Jake Borelli’s Gray’s Anatomy Exit Interview: Levi Schmitt Says Goodbye

SPOILER ALERT: This interview accommodates spoilers for “If You Go away,” the Nov. 14 episode of ABC’s “Gray’s Anatomy.”

After eight seasons and greater than 130 episodes of “Gray’s Anatomy,” Dr. Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) has wrapped up his residency at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital.

In Thursday’s episode of the venerable ABC medical drama, the affable physician formally bids farewell to his colleagues in Seattle to take a profitable medical analysis place in San Antonio, Texas, the place he intends to realize some much-needed expertise earlier than making use of for aggressive pediatric surgical procedure fellowships. However not eager to sacrifice his private life in pursuit of his skilled ambitions, Schmitt asks his boyfriend, new hospital chaplain James (Michael Thomas Grant), to maneuver throughout the nation with him, declaring that he has fallen head over heels in love with him. By the tip of the hour, James, who assures Schmitt the sensation is mutual, quits his job, and the 2 lovers stroll off into the sundown collectively.

“Levi’s coming proper as much as the tip of his residency, so I feel a choice wanted to be made in some unspecified time in the future about whether or not he really strikes into an attending [position] at Gray Sloan or if he has extra to be taught,” Borelli tells Selection. “I don’t know a lot concerning the interior workings behind the scenes and what individuals needed to shuffle round to make all the pieces work. However as soon as that concept was pitched to me, Meg [Marinis], the showrunner, and I then began speaking about, ‘What can be the issues that we need to see Levi accomplish earlier than he leaves Gray Sloan? How did Levi develop? What’s the bigger overarching story of Levi?’ After which we received to craft this actually lovely, very queer, very empowering ending for this character that we’ve all liked a lot.”

It’s a becoming sendoff for Borelli, who joined the present as a co-star in Season 14 earlier than being promoted to sequence common a pair seasons later. Schmitt was initially identified to audiences as “Glasses,” a klutzy, squeamish sub-intern whose spectacles by accident dropped right into a affected person’s stomach cavity throughout surgical procedure. However throughout his second season on “Gray’s,” Schmitt’s questioning of his personal sexuality ultimately resulted in his coming-out as the primary homosexual male sequence common character within the present’s historical past.

“This function performed by me as a queer man is huge, as a result of there’s not many queer characters which can be performed by and championed by queer individuals. That’s a legacy that I’m tremendous, tremendous pleased with and that I yearn to see extra of. I used to be a fan of this present for thus lengthy, and there was large queer illustration with ‘Calzona,’” Borelli says, referring to the fan-favorite relationship between Sara Ramírez’s Callie Torres and Jessica Capshaw’s Arizona Robbins. “It was fantastic to see as a fan, but it surely by no means actually hit my expertise as a queer man. They’re vastly totally different. So when [former showrunner] Krista [Vernoff] actually championed this storyline and put her blood, sweat and tears into this and allowed me to do the identical, that was groundbreaking, and I’m so glad so many individuals noticed it.”

Schmitt might have left the constructing, however Borelli admits he’ll nonetheless be lurking within the halls of TV’s most well-known faux hospital in the intervening time. He’s nonetheless shadowing producing director Debbie Allen, with the objective of someday returning to helm an episode of “Gray’s.” On this exit interview, Borelli opens up concerning the life-changing expertise of taking part in Schmitt, why he’s notably pleased with his character’s evolution — and the way he sees the present panorama for queer actors amidst an more and more divisive and difficult sociopolitical local weather.

How a lot enter did you might have within the crafting of Levi’s exit?

Oh, fairly a bit. The writers, particularly with me as a queer actor taking part in a queer character, have been very beneficiant with their time, making an attempt to make this character genuine. So, from the get-go with Krista, I had an invite to return into the writers’ room and categorical the desires that I’d have as a queer particular person, by way of what I’d need to say by way of this character.

Even all the best way as much as the tip, I used to be in Meg’s workplace along with her, typing on the pc along with her, making an attempt to determine, “What’s one of the simplest ways to finish this? What are the conversations he must be having with Jo? What’s necessary on this homosexual relationship? How does this relationship differ from [Levi’s first love] Nico?” We actually centered on them having an excellent, simple communication model, which led to them navigating this good selection of whether or not or not they need to transfer throughout the nation collectively. So there was plenty of enter, and I’m actually grateful for that.

How would you say Levi has developed within the eight seasons that you just’ve performed him, and the place do you suppose we depart him by the tip of his closing episode?

I really feel like Levi has taken a whole 180 in his confidence. He’s all the time been weak, however we’ve gotten to see over these eight seasons how being weak actually results in success and to robust relationships and an ethical compass that’s pointed him ahead. I really like that we’ve gotten to see how the additional he steps into his queerness, the extra energy he really has in his personal life.

We watched him transfer from this bumbly, fumbly “Glasses” into Chief Resident, into presumably getting an attending job at Gray Sloan, after which into having the braveness to say, “ what? Typically you gotta transfer out of your entire home and also you gotta do one thing totally different, and also you gotta take a step sideways to be able to go ahead.” So now I’m simply excited to see, presumably sooner or later, if he ever comes again, simply what these very brave selections led to in his life.

