Sandra Oh recounts being ‘very sick’ after ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ fame

Sandra Oh. Image: Instagram/@iamsandraohinsta

Sandra Oh, who portrayed Dr. Cristina Yang in the long-running medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” opened up about the fame brought by the series and how it took a toll on her health.

Oh revealed how the attention she gained during the early years of the series affected her well-being, in a conversation with “Squid Game” star Hoyeon Jung for Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” segment last Saturday, June 11.

“I feel like, honestly, I got sick. I think my whole body was very, very sick. Even though you keep on working, right?” Oh told Hoyeon Jung. “It’s just like, ‘Oh, I can’t sleep. Oh, my back hurts. I don’t know what’s wrong with my skin.’ These were the things that came in.”

Oh also spoke about how her life “changed very much” when “Grey’s Anatomy” came and compared it to Hoyeon Jung’s experience after “Squid Game,” considering the year difference.

“It’s tricky to imagine because this is almost 20 years ago, so the context is very different but the stress is the same — or the confusion is the same,” Oh stated.

Oh and Hoyeon Jung then talked about the importance of taking care of themselves in order to handle the pressure that comes with fame. Oh also shared her realizations and noted that one should look after not just their physical body but their mind as well.

“I learned that I had to take care of my health first,” Oh added. “Because you can’t ultimately depend on anyone else. You have to somehow find it within yourself. You ask people’s opinions, yes of course, but ultimately, we are alone with ourselves.”

Oh played the role of Yang for nine years and was part of the series’ original cast along with Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey and Justin Chambers, among others. Oh left the show in 2014 after completing 10 seasons. JB

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