TORONTO - Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd has likely said her last goodbyes at Seattle Grace Hospital.
Actress Kate Walsh, who will star in her own spinoff series, "Private Practice," this fall, says her character has no loose ends to tie up with the angst-ridden doctors on "Grey's Anatomy." "I think I'm finished with 'Grey's'," she said Monday during a visit to the city to promote her new show.
"My work is kind of done there ... I had come to Seattle to save my marriage, that didn't work. There's really nothing left for me there except the job."
And the job, of course, isn't enough. After being turned down for the position of hospital chief on the "Grey's Anatomy" season finale, Addison was unceremoniously told she needed a new life.
Next month, she'll get one, as Walsh starts shooting "Private Practice," which was introduced to viewers during a special two-hour episode of "Grey's" earlier this year.
The brainchild of "Grey's" creator Shonda Rhimes, the show is set at a private medical facility in Los Angeles and co-stars Tim Daly of "Wings" fame and Amy Brenneman of the longtime drama "Judging Amy."
The pilot episode received mixed reviews, and Walsh admits she had "a little trepidation" about leaving a show as successful as "Grey's."
Still, she says she loves the character of Addison and is excited to see her evolve. And, like many "Grey's Anatomy" stars, she has effusive praise for - and complete trust in - Rhimes.
"She feels very passionate about writing for people - men and women - in their 30s and 40s who are, like: 'Now what?' 'What do we do? We're living lives that are unlike our parents in most every way. Or we tried to have the life that our parents had or emulate that, but it didn't quite work out so now what do we do?"'
Walsh, 39, seems to closely identify with those questions.
Although she's drop-dead gorgeous, she's previously lamented that her romantic life is not where she thought it would be at this stage in her life.
But those worries seem to have evaporated of late. A few weeks ago, when ABC announced it was picking up "Private Practice" as part of its Wednesday night lineup (the show will air in Canada on CTV), Walsh had some news of her own: she's engaged to studio executive Alex Young.
That, and the spinoff make for a moment the actress is ready to embrace.
"In times of faith in my life, I always thought everything would happen at once, and then of course there are times you're like 'no I'm going to die alone in a box on the street."'
"I strangely felt very ready for all of this, if that's possible."
