‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Texas Spinoff Finds Lead in Karla Souza

The “Grey’s Anatomy” Texas spinoff has secured its lead actress in Karla Souza. The “How to Get Away With Murder” star will rejoin Shonda Rhimes for the upcoming medical drama spinoff, taking on the role of Carolina “Lina” Hall, a haunted and cynical doctor managing a West Texas medical center. Souza is the first cast member for the untitled spinoff, produced by 20th Television and executive producers Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Meg Marinis, and Ellen Pompeo.

Rhimes and current “Grey’s” showrunner Marinis co-created the spinoff, described as an edgy drama centered around a rural West Texas medical center. The actress is best known for her role as Laurel in “How to Get Away With Murder.” Recently, Souza starred in “56 Days” alongside Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia. Her other notable credits include “Home Economics,” “Day Shift,” and “Dive,” for which she won two International Emmy Awards.

Souza's filmography features three of the top-grossing Mexican films, “¿Qué Culpa Tiene El Niño?,” “Nosotros Los Nobles,” and “Instructions Not Included.” She is represented by Gersh, Untitled, and Gang Tyre. The “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff, originally set to premiere midseason in 2027, faced delays due to two rejections for a California tax credit.

Consequently, production will now commence in the 2027-28 broadcast season, with the medical drama shifting its filming location from California to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Shondaland executive producer and creative partner Beers expressed disappointment over the tax credit rejections, emphasizing that the franchise's 23-year history filming in Los Angeles had no impact on the new show's eligibility for the credits.