Levi took a very long time to declare his specialty — and he even took a short detour into turning into an OB/GYN — however he appears like he was all the time destined to finish up in pediatric surgical procedure. Why do you’re feeling like that was in the end the correct specialty for him? How did you make sense of his reasoning?

I do suppose that OB was by no means going to occur. He didn’t actually have another choice, and we noticed that the second the intern program went again up once more, he jumped ship and went straight again to his surgical residency. So I feel he all the time needed to be a surgeon.

I feel simply coming to phrases with the truth that he does have an innate technique to join with younger individuals and a capability to see them as who they’re, on account of his personal vulnerability — that was the catalyst for him wanting to enter PEDS. It was definitely the catalyst for Richard Webber [James Pickens Jr.] to see that in him and to provide him that recommendation. After which simply from a narrative standpoint, I feel it’s so extremely highly effective to see a homosexual PEDS surgeon, to point out that queer persons are simply as profitable with educating and shepherding our new era ahead. I feel that’s a wonderful factor to see, so I do hope, down the street, “Gray’s” decides to inform that story just a little extra in-depth. 

In his closing scene, Levi seems up on the Gray Sloan signal, and all of his reminiscences abruptly come dashing again to him. It’s actually a montage of your character’s biggest hits —

I haven’t even seen it but! I don’t even know what it’s. Within the script, it’s similar to, “LEVI’S MONTAGE.” So I get to tune in and I get to see it, and I’m very, very excited.

Trying again at Levi’s arc, what are you personally most pleased with having achieved? Is there a selected storyline that may stick with you?

Levi has had this connection to blood all through the sequence that I feel is so lovely, and it has grown with him. It began with him being petrified of blood. It brought about him to faint. He didn’t just like the sight of it. It was counterintuitive to his want to be a surgeon. After which he turns into [known as] “Blood Financial institution.” He will get a brand new nickname as a result of he saves Judy Kemp [in Season 14], after which he’s very instrumental find the golden blood for the child [in Season 15] who has solely seven individuals on the planet who can donate blood to him. After which that jumps ahead to, though Levi is a common blood donor, after he’s out of the closet, he can’t donate blood anymore as a result of he’s a homosexual man, which is a really archaic and bigoted remnant of the previous within the medical neighborhood. So preventing for that, getting to speak about HIV on a present this large that’s seen everywhere in the world, getting to speak about PrEP was unbelievable. This throughline of blood for Levi, I feel, is gorgeous in hindsight and really cool. 

You’ve spoken previously about the way you felt like your individual life usually paralleled Levi’s indirectly, largely since you share plenty of the identical traits. What have you ever discovered about your self by way of the method of taking part in him?

I used to be thrust right into a vulnerability that I don’t know I’d’ve chosen by myself, by way of popping out on a worldwide stage. That’s not one thing that many individuals are afforded the chance to do. It’s scary, and it’s weak, but it surely has given me a a lot larger life than I ever would’ve dreamed of. I’ve been in a position to discuss to so many extra individuals than I ever would’ve been in a position to earlier than. I’ve been in a position to actually step into the queer neighborhood and be capable of inform a few of these tales that always go untold. In order I transfer ahead in my profession and as I transfer away from Levi, or presumably come again to go to Levi, that may stay true for me; it’s discovering methods to inform these well-rounded queer tales. 

You’d been out in your private life for nearly a decade, however you selected to return out publicly round this time six years in the past, when your character was present process his personal sexual awakening on “Gray’s.” Looking back, did you’re feeling any trepidation about popping out publicly? How do you mirror on that call now?

Yeah, I had a lot trepidation. I virtually mentioned no to Krista when she mentioned that her plan was to have Levi come out. This was after a 12 months of being on the present and taking part in him not queer, for all I knew. I virtually mentioned no, as a result of I knew he can be the primary main homosexual male character within the present, and that might be large for the present. I’d then be compelled to speak about one thing that, at that time in my life, I wasn’t prepared to speak about on the worldwide stage, which you’ll be able to by no means be ready for. However I did have all these fears that as an out homosexual particular person, you couldn’t achieve success.

Look, we’re in a time proper now the place it’s even scarier, and being thrust out into the world as a queer particular person, particularly on this time, is terrifying. However I wouldn’t have modified it for the world. The quantity of pleasure that got here from deciding to inform this story in an sincere and genuine manner is unparalleled, and my life has modified a lot for the higher after being genuine and weak with myself and, in flip, weak with different individuals. 

Earlier than Levi leaves for Texas, Jo (Camilla Luddington) asks him to be her and Hyperlink’s (Chris Carmack) twins’ godfather — a proposal he fortunately accepts. It’s humorous to consider how their relationship has developed through the years; again in Season 14, Jo felt so ashamed of her one-night stand with Levi, and now they’re having life-changing conversations with one another. What was it like so that you can shoot that closing scene with Camilla?

