Jake Borelli Opens Up About Leaving Grey’s Anatomy After 7 Years Of Playing Levi Schmitt: ‘I Was Heartbroken’

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As a dedicated follower and admirer of Jake Borelli’s heartfelt portrayal of Dr. Levi Schmitt on Grey’s Anatomy, I cannot help but feel a profound sense of empathy for his emotional departure from the show. Having witnessed Levi’s growth from a timid intern to a confident and self-assured character who embraced his queer identity, I can relate to Borelli’s grief at leaving such an impactful role behind.

Jake Borelli, who has portrayed Dr. Levi Schmitt for seven seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, recently discussed his feelings about departing from the series. In the latest episode, Levi said goodbye to his colleagues at Grey Sloan Memorial and accepted a job in Texas focusing on pediatric research. The 7th episode of season 21 serves as a conclusion for Schmitt’s storyline so far.

An emotional farewell with Jo Wilson, played by Camilla Luddington, marked the end of his character arc. From Borelli’s perspective, the hardest part of leaving Levi behind was his growth as a character as well as his queerness. He found it devastating and was heartbroken to bid farewell to such a queer-positive show.

He told The Hollywood Reporter, “Levi’s journey has been massive. I feel like he’s really come 180 since we saw him in the beginning. He’s grown a lot, which I think is something really cool about a show like Grey’s that’s on for so long.”

Borelli also resonated with the strong impact Levi’s character had on the audience, noticing how a wide range of people could relate to Levi and find motivation in his journey. He explained that the role was particularly meaningful for him, and given the present social and political unrest, made it even more difficult to step away from the project.

Borelli didn’t hide his feelings when he expressed to the media, “I was deeply saddened. To be frank, it was quite crushing, particularly because I care for him so profoundly, and I recognize the impact of such portrayal on TV, particularly on a show as prominent as Grey’s Anatomy, can have on people globally.

Borelli thinks that Levi’s journey of self-acceptance and being true to himself aligns beautifully with a story that many young individuals could find inspiring. Despite his sadness, Borelli considers himself fortunate for having been part of such an impactful journey, and has no regrets about it.

He often listens to accounts from individuals identifying as queer from various parts of the world. Some find representation in this show for the first time, while others are parents who have found words to discuss their child’s queerness with them. Knowing that this narrative would conclude, particularly given our current political climate, was difficult for him.

Jake Borelli expressed excitement about the possibility of Levi Schmitt making a triumphant return as a fully realized queer character, potentially in a spin-off series that could pave the way for his comeback. He is eagerly anticipating the next probable storyline involving Levi Schmitt.

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2024-11-15 11:52