‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Casts Lynn Chen as New Head of Plastic Surgery (EXCLUSIVE)

Lynn Chen is the latest “Grey’s Anatomy” guest actor to get bumped up to recurring status, for the role of Dr. Michelle Lin.

Viewers of the ABC medical drama have already been introduced to Dr. Lin this season, as the exacting new head of plastic surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. With surgeons at Grey Sloan quitting because of burnout from the pandemic, and the hospital’s younger doctors having fallen behind because of how COVID affected the surgery schedule, Dr. Lin nearly didn’t take the job when it was offered to her. But then program director Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.), fired up by her critique, vowed to get the students’ skills up to speed. “Lin teaches by doing, and relies on the residents’ abilities to keep up with her,” reads ABC’s official description of the character.

In addition to recurring on “Shameless” and guest starring on shows such as “The Affair” and “Big Mouth,” Chen co-starred with Pooya Mohseni in the movie “See You Then,” which premiered at SXSW this year. She also wrote, directed and starred in the 2020 indie film “I Will Make You Mine,” for which Variety profiled her.

Chen starred in the lesbian romantic comedy “Saving Face” as well, which premiered at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival, screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, and was bought by Sony Pictures Classics for a 2005 release. “Saving Face” has gone on to become a queer cult classic, a fact that has not been lost on “Grey’s Anatomy” fans on social media.

“Grey’s Anatomy” is currently in its 18th season on ABC, and along with welcoming back past cast members such as Kate Walsh for appearances, and adding Scott Speedman to the cast to romance Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), the show is also bolstering its roster of recurring roles. Last week, ABC announced that E.R. Fightmaster will recur as the show’s first non-binary doctor.

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