Grey’s Anatomy Star Harry Shum Jr. Reacts to His Character’s Shocking Season 22 Firing
Grey’s Anatomy Character Fired, Another’s Life Is on the Line Ahead of Season 22 Finale
Is Harry Shum Jr. scrubbing out of the OR for good?
As of right now, the fate of his Grey’s Anatomy character Dr. Benson Kwan remains up in the air after he was fired in the penultimate episode of season 22. And when it came to the complicated dynamic that led to Kwan’s axing, the Crazy Rich Asians actor was more than ready to dive headfirst.
“I think it’s good to see the doctors when they do make a mistake, but also with good intentions,” Harry exclusively told E! News at the Asian American Foundation’s 2026 Heritage Month Awards Dinner May 14. “It wasn’t just because he was a bumbling mess.”
Instead, he emphasized, “It was very motivated in making sure that someone got to be able to choose life over death.”
Kwan was fired by Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) off-screen after he discovered that the surgical resident had secretly administered an experimental hydrogel, an FDA-denied treatment, to patient Quinn Durston (Michael Weston) for his liver cancer earlier in the season.
And with the firing, Harry—who joined the ABC series’ cast as an intern in season 19—reacted to the possibility of the surgical resident not returning to Grey Sloan Memorial next season.
“I’m just as much in the dark as audiences,” he admitted during the TAAF event honoring AAPI changemakers. “But to me, it’s a hope of: Do audiences want to see him go or do they want to see him go back to the hospital?”
Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) found herself in hot water with the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the ethics committee for medical research, after taking the blame for Kwan’s move.
Although Durston had developed a pulmonary embolism following the injection, she told Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) in the April 30 episode that the patient was “doing quite well.”
When the report eventually came in, Webber pulled Kwan aside to address Bailey—who was reported by Dr. Dani Spencer (Jade Pettyjohn)—taking the fall for him.
“I know it was you who injected the hydrogel and not her,” he said. “Now, I want you to tell me everything that happened, starting from the beginning.”
Webber ultimately confronted Bailey, the director of the residency program, who was benched from surgery until further notice.
“We work in a system where you can be forced out for one mistake, but that’s not conducive to learning,” she emphasized. “Kwan is still learning, so don’t go too hard on him while I’m out.”
Webber wasn’t impressed with the situation, simply telling Bailey, “Well, that won’t be a problem. He’s fired.”
While Kwan’s future on the show is to be determined, keep reading for a closer look at more doctors who departed Grey’s Anatomy over the years.