‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Adds ‘Nashville’ Alum Chris Carmack in Key Role

Grey’s Anatomy is recruiting a hint of Nashville for its fifteenth season.

The longrunning ABC medical drama just cast Nashville alum Chris Carmack for a “big” recurring role in the upcoming season.

The actor, fresh off the series finale of the ABC-turned-CMT musical drama, will play an orthopedic surgeon who comes to work at Grey Sloan Memorial and is known as an “Ortho God,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Additional details about the character — including his name and when he will make his first appearance — are being kept under wraps, in true Shondaland fashion.

Carmack took to Twitter to celebrate the news of his casting.

“Thank you! Can’t wait to scrub in!” he wrote, quoting a tweet from Shondaland on social media.

Carmack’s casting comes on the heels of executive producer Krista Vernon teasing the upcoming 15th season of Grey’s as “The Season of Love,” which will also see the return of series regular Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), who made a surprise return with a bun in the oven during the season 14 finale. The show also lost two fan-favorite regulars at the end of season 14, April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw).

With the casting, Carmack returns to ABC where was initially cast on Nashville, starring as singer Will Lexington. His credits include guest roles on NCIS, Desperate Housewives, Smallville and The O.C. He is repped by Innovative and Luber Roklin.

Grey’s star Camilla Luddington recently teased where her character, Jo Wilson, might be headed in the upcoming season, as her character faced the decision on whether to move to Boston for a surgical fellowship as she married Alex Karen (Justin Chambers) at the end of season 14.

“There’s not like a massive time jump,” Luddington told TVLine, adding there could still be big changes in store for Jo.

“I’ve heard rumors — rumors-rumors — that Jo might find her specialty this season, which is really exciting and is a long time coming,” she continued. “I’m interested to see what it is.”

One person Luddington hopes gets in on the season of love? Meredith Grey, who was last wooed by a doctor played by Scott Speedman during one episode in season 14.

“He was one of the first people that she really had that spark with” since Derek died, Luddington added.

The door remains open for Speedman to return in season 15, though it has not been revealed if that would be the case, despite the actor’s Animal Kingdom character being killed off this season.

Grey’s Anatomy will return with a two-hour season premiere Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.