Loretta Devine opens up about departure from Grey's Anatomy
Loretta Devine has had a storied career in film, TV, and on the stage and is still going strong as a beloved industry veteran.
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However, one of her most memorable roles to date definitely comes via her recurring appearance on the hit long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy.
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She played Adele Webber, the wife of Dr. Richard Webber, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and was in the care of her husband's hospital.
The role brought her significant acclaim and won her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress. However, she eventually was killed off via a heart attack.
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Loretta opened up in a guest spot on PeopleTV in 2019 about the way she exited the show, reflecting on the fact that her exit was definitely an unceremonious one.
"I got an Emmy for this show for best guest spot and then they fired me right after that," she said. "They killed me with that damn Alzheimer's."
Loretta opened up about the way she left Grey's Anatomy - and she wasn't pleased
She even had a theory that it had to do with Debbie Allen, who joined the show as Dr. Catherine Avery, a future love interest for Richard.
Loretta joked about it in the same interview, saying: "When I was doing Dreamgirls, Debbie Allen came over, took over that, then I was gone.
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"Then she came over there to Grey's Anatomy, took over that, then I was gone. I was at The Client List and they said Debbie Allen was coming in to direct, I got scared as hell," she added with a laugh, clarifying that the two have worked together many times since and were on good terms.
The acclaimed actress and singer still has a lot more going on for her, having appeared in several projects since then.
The actress was the first eliminated on Secret Celebrity Drag Race
Most recently, Loretta was also one of the stars cast in the second season of RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race, being put into drag and performing as the alter ego Fabulosity.
However, she was eliminated after losing the very first lip sync for your life in the premiere episode, sending her home in ninth place.
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