Dr. Sadie Harris is a
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series
Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
. The character was portrayed by
Melissa GeorgeMelissa Suzanne George is an Australian film and television actress who has worked in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Melissa is perhaps best known for her role as Angel Parrish on the Australian soap opera Home and Away...
, and was created by
Shonda RhimesShonda Rhimes is an American screenwriter, director and producer. Rhimes is best known as the creator, head writer, and executive producer of acclaimed television series Grey's Anatomy and its spin-off Private Practice. In May 2007, Rhimes was named one of Time magazine's 100 Time 100 people who...
. Harris was a recurring guest-star for season five before leaving the series. She was originally planned to be a romantic foil for
Erica HahnErica Hahn is a fictional character from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actress Brooke Smith. Hahn was a recurring character through the show's second and third seasons, and joined the main cast in the fourth season...
and
Callie TorresCalliope Iphegenia "Callie" Torres, M.D., is a fictional character from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actress Sara Ramírez...
, but the role was retooled after the character of Erica Hahn was suddenly written out in November 2008. After much speculation to whether or not the character would become a series regular,
Shonda RhimesShonda Rhimes is an American screenwriter, director and producer. Rhimes is best known as the creator, head writer, and executive producer of acclaimed television series Grey's Anatomy and its spin-off Private Practice. In May 2007, Rhimes was named one of Time magazine's 100 Time 100 people who...
confirmed that George's character would not be joining the series and would soon depart. February 15, 2009 marks Sadie's final appearance.
Background
Harris had a detailed history with Dr.
Meredith GreyMeredith Grey is a fictional surgeon and the series protagonist on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Meredith...
, with whom she attended college. As friends they traveled across Europe. During their travels they had a serious argument in
AmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, which caused an estrangement. Harris delayed her
residencyResidency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
by working in a
morgueA morgue or mortuary is used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification, or removal for autopsy or disposal by burial, cremation or otherwise...
before starting her internship at Seattle Grace.
Personality
Melissa George described her character as "naughty" and "mischievous" as well as "nutty". George also states that she was influenced by
Lisa Rowe, a
sociopathicPsychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
character from
Girl, InterruptedGirl, Interrupted is a best-selling 1993 memoir by American author Susanna Kaysen, relating her experiences as a young woman in a psychiatric hospital in the 1960s after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder...
played by
Angelina JolieAngelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
. Peter Nowalk, one of the show's writers describes Sadie as "quite a flirty gal." Other
Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
cast members have also commented on the character of Sadie;
Chandra WilsonChandra Danette Wilson is an American actress and director, best known as Dr. Miranda Bailey in the ABC television drama, Grey's Anatomy.-Early life:...
states that Sadie "lives fast and wants to do surgery fast," as
Chyler LeighChyler Leigh is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Dr. Lexie Grey on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. She also portrayed Janey Briggs in Not Another Teen Movie.-Early life:...
states that the character is there to "wreak havoc on Seattle Grace." Showbusiness journalists have addressed the character of Sadie, such as Debbie Chang of
BuddyTVBuddyTV is an entertainment-based website based in Seattle, Washington, which generates content about television programs and sporting events. The website publishes information about celebrity and related entertainment news through a series of articles, entertainment profiles, actor biographies and...
who describes Sadie as "kind of a rebel," and Erin Lulevitch of
TV GuideTV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
describes her as "masochistic." Chang and Jonathan Toomey of TV Squad also cast ideas about Sadie's self-incision in the episode
In the Midnight Hour"In the Midnight Hour" is a song originally performed by Wilson Pickett in 1965 and released on the 1966 album The Exciting Wilson Pickett. It was composed by Pickett and Steve Cropper at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis where Martin Luther King, Jr. would later be murdered in April 1968...
, wondering if she "has a death wish?" and "what is wrong with her?"
Relationships
Stacy McKee, one of the show's writers describes Sadie as Meredith's "pre-
CristinaCristina Yang is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Sandra Oh, who won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award in 2006 for the role...
Cristina" and that she shares "a history with Meredith that Cristina can't". Her arrival in Seattle causes some friction between herself and Cristina Yang, as Yang is jealous of their close relationship. She formed a friendship with
Dr. Lexie GreyAlexandra Caroline Grey, more commonly known as Lexie Grey, is a fictional surgeon from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by Chyler Leigh, and was created by Shonda Rhimes. She was made an official series regular for season four...
, after deciding that she "maybe isn't such a priss." She also flirted with
Dr. TorresCalliope Iphegenia "Callie" Torres, M.D., is a fictional character from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actress Sara Ramírez...
.
Storylines
Harris made her first appearance in the Season 5 episode
These Ties That Bind, in which it was revealed that she was once a very close friend of
Meredith GreyMeredith Grey is a fictional surgeon and the series protagonist on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Meredith...
. Sadie and Meredith gave each other nicknames; "Die" and "Death" respectively.
Sadie begins a friendship with fellow intern
Lexie GreyAlexandra Caroline Grey, more commonly known as Lexie Grey, is a fictional surgeon from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by Chyler Leigh, and was created by Shonda Rhimes. She was made an official series regular for season four...
, and volunteers herself to have an appendectomy, so the interns can learn that surgical procedure, as long as she gets a chance to perform one afterwards. The surgery goes wrong however and Sadie's life is seriously endangered, though fortunately she is rescued by the residents. She is put on probation and rebuked by Meredith, though later tells Lexie that she is "not sorry."
Some time after the surgery fiasco, Sadie approaches
The Chief of SurgeryRichard Webber is a fictional surgeon from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actor James Pickens, Jr., and was created by Shonda Rhimes...
and claims responsibility for the appendectomy. He says to her; "You know who your father is, and you know he's why you're still here." Later, she flirts with
Dr. Callie TorresCalliope Iphegenia "Callie" Torres, M.D., is a fictional character from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actress Sara Ramírez...
.
Nonetheless, Sadie continues to pursue a friendship with Lexie, even going as far as to help her cover up Lexie's blooming relationship with Mark Sloan. In Episode 15, during a competition set up by Izzie among the interns, George notices Sadie's lack of medical knowledge. Although George offers to tutor her, she declines and chooses not to tell the Chief, which George does instead. When Sadie comes out from a talk with the Chief, she tells Meredith that she has decided to quit. When she tries to get Meredith to go back to "sleeping their way through Europe", Meredith declines her offer and Sadie leaves.
External links