As Grey’s Anatomy fans sit down to watch season 22, episode 12, “Get Lucky,” you’re likely to immediately recognize Alimi Ballard thanks to his decades in the industry, but you might find yourself struggling to remember where you recognize him from. We’ve all been there before, and that’s the beauty of the internet, as it makes it easier than ever to put a name to the face we recognize but can't quite figure out from where.
Ballard is an amazing character actor who has appeared in nearly 100 shows and movies since he began his career in the industry over three decades ago. Fans who have followed his career from those early days will recall he got his start on the daytime drama Loving back in 1993 playing Frankie Hubbard, a character he'd reprise in the spinoff series The City.
90s babies, such as myself, perhaps best know him for his role in the hit comedy Sabrina the Teenage Witch, where he played Quizmaster Albert. The character played a major role in Sabrina’s early days, teaching her how to use magic so that she could get her Witch’s License. He remained in the magical world as the 2000s rolled around, playing Herbal Thought in the series Dark Angel.
Fast forward a few years, and one of his biggest roles came along when he joined the cast of the hit drama Numb3rs. Almini brought the character of David Sinclair to life over the course of the show’s six-season run, appearing in over 100 episodes in what was his longest-running role.
Following the conclusion of Numb3rs, Almini has taken on many roles, including in shows and movies such as Fast Five, Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, NCIS, Inception, CSI, The Catch, Queen Sugar, Queen of the South, One of Us Is Lying, Law & Order, and now Grey’s Anatomy.
The episode also features the returns of two key guest stars introduced in the show’s eleventh episode, with Sarah Paxton and Connor Price.
Price will once again be at the, no pun intended, heart of one of the central medical storylines of the episode, as it seems his character, Conrad, is about to go from bad to worse. After Teddy talked him out of a complicated procedure, his heart condition worsens leaving him in desperate need of a new course of treatment. Paxton will be back as Conrad’s sister, Leticia, and fans can expect her to become a strong advocate for her brother when he’s intubated and unable to make decisions for himself.
We’ll see if the storyline is wrapped up in this episode or if their guest stint will continue for another episode or two!