The Season 21 premiere of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy ended with a card dedicating the episode to Stephanie Leifer. While the name may not be recognizable to the average Grey’s fan, the tribute is deeply meaningful to those who have worked on the show at any point of its run.
Leifer, who died in June of cancer at the age of 56, was a beloved programming executive who had worked a combined 28 years at ABC and its sister studio before leaving the company in 2022. She oversaw Grey’s Anatomy as a current executive at the network and then at ABC Signature (fka ABC Studios), which produces the hit medical drama.
In an interview with Deadline tied to the Season 21 premiere, Grey’s Anatomy executive producer/showrunner Meg Marinis spoke about the decision to dedicate the episode to Leifer. Marinis had worked with Leifer for more than a decade and a half as she climbed through the ranks on the show from a PA to a staff writer, to executive producer and now also a showrunner.
“Stephanie Leifer was an incredible person and devoted champion of Grey’s. She truly believed in us from the early years all the way through and supported our creative vision,” Marinis said. “I started my career as a PA, delivering Grey’s scripts to her office, and I remember her door always being open. She was so encouraging to writers and attended several Grey’s milestone events. It was a heartbreaking loss for this family.”
For more on the premiere’s twists and what to expect from the rest of the season, read Deadline’s interview with Marinis.
