OK! Interview: Chyler Leigh

young girls.

Are you having fun on the Grey's set?

I’m having such a good time! I can’t say enough about how wonderful

everybody is. There is so much great stuff coming up — the new episodes are so

fantastic and so much fun. There’s a lot of drama, of course, but there’s such a

lightness to it. Every week when we get a script I’m just so excited to read it

and I’m loving it more and more each day.

Is there any tension remaining on set after the controversy

with Isaiah Washington?

I didn’t really feel much of the tension. I was there

briefly — two scenes total, two days in that last season — so I didn’t really

pick up on any of that stuff and no one really said anything to me about it

directly. I don’t know the details of the incident and I don’t really want to

know because, you know, it isn’t really going to do me any good. Everybody has

been really great, and as far as I know, everyone just seems really excited

about the new season.

So as far as you can tell Isaiah’s departure really hasn’t

adversely affected the cast chemistry?

No, not at all. They are very much a family — it is really

cool to see. Really nice to see when people can work so well together but also

joke around. For as serious a scene you may be filming, there is still so much

joking and laughing going on in between takes so it is a nice atmosphere — it

really is.

You've admitted to having some wild days in your youth. What

brought you through those times?

At the risk of sounding too cliché, I found a really

fantastic church. That is what keeps me grounded. I know the other side — I’ve

been through the Hollywood scene and when you just get so wrapped up in that,

you just realize that isn’t who you are. Starting clean is a theme for me —

starting fresh and understanding what’s important about life. Instead of being

passive, becoming passionate about what I do, what I want. It is just living

life intentionally — that is what I want instead of just existing.

How do you remain grounded in Hollywood?

At the end of the day who knows how long this (Grey’s) is

going to last? I don’t know. I need to look past it and set things up for the

future so that however long this does last, great, I’m so flattered and so grateful

to work in this town. There are so many people who are so incredibly talented

that just don’t get that. How many thousands of people are there in SAG and

they just don’t get much of a chance. I know — I am grateful — I know that this

could never have happened for me. You can’t take yourself and all of this too

seriously because then it just thwarts everything.

What are your ultimate career goals?

I think television is great because it gives you

consistency. I think, though — and I say this now, who knows! — I would eventually like to move into films

more, so that I can do a couple films throughout the year hopefully and then

have the rest of the time to spend with my family. And see the world and

travel!

Who are your film actress role models?

Gwyneth Paltrow is great at being able to take time off and

come back into it and get back into the swing of things seamlessly. I think

also the heavy-hitters like Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, I