Grey's Anatomy Spinoff Finds Its First Star in Jaina Lee Ortiz

Rosewood vet will star in the upcoming ABC series, centered on firefighters in Seattle.

By Billy Nilles Jul 26, 2017 7:29 PMTags

The Grey's Anatomy spinoff cast is beginning to take shape.

E! News can confirm the Rosewood vet Jaina Lee Ortiz is the first to sign on to the series, set to be introduced via backdoor pilot in one of Grey's Anatomy's fall episodes before launching at midseason. Naturally, who she'll be playing is being kept under wraps—this is Shondaland we're talking about, after all. Neither ABC nor Shondaland would confirm rumors that she'll be playing the show's female lead, but the still-untitled spinoff's directing executive producer Paris Barclay shared the casting news on Twitter, writing, "She's our star!"

Deadline first reported the story.

photos
We Ranked Shondaland's Best Couples—All 63 Of Them!
Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

The series, which was announced by ABC president Channing Dungey during the network's 2017 Upfronts presentation back in May, will center on firefighters in a Seattle firehouse, following these brave men and women—from captain to newest recruit—as they risk their lives and their hearts both in the line of duty and off the clock. Barclay will be joined by fellow executive producers Stacy McKee, Betsy Beers and Shonda Rhimes.

"No one can interweave the jeopardy firefighters face in the line of duty with the drama in their personal lives quite like Shonda, and Grey's' signature Seattle setting is the perfect backdrop for this exciting spinoff," Dungey said at the time.

Aside from her two seasons as Det. Annalise Villa on Fox's Rosewood, Ortiz has also appeared on USA Network's Shooter as well as in the feature film Girls Trip.

Are you looking forward to the Grey's Anatomy spinoff? Sound off in the comments below!