‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Texas Spinoff Casts ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ Star Karla Souza

Shondaland is keeping it in the family! Karla Souza, who spent six seasons playing Laurel Castillo on How to Get Away With Murder, is officially heading back to ABC as the leading lady of the upcoming Grey's Anatomy spinoff. And this time, instead of getting caught up in murders, cover-ups, and whatever Annalise Keating had going on that week, she'll be dealing with medical emergencies in West Texas.

According to Shondaland's November 11 announcement, Souza will star as Dr. Carolina "Lina" Hall, a troubled and cynical physician who runs a medical center in a small Texas town. She's the first cast member announced for the still-untitled series, which is expected to premiere during ABC's 2027–2028 television season. And considering what Souza went through as Laurel, we're pretty confident she knows a thing or two about playing somebody with secrets.

What Do We Know About Karla Souza's Character?

Souza's character, Lina Hall, is described as a doctor with a complicated past who oversees a rural medical center in West Texas. Exactly what she's been through remains a mystery, but the description certainly suggests she's bringing some emotional baggage along with that medical degree.

The series will follow a team of medical professionals working at a facility where patients may have few other options for emergency care. Unlike Grey's Anatomy, which has spent more than two decades putting doctors through absolute chaos at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, the spinoff will explore the challenges of providing medical care in a remote community.

And if we've learned anything from the Grey's universe, it's that the medical emergencies are only half the problem. There will almost certainly be complicated relationships, personal secrets, and at least one doctor making a romantic decision that everybody else can see is a terrible idea. It's practically tradition at this point.

A Familiar Face Returns to Shondaland

Souza is no stranger to Shonda Rhimes' television universe. She portrayed Laurel Castillo throughout the six-season run of How to Get Away With Murder, starring alongside Viola Davis, Alfred Enoch, Aja Naomi King, and Jack Falahee.

Following the legal thriller, Souza starred in ABC's comedy Home Economics and appeared in Prime Video's 56 Days. Her credits also include the Netflix film Day Shift and the sports drama Dive, for which she received international recognition.

Now she'll be stepping into an entirely different kind of television drama, although something tells us the emotional turmoil won't be much easier than what Laurel endured.

The new spinoff is being created by Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and current showrunner Meg Marinis, who will also serve as executive producers alongside Betsy Beers and Ellen Pompeo.

When Will the New ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Spinoff Premiere?

ABC originally announced the spinoff in May 2026, with plans for it to arrive during the 2026–2027 television season. Those plans have since changed, and the network is now targeting the 2027–2028 season.

The series is expected to film in Albuquerque, New Mexico, despite being set in West Texas. The production move followed difficulties securing a California television tax credit. There is also the possibility that familiar faces from Grey's Anatomy could eventually appear in the new series. Marinis has previously discussed the potential for crossover appearances, although no specific characters or episodes have been confirmed.

For now, Souza is the only announced cast member, and ABC hasn't revealed an official title or premiere date. With Private Practice and Station 19 already part of the franchise's history, Grey's Anatomy clearly isn't running out of ways to put medical professionals through the emotional wringer. And with Souza leading this latest chapter, we're curious to see what kind of trouble awaits the doctors in West Texas.