When ABC's Grey's Anatomy returns Thursday, April will be facing an impossible choice when she is forced to make a decision between sweet paramedic Matthew and her best friend, Jackson.
When the Shonda Rhimes drama picks up from its midseason hiatus, Sarah Drew's lovable doc will pick a guy -- or the third option, and opt to be single -- after Jackson (Jesse Williams) boldly stood up during her nuptials to Matthew (Justin Bruening) to interrupt the ceremony by professing his love for April.
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Drew to preview what's ahead, how Jackson's now ex-girlfriend Stephanie will respond and to see just who the actress would pick for her on-screen alter-ego.
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Jackson and Matthew both offer April different things. If you're playing matchmaker, who would you set her up with?
I were playing matchmaker, I would set her up with Matthew. They are on the same page about big life things, the way they look at the world and the way they share the same space. They agree with each other on a lot of things -- and he's incredibly romantic, beautiful and he's so good to her. He sees the things that are beautiful in her that a lot of people write off or roll their eyes at. He's a great person for April.
What about Jackson? What does he bring to the table?
Jackson is her best friend and he knows her better than Matthew does. Jackson offers a challenge to the way that she thinks and I can see them debating big, deep life questions and him getting April to take a step out of the tradition she was raised in and looking at things from a different perspective. That can make her a more whole human being. They have this insane attraction to one another that can't be denied. Both of them are really good for April in different ways and if I were a matchmaker, I would feel like I was in a tough spot trying to figure out what to do.
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But you'd still pick Matthew?
I think so. I think someone who is not living inside of April's soul from the outside would pick Matthew for April. A lot of times people have to make that decision for what they consider the better partnership in terms of sharing life together.
How will whomever she picks impact her professionally?
She works with both of them, so no matter whom she chooses there's going to be drama. The fact that someone she dated interrupted their wedding and April gasps -- her note telling Jackson to sit down should concern Matthew. There's going to be tension no matter what choice she makes and no matter who she chooses to be with. It's a mess. Jackson created the mess but he had to do it. That's brave but sometimes being brave leads disaster in your wake and then you have face the consequences.
Stephanie would stand to be the one hurt the most by this -- even if April doesn't pick either guy. Where do those two go from here?
There's no recovery for Stephanie from this. No matter what April chooses to do, she will always be the one that Jackson chose over Stephanie. It's an impossible situation but it's something that they have to figure out because April and Jackson are there to teach Stephanie. They're going to have to figure out how to engage with one another.
Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC. Hit the comments below with your thoughts on who April should wind up with and head back to THR's The Live Feed after the episode for more from Drew.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
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