I ought to add that it didn’t simply begin with Jo. This character wouldn’t have existed with out Camilla Luddington, as a result of she initially pitched this storyline of Jo sleeping with a brand new intern to Krista, and that it could be this dorky man that she finally ends up being embarrassed about. That’s why the character of Levi existed, after which it changed into this loopy factor. So I undoubtedly owe loads to Camilla Luddington.

Through the years, she and I’ve crafted considered one of my favourite friendships on the present ever — seeing these two very totally different characters bickering like siblings and seeing how a lot they love one another and the way a lot they’ve modified one another. So, that closing scene was definitely powerful for us. On the desk learn, there was not a dry eye within the room, and it paralleled what we have been going by way of as a result of we’ve turn out to be so shut during the last eight years, and our goodbye as characters was very near our goodbye as coworkers and as work buddies. So, yeah, we didn’t actually need to act a lot. We simply breathed, and no matter got here out … got here out. 

Did you get to maintain any props to commemorate your time on “Gray’s”?

I’ve a complete field of stuff! Debbie Allen got here by way of. She was stealing shit. I don’t even know the way she received a few of the stuff she received, however I’ve a field of stuff. I’ve my lab coat and my purple stethoscope, and Nicole, considered one of our set designers, printed out this lovely blueprint of Levi’s basement with the staircase that his mother fell down, so I’ve that and I’m going to hold it up in my home.

Going again to while you first landed this half in 2017, how lengthy did you suppose this function would final? And the way would you evaluate your first and final days on set?

I used to be advised it was one episode. I don’t know if you understand a lot concerning the ranges on TV — sequence regulars are the massive canines, then it’s visitor stars, after which it’s co-stars. Oftentimes, co-stars have one line. So this was a co-star function for one episode, with a doable look in a second episode, and it ended up being these two episodes. It was an exquisite expertise. It was the glasses falling within the physique cavity, it was sleeping with Jo, wreaking havoc on the hospital, after which he left. I went again to New York the place I used to be dwelling, and that was it. I made a pair thousand {dollars} and I used to be like, “I pays hire this month! That is nice!” After which it changed into eight years of life-changing tv for me. So, yeah, nobody knew what it was going to show into.

By way of the primary day to the final day, I’ve grown a lot with these individuals. They really are my household. I used to be so nervous to start with. I used to be so petrified of everybody. I used to be petrified of Ellen Pompeo, Debbie Allen and Jesse Williams, and I used to be so nervous to be performing subsequent to them. By the tip, Debbie and I walked out arm-in-arm to my clap-out after my final scene, and we received to share this second with the entire solid. Everybody confirmed up, and it was not traumatic in any respect — very comfy, very loving.

And to be sincere, I haven’t even left but as a result of I nonetheless shadow Debbie Allen, our directing producer, and I’m shadowing Alison Liddi Brown proper now on set. I’m going to go there after this interview, so hopefully, someday I’ll be capable of direct and nonetheless hang-out them from behind the digital camera. 

You’ve talked about a number of occasions about the way you hope to revisit Levi’s story in some unspecified time in the future, and now you’re speaking about returning to direct someday. Does that imply the door is open so that you can return to “Gray’s” sooner relatively than later?

It’s tremendous open, actually. I’ve been shadowing for some time now, studying a lot, and we see on “Gray’s” that oftentimes the perfect administrators are the [actors] which have lived it too. Kevin McKidd directs a ton, Jesse Williams, Chandra Wilson — we all know this world so strongly, and Meg, Debbie and I’ve definitely talked about it. Additionally, there’s this excellent alternative now that Levi’s in Texas to see sooner or later what that transfer actually did for him, how that transfer actually modified him. So I’m very hopeful that, sooner or later, we’ll see some extra of Levi and see how these huge, brave decisions have actually affected him.

Past “Gray’s,” what’s subsequent for you?

Directing is a subsequent big step for me. There are a number of tasks that I’m engaged on that I’m very excited to inform, however from a directing standpoint. I’ll be getting to inform queer tales that I essentially wouldn’t be capable of inform from my very own physique — you understand what I imply? — however that I nonetheless get to inform by way of the artwork type.

As you sit up for returning to auditioning for extra elements, how do you’re feeling just like the panorama for queer actors has modified since 2017? And what do you suppose is the following step on this evolving dialog about range and inclusion with regards to queer tales?

I feel there’s definitely extra content material round queer individuals. There’s definitely extra well-rounded queer characters out within the mainstream media. I feel there’s just a little little bit of a rollback as effectively; we’re seeing plenty of queer characters [leaving], storylines ending, or full TV reveals which have very huge queer casts ending. I hope that that’s simply the pure turnover of tales, and I hope that executives, tastemakers and creatives actually bear in mind how profitable these tales have been and the way a lot they’ve affected our world and our lives. I feel one of many huge issues that I’ve seen that has actually supported that [shift] is a rising queerness within the inventive realm, by way of individuals behind the digital camera, administrators, writers, producers, as a result of when your setting displays the storyline that you just’re telling, it’s already extra genuine. So I feel these are steps that we are able to additionally proceed to take.

This interview has been edited and condensed.