‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17: Will Jackson and April Reunite? Jesse Williams Hopes Sarah Drew Will Return
The Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 spring premiere is just around the corner, and fans are starting to theorize which characters will come back next. Recently, Jesse Williams (Jackson Avery) hinted that he still has hope for Sarah Drew’s (April Kepner) return. But will April and Jackson — aka Japril — reunite in Grey’s Anatomy Season 17? Here’s what the actor said.
What happened after Jackson Avery and April Kepner got divorced on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’?
April and Jackson went through so much together on Grey’s Anatomy. But, the couple did not end up together. In season 12, Jackson and April decided to get a divorce. April also found out she was pregnant with Harriet right before signing the papers. Nevertheless, the couple found a way to co-parent their child.
Meanwhile, April reconnected with Matthew Taylor (Justin Bruening) in Grey’s Anatomy Season 14. As you may remember, April left Matthew at the altar and immediately eloped with Jackson. But, April and Matthew were able to reconcile and fall in love again.
April also quit her job at Grey Sloan Memorial in Grey’s Anatomy Season 14. She left trauma surgery to provide medical care for homeless communities. That said, the character remained in Seattle. So April is still around, just co-parenting with Jackson offscreen.
Sarah Drew says she would come back as April on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
It’s been over two years since Drew left April and Grey’s Anatomy behind. But it seems the actor would be willing to return if the show asked.
“Nobody’s asked me to come back,” Drew said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight from November 2020. “All I’ll say is that I love my family over there. So I would never say no to the possibility. But, you know, it hasn’t presented itself.”
Drew also wasn’t sure whether Jackson and April had any more stories to tell on Grey’s Anatomy. That said, she still believes Japril should’ve been endgame.
“If it had been up to me, they would’ve been endgame,” Drew said of April and Jackson. “But it’s not up to me.”
Jesse Williams on Sarah Drew’s return ahead of the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17 spring premiere
In a separate interview with Entertainment Tonight from February 2021, Williams was also asked what he thought of Jackson and April’s story on Grey’s Anatomy — and the actor thinks there are still plenty of stories to be told.
“Yeah. The answer can’t be no,” Williams said of future Japril storylines. “They’re incredible together. I’m a fan, too.”
Williams also gushed over Drew. “She is absolutely one of the most-special people I’ve worked with,” he said. “We developed those storylines together with our incredible writers. It’ll always hold a very real place in my heart and memories. We stay in contact. She’s the sweetest.”
That said, it doesn’t look like any Jackson and April storylines are being planned for Grey’s Anatomy Season 17.
“I would love any opportunity to continue that story because they have it in droves,” Williams said. “They have an ability to communicate and be vulnerable with each other and to push each other. So even if it just has to live in our mind or in some fan-fiction, I get it. I understand it. And that’s not always the case.”
Of course, Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 has already reached the extraordinary when it comes to returning characters. The Shondaland series recently brought Patrick Dempsey (Derek Shepherd) and T.R. Knight (George O’Malley) back. So anything can happen moving forward. Stay tuned.
The Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 spring premiere will be released on Thursday, March 11, 2021.
