Levi Schmitt, M.D., is a fictional character from the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States.

However, as the series progressed into the fifteenth season, Levi's storylines expanded, focusing on his questioning of his sexuality, his desire to gain confidence, and his complicated relationship with his overbearing mother.

Schmitt is notable for being Grey's Anatomy's first gay male series regular and the first LGBTQ main character since the departures of Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) in seasons 12 and 14, respectively.

Coming from a close Jewish family, Levi's relatives contributed financially to help him through his studies, remaining heavily involved in his career decisions.

After an interview with Webber and Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), Levi was offered an internship at Grey Sloan, a prestigious opportunity his family supported due to the hospital's reputation for producing highly skilled surgeons.

During his time at Grey Sloan, Levi formed friendships with fellow interns like Taryn Helm (Jaicy Elliot), Casey Parker (Alex Blue Davis), and Dahlia Qadri (Sophia Ali).

During this time, Levi had the opportunity to observe Dr. Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) in surgery, but his clumsiness caused his glasses to slip off and fall inside the patient’s body cavity.

Later, Levi and the other sub-interns were tasked with finding a suitable donor for a complex surgery on Megan Hunt, which was led by Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo).

One of Levi’s most notable early moments was during a surgery where Dr. Grey needed to perform a splenectomy, but the hospital’s blood bank was inaccessible due to a hacker attack.

Levi's personal life took a turn when he assisted on a case involving a severe femur fracture led by Dr. Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams), Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), Dr. Atticus "Link" Lincoln (Chris Carmack), and Dr. Nico Kim (Alex Landi), a talented orthopedic fellow.

Levi also moved in with fellow resident Taryn Helm (Stacy Elliot) during this time, navigating both his personal and professional life as the pandemic unfolded.

While casting for the role was underway, Jake Borelli was living in New York and sent in an audition tape, not expecting a callback due to the show's immense popularity.

He joined Jeanine Mason (Sam Bello), Sophia Ali (Dahlia Qadri), Rushi Kota (Vikram Roy), Alex Blue Davis (Casey Parker), and Jaicy Elliot (Taryn Helm).

So the story didn’t begin with, “Hey, we’ve never done a gay male love story.” It began with, “What are we going to do with Jake this year that’s different?”Borelli characterized Levi Schmitt as "this bumbling, klutzy, really earnest guy who [is] just trying to learn and prove himself in this new job.

[11] For example, in the episode "Jump into the Fog", Levi sings the Jewish prayer "Shalom Rav" to soothe a woman suffering from severe agoraphobia, recalling that his mother sang it to him as a lullaby.

Levi officially came out in the fifteenth season's mid-season finale, "Blowin' in the Wind," a pivotal moment that also inspired actor Jake Borelli to come out as gay alongside his character.

"[15] On a broader spectrum, Borelli credited the longtime medical drama for being on the forefront of telling LGBTQ stories of substance over its run: After coming out to his colleagues and beginning a relationship with orthopedic fellow Nico Kim, Levi grew more confident, both in his personal life and his professional abilities as a surgeon.

In the episode "Help, I'm Alive," Levi rejects his old nickname "Glasses" and confidently introduces himself as Dr. Schmitt to his fellow doctors and hospital staff.

[14] Taylor Henderson of Pride Magazine similarly commented on Levi's broad appeal, stating that he has been "openly embraced" by Grey's Anatomy viewers and has "quickly built a fanbase of his own", especially after his monologue in the episode "Blowin' in the Wind", which showcased his character growth and romance with Nico Kim.

Jasmine Blu of TV Fanatic applauded Levi's decision to embrace his sexuality, noting that "Words cannot describe how refreshing it is to see him stand up for himself".

[21] Marko Pekic of Spoiler TV commended Jake Borelli's "phenomenal interpretation of Schmitt," describing the performance as both "heartbreaking and empowering".

Meaghan Frey of TV Fanatic found the exploration of Levi's roots "touching and exactly what he needed", stating that it made her more invested in his character.