’re doing this love scene collectively and I’d be like, ‘Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, I’ve an concept.’ And she or he’d be like, ‘Wait, what?’ Mid-kiss! After which she’d be like, ‘OK, nice, let’s try this,’” Raver stated of directing their makeout. “It simply was unimaginable to have such an incredible accomplice who has such fabulous qualities of generosity, intelligence, laughter, ease and professionalism. We’re so fortunate to have her taking part in Cass as a result of it’s a sophisticated position. Everybody loves her. I felt so fortunate. She’s actually a lady who helps different girls.”
Raver added that she thinks Bush “makes the entire relationship stand out.”
“On digicam, she has this unimaginable, like, sparkle about her,” she continued. “It’s this easy, actually fantastic high quality. It’s not somebody coming in and breaking apart a wedding. Her character is admittedly illuminating that there are different methods than the standard methods of getting a relationship, and that everybody has to decide on their very own path.”
Raver famous that Cass is “not forcing” something on Teddy. “What’s cool about this episode is Teddy’s like, ‘I’m absolutely able to have that dialog,’” she stated. “It’s additionally about consent, and I feel that that’s a very essential factor. Consent from all ends — consent from Owen, consent from Cass, Teddy being mature and funky on her finish. It’s a really aware exploration of this open marriage.”
Whereas Teddy and Cass get scorching and heavy for a minute, followers see Teddy truly modifications her thoughts mid-makeout.
“I feel it’s actually superb that Teddy involves the conclusion earlier than, like, making love. She’s like, ‘This isn’t gonna repair my marriage. I assumed this was gonna be a repair,’” Raver instructed Us. “For her, she realizes it feels an excessive amount of like dishonest, and it feels an excessive amount of just like the street that she had been on earlier than.”
Owen, for his half, spends the episode with Nora (Floriana Lima).
“It’s so many layers and is so sophisticated,” Raver stated. “Floriana is one other superb, beneficiant, implausible, proficient, girl. I needed to choreograph the love scene; It’s very choreographed. We’ve got an intimacy coordinator, however Sophia, Floriana have been simply such rock stars by way of having the ability to delineate Teddy and our relationship, however then me directing. They have been so open to making an attempt issues and taking part in round with issues.”
Raver additionally laughed about being the one to direct McKidd with a brand new love curiosity. “Me telling Kevin, like, ‘OK, I want you to kiss her extra, deliver the comforter down extra’ — I felt so excited to inform the story and it made it very simple,” she stated.
On the finish of the episode, followers are left not sure of what’s subsequent for Owen and Teddy.
“I wished the ‘oh my God’ second the place individuals are throwing issues on the tv, going, ‘What?!’” Raver instructed Us. “The best way it goes to black, and there’s this a cappella music taking part in. I wished that to be so surprising.”
Raver additionally warns followers to prepare for the remaining episodes within the season.
“I don’t know what’s going to occur with them, and that’s so unhappy and scary. It’s undoubtedly gonna be a roller-coaster,” she stated. “We simply completed the finale and I’m not gonna give something away. I’d simply say, ‘Buckle up.’”
Gray’s Anatomy airs on ABC Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET.
