Justin started the day at the Monte Carlo Television Festival with a press conference for journalists. I’m not sure if video of the press conference will be made available but here are a few snippets that were published on Twitter and online from it.
Reminder that this is a rough translation of tweets and articles that were published in French. lol
On past and current cast members:
“It’s pretty amazing how many people have come and gone since the beginning of the show. Many of these people I miss, like TR Knight, Katherine Heigl, Kate Walsh … I remember we worked a lot. The show became successful very quickly, but we worked a lot more at the time!”
“I would like Katherine Heigl to return. I would like for her and Alex to reach some sort of agreement. She left and it was over.”
Isaiah Washington’s return in season 10 was “interesting.”
Despite being nostalgic about his past cast members, Justin admitted that it’s a relief that the backstage drama that marked the first seasons of the show is ancient history.
“There’s a new generation of actors who have come on and it’s pretty exciting to see that they are so happy to be there. They arrive on time! They are happy to have a job! It helps so much.”
On Alex’s relationship with Jo:
Justin is very happy with the relationship between Alex and Jo. “Their relationship is strong and I think Jo really brings out the best in Alex and vice versa. They have very similar pasts and I think they will settle down.”
“ I think Karev will have a family by the end of the show. Jo is the love of his life.”
“I think next season we will really see them evolve. This is a drama so there will be problems but I really think she is the love of his life.
On season 11 of Grey’s Anatomy:
Justin thinks Bailey should have be on the hospital board(?) and that Alex will likely have problems with money next season.
He thinks we’ll discover a bit more about Alex’s family and he knows that Alex has a sister.
Other topics:
“The secret to the longevity of the show is the great diversity of the cast in which everyone can identify with someone… and also the sex.”
“I like the fact that Alex is bad with adults but so good with children”
“The older I get, the less they want me shirtless onscreen.”
He often asks Shonda what’s happening and if he’ll still have a job. Shonda would like GA to go on for as long as ER.
He doesn’t think the plane crash sidelined his character or that the death of Alex’s father has softened him.
Justin suggested to the writers bringing in Alex’s mother, but they opted to bring in his father.
Personal life
“Having a job brings security when you have a big family.”
His kids don’t watch the show and don’t really like it.
He hardly has any time for many hobbies, apart from playing tennis, or watching other shows. “I haven’t even watched ‘Breaking Bad’…”
“I always said after the shows ends I would start from scratch and go back and take drama classes. But my children are becoming more independent, why not go traveling with my wife and a backpack.”
