A fan-favorite doctor from Grey Sloan Memorial will be checking into the high-powered world of the morning news. Emmy Award-winning Apple TV drama series The Morning Show has snagged a Grey's Anatomy star for its upcoming fifth season. Thankfully, it's a past star who has already left the series, meaning Grey's fans don't have to worry about any missing doctors.
As first reported by Deadline, Jesse Williams has joined the cast of The Morning Show season 5 in what sounds to be a potentially series regular role, though he could also appear in a major recurring role. He's set to play a character named Vernon, who's taking over the post as UBN's Head of News and promises to not only stir the pot but bring in more viewers to the network.
Williams will co-star alongside returning cast members Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Nicole Beharie, and Jon Hamm. He joins Emmy winner Jeff Daniels as the latest new addition to The Morning Show season 5, which star and executive producer Witherspoon revealed began filming in March 2026.
Jesse Williams set to star in The Morning Show season 5
The Grey's Anatomy star shared the exciting news of his casting on Instagram, and the post was quickly reshared by Witherspoon on her stories. She wrote that she "can't wait to work with my friend Jesse Williams again," teasing that she thinks season 5 of her hit show is going to be "VERY good." If you're wondering how Witherspoon and Williams are friends, they've starred in a movie together!
The actors starred in the 2023 Netflix original romantic comedy Your Place or Mine together, and Williams appeared as one of the Witherspoon's love interests (though she ultimately ended up with co-lead Ashton Kutcher). It's always thrilling to see past collaborators work together again, and Witherspoon tends to maintain a tight-knit community among her co-stars.
Williams was obviously a mainstay on ABC's long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy, first recurring in season 6 and becoming a series regular from season 7 to season 17. He played Dr. Jackson Avery for nearly 300 episodes and directed five, two of which were after his exit. Williams returned as a guest star in seasons 18, 19, 21, and most recently in season 22.
If Grey's Anatomy fans aren't going to get Jackson back in a full-time capacity, then following Jesse Williams to his role on The Morning Show season 5 will definitely be the next best thing. His role sounds like one of the actor's best to date and could potentially lead to more appearances on the show should Apple TV renew it beyond the upcoming fifth season.
As for when Grey's fans can tune into Williams on the hit drama series, Apple TV hasn't revealed when to expect The Morning Show season 5 to premiere. However, season 5 began filming much earlier than past seasons have, typically starting in the summer, which could mean an earlier release date. The series has premiered in the fall every two years, but keep a close eye on the updates!