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Grey’s Anatomy fans were pleasantly surprised when Anthony Hill, who plays Winston Ndugu, joined the cast. The actor first appeared as a love interest for Kelly McCreary’s character, Maggie Pierce. But he’s popped up in Shondaland before. So here’s a breakdown of Hill’s past projects and how he landed his Grey’s Anatomy role.

Anthony Hill plays Winston Ndugu on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Anthony Hill as Winston Ndugu smiling in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17 Episode 10
Anthony Hill as Winston Ndugu in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17 | Richard Cartwright via Getty Images

According to Hill’s IMDb profile, the Grey’s Anatomy star guest starred in a number of popular projects since 2011. So you might recognize Hill from NCIS, Scream: The TV Series, Fuller House, Silicon Valley, Young & Hungry, Watchmen, and This Is Us. Hill also appeared in Shondaland’s How to Get Away with Murder, For the People, and the Grey’s Anatomy firefighter spinoff, Station 19.  

Meanwhile, Hill was cast as Winston in Grey’s Anatomy Season 16 Episode 19, titled “Love of My Life.” Then a few months after his first appearance, ABC confirmed Hill as a series regular in Grey’s Anatomy Season 17.

Anthony Hill on joining the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ cast

In March 2021, Hill stopped by The Real and opened up about joining the Grey’s Anatomy cast. The actor noted that his serious regular jump was “huge,” especially since he received the news amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“It came out of the blue because there’s a pandemic,” Hill said. “It was a really special thing to, even during a worldwide pandemic, have something positive happen. So it meant a lot to me.”

Hill also revealed that he auditioned for Grey’s Anatomy three times before landing a role. He said:

I had a bunch of auditions with those casting directors over the years for Grey’s Anatomy. 2015 is when I had the first one. So the first one, didn’t get it. Second one, didn’t get it. But inbetween those, I worked on other Shonda shows — For the People, How to Get Away with Murder, and Station 19. When I went back to the third one, we had a rapport, we had a relationship.

Hill also thought he “bombed” his third Grey’s Anatomy audition. 

“It didn’t go particularly well, in my opinion. I walked out of there, lowkey thinking I bombed another one,” the actor said. “But I got the call and got the role. So it worked out.”

What’s next for Winston and Maggie in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 17

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Whatever happened during Hill’s audition, many Grey’s Anatomy fans are happy to see the actor play Winston in season 17. The character formed a sweet romance with Maggie, and they’re now engaged. So hopefully, viewers will see more from Maggie and Winston as a couple and individuals. 

When speaking with Bustle in April 2021, Hill promised fans will get to watch Maggie and Winston celebrate their engagement. “There will be plenty of time and opportunities for fans to see the celebration and the joy and the planning,” he said.

The actor also hinted that Winston’s backstory will be explored as Grey’s Anatomy continues. 

“I’m looking forward to having more of a three-dimensional man start to appear and [allowing viewers] to learn more about the ins and outs of this guy and what he’s about,” Hill said. “Yes, he is about Maggie, and, yes, he knows he loves her and is there for her. But what else is up with this guy’s life?”

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