The actor plays Cass Beckman, whose chemistry with Teddy Altman, another surgeon, is undeniable
BY YASMIN VINCE, IMAGE BY DISNEY
Sophia Bush has opened up about her role on hit show Grey’s Anatomy. The actor, who plays sapphic surgeon Cass Beckman, said it mattered to her to “represent my community and my friends and certainly myself” and that the character is for the people who cannot “safely be who they are”.
Since Cass arrived on the show last year, she has shaken things up, especially for trauma surgeon Teddy Altman (Kim Raver). Despite Teddy being married, her chemistry with Cass was undeniable and the two kissed. Earlier this month, after she agreed to an open marriage with husband Owen (Kevin McKidd), Teddy finally seemed to reciprocate Cass’ interest. However, the two did not end up getting together as Teddy still felt like she was cheating.
This is not the end of the line for Cass and Teddy, as Sophia told Shondaland’s in-house magazine that she will come back to the show as “often as they’ll have me”. She added that the character is really important to her and the show, particularly for representation. “It matters to me to represent my community and my friends and certainly myself,” Sophia said. Having come out as queer last year and dating former football star Ashlyn Harris, Sophia has become a prominent figure in the queer community.
“I think when you get to be a whole human, not only can that be really freeing for you,” she added. “But it can be really important for the people watching who might not have that freedom in their own lives yet or who might not be able to safely be who they are.”
Though Cass and Teddy have yet to have a happy ending or even move beyond acknowledging their attraction to each other, Sophia maintains that this may be for the best. She told Deadline that it is “really refreshing to just see mature relationships and healthy communication be modeled” and that not every relationship on TV has to end dramatically.
Sophia continued to say that she doesn’t think the relationship was necessarily introduced to provide a new love interest for long-time character Teddy, so much as it was intended to get audiences thinking about desire and fulfillment for older women. “It’s not just about two people being attracted to each other. It’s about where does your ultimate fulfillment lie? And is love enough?”
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
