Will ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Bring Cristina Yang Back? Sandra Oh Weighs In

Longtime fans of Grey’s Anatomy have joined Sandra Oh‘s Dr. Cristina Yang on her journey from her early years as a surgical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital to her impressive development into an expert surgeon. A fan-favorite character, the celebrated actress has been on the show since its debut until her sudden exit in 2014 during the medical drama’s tenth season. Now that the longest-running series is confirmed to be returning for Season 21, Oh has shed some light on whether she’d also return to the show as the driven and highly intelligent character.

While grateful for fans who are still hoping to see her play Cristina Yang once again, the actress — during the red carpet premiere of HBO’s The Sympathizer — revealed to Entertainment Tonight that fans won’t be seeing Cristina anytime soon. The hit ABC medical drama, which is currently in its 20th season, has seen the return of some characters that are dear to every fan’s heart. While it has been a decade already since audiences last saw Oh as Cristina, she believes that she has already done her part in telling Cristina’s story.

« I love that I love that people are still [fans]. I love that you asked me that, because Cristina Yang is, of course, near and dear to my heart. [But] I will say, not anytime soon, my love. I hope people feel like I did my job, which is that I brought to life a character and she had a growth over 10 seasons, and that it was true. She was ready to move on, and so have I. »

Here’s Why Cristina Yang Should Make Her Return to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Since the show’s debut, Oh’s performance as Cristina has been loved by viewers and critics alike, which soon earned her significant accolades. After her stint in the show as the fan-favorite character, Oh went on to star in various films and television shows. However, although the actress has already expressed her lack of interest in reprising her role, fans have still been wanting to see Oh don scrubs once more. From the start, Cristina has established herself as one who never lets anyone get in her way of becoming an expert surgeon, let alone letting a man — or a child — determine her true calling.

Considered one of the best female characters in television, Cristina stood out from the rest with her strong personality despite various traumatic life experiences. She’s a character who always stands her ground, especially about not wanting to have a kid of her own. Though often criticized for being too focused on her career, Cristina has also had her fair share of romantic relationships and has maintained good friendships along her journey. But she is also a person who knows what she wants, and that is to follow what her heart truly desires: becoming a successful doctor. And with her passion and determination, it is easy to understand why fans want to see more of her in the future.

All past seasons of Grey’s Anatomy are available to stream on Hulu.