Margaret "Maggie" Pierce, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a fictional character from the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), portrayed by Kelly McCreary.
She was a child prodigy, having graduated from medical school at the remarkably young age of 19, and by the time she is introduced in the series, she has become the head of the cardiothoracic surgery department at just 27 years old.
[1] Maggie is introduced in the 23rd episode of the tenth season of Grey's Anatomy, during Cristina Yang’s search for her replacement as the head of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Maggie, who had previously discovered Ellis’ identity while searching for her birth mother, is initially hurt and confused by Richard’s behavior but later forgives him for not being there for her growing up.
In Season 16, after her breakup with Jackson, Maggie faces one of the biggest challenges of her career when her cousin, Sabi, dies during surgery.
Her depression worsens when Sabi's family sues her for medical malpractice, but with Richard’s support, Maggie settles out of court and eventually rejoins Grey Sloan.
It wasn’t until Shonda Rhimes personally informed her before the script reading for the season 10 finale that Maggie was the daughter of Ellis Grey and Richard Webber.
McCreary recalled that it wasn’t until she saw her castmates' reactions to Maggie’s identity reveal that she realized how significant her role was going to be..[9][10][11][12] The concept of Meredith having a half-sibling was first hinted at in the press in February 2009 by Michael Ausiello, and while initial speculation suggested Jesse Williams' character Jackson Avery might be the child of Ellis Grey and Richard Webber, those rumors were debunked.
[13] Shonda Rhimes later confirmed that Maggie’s character had been in the original plans for the show, although her introduction didn’t solidify until season 4.
[14] In an interview with BuddyTV, McCreary expressed her excitement and passion for portraying Maggie, emphasizing the character's complexity and dynamic nature.
She said, "I just feel like it's a rare opportunity to be able to play somebody that is so complex and fully realized and smart and fierce and compassionate and awkward and the whole thing.
"[16] She further described Maggie as a "really great problem-solver" with the ability to remain "very compassionate" while maintaining a clear head and doing "the right thing medically all the time.
[19] Despite her best intentions, Maggie initially struggles to fit in at Grey Sloan Memorial, sharing confidential information about Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) and unintentionally insulting the hospital board in an attempt to support Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson).
[20] Notably, this Maggie-centric episode also featured McCreary as the narrator, a role usually reserved for Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) or other veteran cast members.
[21][22] McCreary described the experience of being the episode's focus as both "terrifying" and a privilege, noting that it was overwhelming but gratifying to be trusted with such a central role so early in her tenure .
Fremont praised both the writing and McCreary's performance, stating that Maggie became endearing quickly, despite the initial challenge of filling the void left by Cristina Yang.