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Grey’s Anatomy is currently in the midst of its 18th season, and the ABC series needs to find creative ways to keep its storylines fresh and interesting. It’s attempted to do so with Jo (Camilla Luddington) by having her become a mom for the first time — an unexpected development following her recent divorce. And when Luddington found out her character would become a mother, she had a hilarious reaction to the news. As it turns out, even the Grey’s star didn’t see that twist coming.

Jo became a mother during ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17

Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 sees Jo attempting to adopt her late patient’s baby, an effort that appears futile at first. Jo is initially rejected when she tries to adopt Luna, but she fights for custody of the child. Season 17 concludes with her success, and Grey’s Anatomy Season 18 has presented her with new challenges as a mother.

Of course, raising a baby didn’t seem like it was in the cards for Jo, who was left reeling from her split from Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) just a season earlier. Luna seems to be exactly what Jo needs to move forward. However, Luddington wasn’t expecting a motherhood storyline for her character. In fact, when she first heard about Jo’s path, the actor was both surprised and confused.

Camilla Luddington had a comical reaction to her character’s storyline

Camilla Luddington as Jo in ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy.' She's sitting in pink scrubs and laughing.
Camilla Luddington in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ | Richard Cartwright/ABC via Getty Images

Luddington has been on Grey’s Anatomy for about a decade, so she’s seen her share of twists and surprises. That didn’t prevent the initial shock of learning her character would become a mom.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Grey’s star admitted she was puzzled by Jo’s coming storyline. Her character wasn’t dating anyone at the time, prompting the big question: how was she pregnant? She recalled her response to learning the news, which is kind of hilarious in hindsight:

“This is my 10th season on the show, so I’ve wanted a lot of things for Jo, like finding out about her past, and one of the things I always wanted was for her to have her own family. I felt like it was really important to her. When they told me that she was going to be a mom, the first thing I said was, ‘With who?! She’s not seeing anyone. How is this happening?'”

Of course, upon learning more about Jo’s storyline, Luddington came to realize how heartwarming it was. She felt it was the right choice for the character — both personally and to push her career further:

“Initially, I was thinking maybe she’s going to have a donor. But when they told me the story, I thought it was just so beautiful. I was happy she did get to become a mom, and I think it really influenced her wanting to be an OB and deliver babies.”

It certainly seems the tables have turned for Jo, finally giving her some well-deserved happiness. That’s something Luddington can relate to.

Why Camilla Luddington relates to her ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ character

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Funnily enough, Luddington began settling down and raising children around the same time as her Grey’s Anatomy character. For that reason, she can relate to the enthusiasm Jo feels about Luna — and to her passion for the babies at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Luddington told EW that much of the excitement fans see on Jo’s face actually stems from her:

“It’s funny because I gave birth to my son last year and know Jo finds a lot of joy in delivering babies, but I, Camilla, get so excited walking into the birthing rooms! The joy you’re seeing in Jo is also mine.”

It’s clear Luddington’s acting aligns with where her character is at, and fans can only hope Jo’s journey continues its upswing. She certainly deserves a bit of happiness after the past few seasons of Grey’s Anatomy.

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