Though medical shows, but what if Grey’s Anatomy was ever remade for the English audiences?
Who’ll play Meredith? Someone from Game of Thrones or someone from the powerful female-led roster of The Crown? Also, who’d play McDreamy and McSteamy? Here’s re-casting the characters for the long-running medical drama, if it was remade in the UK.
Meredith: Claire Foy
Casting Meredith for the show’s British remake could be tricky because her character is so intricate and complex, but The Crown star Claire Foy really should be the go-to British actor to be cast in the main lead.
By now Foy has garnered a reputation for making each role her own, especially the characters that have room for adaptability. In The Crown, for instance, she never gets carried away by what the popular opinion about Queen Elizabeth II is and devises her own techniques of emoting. In Grey’s Anatomy Meredith needs to be played by an actor who won’t be too affected by what has already been done on American TV.
Derek: Idris Elba
Fans and critics would probably unanimously vote in the favor of casting Idris Elba in the role of McDreamy, but it’s not all about his looks. Elba excels in drama-led roles and he would be able to channel the dilemmas that are part of Derek Shepherd’s character.
It’s also important to note that Derek’s arc gets quite poignant and complex as the show progressed but it never gets tired or overwrought, so the British remake of the show would essentially need someone who has prior experience with carrying dramatic outings on their own shoulders.
Cristina: Michaela Coel
Cristina Yang is one of the most interesting characters American television has ever witnessed; Sandra Oh’s dazzling performance as Cristina was the reason why the role became so much more than just a best friend/ sidekick.
Owing to her popularity, the writers of the show had to slot in almost equal screen time for both the heroines on the show. And I May Destroy You star Michaela Cole is the obvious choice for playing Cristina in the British version of the show. There’s a lot of texture, angst, and volatility in the role and Coel is no stranger to playing gritty, realistic, and earthy protagonists who can hold their own in spite of not being the primary lead.
Jackson: Daniel Kaluuya
It could be hard scoring the Get Out star to sign up for a TV show -- no matter how promising -- but he’d be the perfect pick to play the fan-favorite character, Jackson Avery. Jackson is primarily a great friend and ally, especially to Meredith, and they both bond over having to deal with the legacy of their parents.
But there’s also a pleasant breeziness about him that makes Avery so charming and socially adaptable; if Kaluuya took up the role, fans could get a glimpse of a somewhat grittier version of the character, perhaps more drama-led.
Addison: Gemma Arterton
Addison’s character was one of the most well-written roles in the entire show; in fact, her character was designed to subvert the trope of the toxic ex so she was never upheld as a nemesis to Meredith. This is not to say that Addison had no flaws or personal hang-ups but the role was quite nuanced.
Gemma Arterton would be an ideal pick to play the role of Derek’s ex-wife Addison who still has feelings for her estranged husband. Arterton has proved her mettle with restrained dramatic performances and after her indie successes, would probably be up for a mainstream project.
George: Richard Ayoade
It’s pretty obvious that if George O’ Malley’s character was written for British audiences it would be a comically driven one; the British George would perhaps be hilarious to be with and somewhat sarcastic and socially awkward. And no one plays this blend better than IT Crowd star Richard Ayoade.
The actor is known for his biting wit and comedy performances in fiction shows and outings and is also the director of the beloved coming-of-age film Submarine. Let’s just hope the British George won’t be killed off this heartlessly this time around.
Mark: Damian Lewis
The British McSteamy could really be the next big heartthrob and Homeland star Damian Lewis should probably get the role, considering he’s already equipped to deal with the wide fan base. Interestingly, if a character like Mark Sloane is written for British audiences, it would probably feature some muted dark shades or an element of mystery to it.
Lewis usually only opts for roles that are ethically ambiguous or curious and he definitely matches up to Erik Dane’s looks, so it’s win-win.
Andrew: Shazad Latif
The Penny Dreadful star has a fantastic range and has explored almost every other genre from horror to sci-fi to comedy. Andrew DeLuca’s role has a lot of room for adding interesting textures; his struggle with mental health is already realistic and sharply portrayed.
DeLuca’s role isn’t exactly like Derek’s character, especially pertaining to their relationship with Meredith since Andrew has quite a few personal hang-ups that he is coping with simultaneously and it would be interesting to observe how Latif plays each aspect of this character.
Miranda: Nina Sosanya
The actor found a lot of acclaim for her role as Mustapha Mond in Hulu’s Brave New World and her stint in Criminal: UK was also superbly captivating.
Sosanya can really command a lot of attention on and off-screen and as interesting as Miranda Bailey’s role is in Grey’s Anatomy, British fans would probably want to see more edge to the character since she’s a woman with quite a lot of influence and has often been the ethical yardstick for her colleagues.
Alex: Tobias Menzies
The actor stunned audiences with his portrayal of Prince Phillip in season 4 of The Crown; though fans had presumed he had been cast to unlock some grey shades in the role, his portrayal was surprisingly comionate, grounded, and even engaging.
Menzies usually excels in negative characters, or in morally dubious roles. It’d be interesting to see how he would play the role of Alex because Alex was introduced to be somewhat of a foil to Meredith and was the sore thumb, although not a villain in any sense. He evolves into someone really earthy and interesting who fans could relate to, and post The Crown, Menzies’ chances for the role look really good!
