Before 2009, Hallmark star Sarah Drew was best known for her role as Hannah Rogers in “Everwood.” She went on to appear in guest roles on other series, including “Medium,” “Private Practice,” and “Mad Men.” Still, it wasn’t until “Grey’s Anatomy” in 2009 that she became a household name.
The “Mistletoe Murders” star describes her time on “Grey’s Anatomy” as transformative, helping her find her voice. But she had a little help from a co-worker she greatly admired. Drew gives Sandra Oh a lot of credit for helping her find the courage to speak up on set. This has helped her bring authenticity not only to April Kepner but also to future roles.
GettyHow Sandra Oh Taught Sarah Drew to Passionately Advocate for Her Storylines
“I just love her so much,” Drew gushed about Oh while appearing on the “I Choose Me with Jennie Garth” podcast. “I have so much respect for her, and she’s so talented. She’s so incredible. But what I got to witness, with the way that she engaged with the writers, was such a beautiful thing to see.”
“She would advocate so passionately for her character and her character’s storylines,” she continued. “And the writers loved it because it was done with such respect and such collaboration, and it was like they were on this journey together. And I was like, ‘Oh man, if Sandra Oh can do that, if she can use her voice and advocate… Because you sign onto a show and you have no idea where the writers are going to take you, right? And every week is a new episode, going, ‘Oh, I guess that’s who I am. Is that who I am? Okay.”
Drew ended up playing April for nine seasons, and thanks to Oh, she learned how to talk to the writers about April’s storylines.
“I’m not sure she would actually go down that road, or maybe she would go down that road in this kind of different way,” Drew explained. “What about if we do it like this?”
Drew Received Instant Support from Shonda Rhimes When She Confessed Near Breaking Point
In 2014, the “Branching Out” star’s daughter, Hannah, was born. It was at this point that Drew discovered that her newfound voice extended beyond advocating for April.
“I was finding that whenever I would work second half of Fridays, it always turned into Friturday, and then I’d get home at four in the morning,” Drew said. “And my baby would be up at six, and I didn’t have childcare on the weekends.”
When she realized that this schedule was affecting her mental health and work, she went to Shonda Rhimes.
“I was like, ‘I’m kind of falling apart, I can’t remember my lines, and I just need some support, I need some help,” Drew recalled saying to her boss. When she asked to work another day besides the second half of Fridays, there was no hesitation from Rhimes.
“She’s like, ‘Done. This is a matriarchy. For the rest of the season, you’re never working second half of Fridays.’ Like, it was so easy, she was just so supportive,” Drew said.
