Wilson and Pickens reportedly received a significant pay increase from their previous contracts.
Her contract also allows her to retain a producer credit on the series as well as co-executive producer credit on Station 19.
Pompeo signed a one-year contract for her return receiving over US$575,000 per episode and also making her the highest paid actress on broadcast television. Richard Webber, respectively, were all confirmed to be returning for the season. The series remaining three original actors Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, and James Pickens, Jr., who portray Dr. Kim Raver, Camilla Luddington, and Kevin McKidd each signed a three-year contract in July 2020 keeping them attached to the series through a potential nineteenth season to portray Dr. When ABC revealed its schedule for the 2021–22 broadcast season it was announced that the series would hold its previous time slot of Thursdays at 9:00 PM ET, with Station 19 serving as a lead-in. Although no longer writing for the series, after her departure from ABC to Netflix in 2017, series creator Shonda Rhimes remains credited as a showrunner and executive producer. The deal also keeps Trip the Light Productions, Vernoff's production company, attached to the series.
On March 25, 2021, Krista Vernoff, who serves as the showrunner and executive producer of Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 signed a two-year deal with ABC to remain on both series through a potential nineteenth season.
