The end of the road is in sight for Bellamy Young and her Scandal co-stars.
The long-running Shondaland series is set to wrap up after seven seasons this spring on ABC and the cast is finally in the last few weeks of work now that they've just completed their final table read ever last week. And as the actress responsible for bringing Mellie Grant to life told E! News on the red carpet at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 26th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on Sunday, March 4, there wasn't a dry eye in the room as the finale script was read.
"Last table read was Friday and we were all just like," Young said before mimicking some intense sobbing. "Yeah, it was crazy."
Though the end is near, Young and her co-star Darby Stanchfield said that, despite the sadness, they're just thankful that they had the opportunity to work together for one last run of episodes. "We're so grateful that we knew, though, because what if they called us and said, 'Oh, that last season you did was your last season,'" she said. "So, it's been a year of, like, a victory lap. We've gotten to really appreciate every, every moment."
"18 episodes to enjoy every moment and then begin to say goodbye," Stanchfield added.
While Young has already lined up her potentially next gig, reportedly signing on to False Profits, a comedic soap in contention at ABC for next season, she willingly admits that nothing else she does in her career moving forward will compare to her experience on Scandal. "This will still always be the most special family," she gushed. "It's just made of love."
Scandal airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.