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Ellen Pompeo Scaling Back Grey's Anatomy Role 'Shows Her Love for the Show,' Says Costar Kevin McKidd

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Kevin McKidd attends the Red Carpet of the 2nd Annual HCA TV Awards - Broadcast & Cable at The Beverly Hilton on August 13, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Kevin McKidd attends the Red Carpet of the 2nd Annual HCA TV Awards - Broadcast & Cable at The Beverly Hilton on August 13, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage)

Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Kevin McKidd is supportive of Ellen Pompeo's decision to reduce her presence in season 19 of Grey's Anatomy — in fact, he says it's a sign of her commitment to the hit ABC medical drama.

"Ellen has been the captain of this ship all these years, and she's about to start producing, so she needed to make room in her schedule for that," McKidd, 49, told E! News' Daily Pop at the 2nd Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards in Beverly Hills.

"The fact that she's not leaving the show and is just gonna scale it back a bit — what I think is beautiful about it is that it shows her love for the show still," he added.

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RELATED: Kevin McKidd Says Grey's Anatomy Is 'Going Back to the Beginning' with New Characters

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial celebrate the holidays; Hamilton and Meredith prepare for a milestone on their project; Link wants to spend the holiday with Amelia and Scout as a family; Schmitt is faced with a difficult decision during surgery on an all-new episode of Greys Anatomy, THURSDAY, DEC. 16 (9:00-10:01 p.m. EST), on ABC.

Liliane Lathan/ABC via Getty

Pompeo, 52, has anchored the hit ABC medical drama for the past 17 years, including stepping into a producer role in 2017. For season 19, which premieres in October, Pompeo will appear in only eight episodes, per Deadline.

The news of her lessened role on Grey's came as the actress announced that will be executive producing and starring in a new Hulu limited series adaptation of the 2009 film Orphan.

RELATED: Jesse Williams Defends Ellen Pompeo's Limited Upcoming Role on Grey's: 'It's Well Earned'

GREY’S ANATOMY
GREY’S ANATOMY

Raymond Liu/ABC

PEOPLE also spoke with McKidd at Saturday's HCA TV Awards on Saturday. The actor shared that the new season of Grey's will serve as a "sort of reignition of the show."

The show has recently added newcomers Niko TerhoAdelaide KaneMidori FrancisHarry Shum Jr. and Alexis Floyd, and McKidd teased, "We have this amazing group of new interns, brilliant, young, vibrant actors who are really passionate."

He continued, "It's almost like we're going back to the beginning, if that makes sense. We're not really rebooting, but it's definitely that pilot episode when Sandra Oh and T.R. Knight first kind of walked into the hospital. We're kind of doing that again. And it's very exciting to feel that we're all part of that," McKidd added.

RELATED: OG Star of Grey's Anatomy Gives a 'Warm Welcome' to New Costars — See Them in Their Scrubs on Set!

Of Pompeo, he told PEOPLE: "Definitely her character [Meredith Grey] is such a dominant, iconic character on the show. It's definitely going to make some room for different stories to be told. So I think everyone is excited about that."

GREY’S ANATOMY - “Out for Blood” – Due to a blood shortage, Grey Sloan Memorial is setting up a voluntary donation center. Meanwhile, Nick asks Meredith for help with his patient and Winston is hung up on his relationship with his brother, in the first hour of the season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy,” THURSDAY, MAY 26 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Liliane Lathan) KIM RAVER, KEVIN MCKIDD

Liliane Lathan/ABC

McKidd's character Dr. Owen Hunt's fate is also up in the air after he went on the run in the season 18 finale, following his confession that he administered medication to a patient to help him die by euthanasia.

"I think he still has quite a bit of fallout to deal with. He did a noble thing last year, but he bent the rules too much and he has to pay the price," he explained. "He's already paid a significant price, but it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out because he isn't out of hot water yet. He has to dig himself out."

McKidd quipped, "My character is always in trouble."

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Season 19 of Grey's Anatomy will premiere Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.