Jesse Williams Addresses Possible ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Spinoff And How Ellen Pompeo Reacted To His Exit

By ETCanada.com Staff.

Jesse Williams may be leaving “Grey’s Anatomy”, but his character Jackson Avery might not be gone forever.

Williams, 39, spoke to reporters on Friday May 21, the day after his final episode of “Grey’s” aired. As revealed in Thursday night’s show, Jackson will be be moving to Boston with his pal Tom Karacick (Greg Germann) to work at the Avery Foundation. Also headed to Boston? His former flame, April, who also happens to be the mother of his child. The pair were known by fans as “Japril.”

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When asked by TVLine on Friday if he’d be interested in a “Grey’s” spinoff potentially focusing on Japril, Williams gave an ambiguous answer. “We’ll see. I’m not entirely sure,” Williams said. “There is certainly a part of me that is compelled to go out into the wilderness as well [as Jackson] and do something different and new, so I’m very excited to do that. That said, I’m really proud of the work and the character I’ve created here in this world, and I get [fans’ interest].”

Williams added, “That would be a damn interesting and meaty spinoff with incredibly talented actors in a world that I don’t see reflected in television as far as equity in medicine and the actual role that the medical community plays in impacting our livelihoods, so there is something there. I don’t begrudge it. So we’ll see. We’ll see.”

Entertainment Weekly, meanwhile, asked Williams if he would ever return to “Grey’s.” “I don’t know,” he said “I’m not being cagey. I think it’s possible. He’s not dead! He’s still working with the foundation. He’s everybody’s boss. So I think it’s possible. We’ll have to see.”

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But will Japril end up together in the end? Williams told THR, “I love that and think it totally makes sense that it’s possible. They are each other’s ‘person.’ Nobody knows him, loves him, respects him, has seen his worst and is able to understand him like April does.”

“They will, at the very least, continue to be tremendous friends but, yeah, I think it’s pretty damn likely that they ride off into the sunset to Boston and a new place together and raise their child together,” Williams continued. “They’re going to reconnect in a romantic way, and that’s totally possible. That’s what the fans want and we try to give them as much as we could.”

As for star Ellen Pompeo’s reaction to his leaving, Williams explained, “It’s been pretty emotional. Our last scene together was very emotional as Jesse and Ellen as much as it was Jackson and Meredith.” He added, “That’s my buddy and this is a new side for both of us. I haven’t always been an emotionally available person and this journey was increasingly emotional.”

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