Shonda Rhimes, creator of ABC's highly watched series, Grey's Anatomy, has, from the very start, written for her show, but due to the WGA writers' strike, she has been forced to go with her writing staff to the streets to protest. Despite her absence in the production room, the cast and crew continued with their work and was able to complete an upcoming episode without Rhimes' input.



"[The network] shot it after we walked out," Rhimes said in a conversation with the New York Post on Wednesday, December 12, while she was walking the picket line along with the WGA in front of Paramount Studios in L.A. "That one episode hasn't aired. Everything else we've done has aired."

Rhimes added that she has "never not been in the editing room," and that "it's been a very weird transition" because since the strike began in November 5, she has not written anything for Grey's Anatomy. However, she admits that she is constantly thinking of her show's characters.

Speaking of the show's characters, many of the faces on Grey's Anatomy joined the picket lines that day, as the show's stars were also present and eagerly showing their support for the writers who have also worked hard on the show. However, they admit to feeling the pressures of being out of work.

Katherine Heigl, who plays Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy, is currently amidst planning her wedding, but with the indefinite outcome of the strike and without any work to do, she has become more conscious of the flow of money from her purse.

"It's starting to get stressful. I'm just try to be as smart [financially] as I can," she admitted. "I'm just trying to save as much as I can."

Sara Ramirez, who plays Callie on the show, also shared some thoughts to the New York Post about how she moved to Los Angeles after living in New York for 14 years to take on her role on the show.

"I moved out here to play this role and now I'm not playing her," Ramirez said, obviously dissatisfied. "[The strike] kind of forces you to take matters into your own hands."

Other celebrities on the picket lines include former Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington, who was fired from the show after he said some offensive gay slur against T.R. Knight (Dr. George O'Malley). While there, Washington avoided the reporters, but was seen posing for pictures with Justin Chambers, who plays Alex Karev on the show.