When fiction meets reality… sort of. “Grey’s Anatomy” star James Pickens Jr. discusses his character’s alcoholism issues, issues that echo elements of his past.
Warning spoilers! This article reveals key elements of seasons 19 and 20 of “Grey’s Anatomy”.
James Pickens Jr. knows first-hand what it’s like to live with alcoholism, a problem he experienced through his father who suffered from this addiction.
In the series, the eternal Richard Webber – the character he has played since the show’s debut 19 years ago – may be the pillar of Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have his own demons to face. During the first six seasons of Shonda Rhimes’ medical series, Richard struggled with alcoholism until he was finally able to get his hands on his addiction and stay sober.
Fast forward to the season 19 finale in which Richard once again found himself grabbing a drink during severe turbulence on a flight to Boston. But luckily, Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson, the show’s other mainstay) was there to stop him from going any further, although it did call Richard’s sobriety into question by the end of the season.
ABC
Richard didn’t turn to alcohol when season 20 debuted this year and instead sought help in the form of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to get back on track.
Speaking to the Express.co.uk, James Pickens Jr. explained how his father’s own battle with this addiction helped him in his acting.
“I have a particular attachment to this story from the beginning”, he commented. “Long story short, I have firsthand knowledge, my father struggled with alcoholism towards the end of his life. He fought valiantly until he passed away, so I was fortunate to be a part of that and I use that as a sort of emotional launching pad and as a technique as an actor, to move forward this scenario.”
Fan reaction
The 69-year-old actor then explained how viewers have responded positively to Richard’s ongoing battle with addiction, reactions that have meant a lot to him.
“I think what I’m most proud of is that it’s impacted so many lives. I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me in the past and said, ‘Thank you for this story, I’m a recovering alcoholic or recovering from another addiction, and your story [dans la série] gave me a boost, I can continue like this.’”
He continued: “So I think the biggest takeaway for me was the fact that it impacted some lives along the way and that’s the point of fiction. It should affect you in some way. So I’m happy to come back to it and we see that [Richard] is just as likely as anyone else to almost relapse. Thank goodness he didn’t, but he admitted, ‘I have to go back to AA just to get my act together.’”.
The (short) season 20 of Grey’s Anatomy ended its broadcast on May 30 in the United States. While waiting for season 21, the first 19 seasons of the show can be found in France on Disney+.