April Kepner
Encyclopedia
April Kepner is a fictional character
from the ABC
television series Grey's Anatomy
, portrayed by Sarah Drew
. She was a recurring character in the show's sixth season
, before being promoted to a series regular in season seven
. She was introduced in the episode "Invasion" as a former surgical resident at Mercy West Hospital who joins the staff at Seattle Grace Mercy West after the two hospitals merge. Her strengths include being intelligent, hardworking, thorough and determined; whereas she is also considered vulnerable, insecure, sensitive and overly eager. As of the conclusion of the show's seventh season, April is the hospital's chief resident.
. She was born on April 23 and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Her mother Karen is a teacher, and her father Joe is a corn farmer. She is the second of four daughters; her sisters are Libby, Kimmie, and Alice.
April is fired in the episode "I Saw what I Saw
" by Chief Webber
after her mistake leads to a patient's death. However, she is rehired by Derek Shepherd
in the episode "State of Love and Trust" after Shepherd becomes the new Chief of Surgery. In the episode "Valentine's Day Massacre," it is revealed that she prefers doing errands for Derek as she is not confident about performing surgery anymore. Shepherd insists that she assist on a surgical procedure, and though the patient dies, she regains some of her confidence. In the episode "Sympathy for the Parents," it is revealed that April has a crush on Derek. In the season six finale, she discovers the body of her best friend Dr. Reed Adamson, who has been shot and killed. She later runs into the shooter Gary Clark, who lets her go after she tells him about her life, saying, "My name is April Kepner. I’m twenty-eight years old. I was born on April 23rd in Ohio. I’m from Columbus, Ohio. Umm, my mom is a teacher and my dad is a farmer. Corn. Corn. He grows corn. Their names are Karen and Joe. I have three sisters. Libby’s the oldest. I’m next, then there’s Kimmy and Alice. I haven’t done anything yet. I haven’t. I’ve barely lived. All I’ve done is win science fairs and go to medical school. I’m not finished yet. I’m not finished yet. No one’s loved me and, please. Please. I’m someone’s child! I’m someone’s sister. I’m a person. I’m a person." She later tearfully reveals to Yang that she did that after remembering a technique she says she learned from Oprah
. While Cristina Yang
operates on Derek, she waits with Meredith Grey
in the scrub room. When Owen Hunt
is shot, she helps Meredith treat his gunshot wound.
move in with Meredith, who also lives with Derek, Lexie
, and Alex Karev
. She is one of the first surgeons who gets cleared for surgery after the shooting. April and Meredith become closer in season seven, prompting a jealous outburst from Meredith's sister Lexie, which also leads Lexie to say that she finds April annoying. However, Lexie later apologizes for her behavior, but tells April that she won't let her start a chore wheel at the house.
In the episode "Superfreak", April reveals that she is a virgin because she wants the first time she has sex to be special, and because she thinks guys find her annoying. The other surgical residents make fun of her, but she tells them not to judge her, as she does not judge them, saying, "we all have stuff we don't want to talk about!". April is promoted, along with many of her peers, to a surgical attending for one day but struggles with a cardiothoracic case. She later shows potential as a trauma surgeon by commandeering an ambulance to transport hurt "patients" during a trauma drill. In the same episode, she is shown to have developed feelings for Alex. In the next episode, Alex almost makes April lose her virginity when he tries to sleep with her after she tells him that he deserves to know that she knows he is the one who helped save the life of a young girl, and that she will tell the Chief about it. Alex, however, blows up at her when she asks him to take things slow, as this would be her first time. When Jackson finds out about this he assaults Karev.
In "Slow Night, So Long", April helps a drunk Miranda Bailey
, and Bailey tells her "Alex Karev is not the boy you want to take your maiden voyage with", indicating that Bailey knew about them, and about April's virginity. Bailey also tells April that she is Dr Bailey, and she always knows everything. In the morning, however, Bailey asks April to not mention her drunk behavior to anyone, telling her to believe as if the night never happened. In the same episode, it is shown that April is no longer mad at Alex. In another episode, Chief Webber tells Miranda Bailey
not to use Twitter
to talk about her surgeries, but April insists that Bailey still use it since lots of people are counting on her. In 'Golden Hour', she refuses to help Alex forge his signature on patient documents. In the same episode, Callie Torres
finds April's voice too "perky" and wants her to speak in a different voice. However, Callie later tells her that her speaking voice is fine.
In the episode "Not Responsible", April agrees to go on a date with Dr. Robert Stark, believing him to have a good side. In the next episode, "This Is How We Do It", April seems sick of seeing Jackson and Lexie making out everywhere in the house, prompting her to ask them, "Is there anywhere you don't do it?" In the same episode, Alex Karev
teases her saying she is going to "screw" her "way to the top", when Dr Stark behaves well with her. Later during Callie's baby shower, all the residents make fun of her and Stark, saying she will be losing her virginity to him on their next date, which Dr Stark had proposed be held at his house (for a movie). In the same episode, she tells Stark that, though she likes spending time with him, she considers him just a friend. Dr Stark is heartbroken at this, saying that he never just wanted to be friends with her. She ends up watching the movie alone on the couch, after successfully making Lexie and Jackson go to their room for making out. In 'Its A Long Way Back', she tries to talk to Stark on multiple occasions, but he either refuses to talk to her, or talks rudely. Eventually, April tells him that people have been talking about him, and are saying good things, and that he deserves it. Stark, however, brushes her off once more. In the episode "White Wedding", April confronts Stark over his attitude toward her, saying that he promised to treat her the way he treats all of the other residents. He assures her that he is treating her the same way he treats all of the other surgical residents. When Stark sees April cooking a special porridge for one of the African orphans Karev brought to the hospital he gives her a glowing review to Dr. Hunt, who is one of the people in charge of deciding the next Chief Resident for the hospital. In the episode next episode 'I Will Survive', April impresses Owen by coming up with an idea of checklist while treating the patients, which would bring down the chances of human error. However, April finds out that Cristina Yang
breached the protocol by streamlining the checklist. When she confronts Cristina about it, Cristina tells her that if she cooperates with her, Cristina will put in a good word for her with Owen. However, Cristina finds out that April told about her breach of protocol to Teddy Altman
and Richard Webber
. While performing a surgery together, April tells Cristina that she knows that people think rules are fussy and annoying and people who enforce them seem fussy and annoying too, but rules are there for a reason. Cristina then tells her that April will never become the chief resident. In the same episode, April approaches Cristina at the bar, and says that she knows she probably won't be the Chief Resident, but that her checklist works, and she also says that she cares about rules and steps so much because she once killed a woman as a result of having missed one simple step. In the season finale, she is ultimately granted the position of Chief Resident.
In season 8 episode 3, titled, "Take The Lead", April tries assigning her fellow residents to teach the interns at the skills lab, but they refuse to work according to her schedule, and moreover, make themselves comfortable in her office, much to her dismay. She shows her contempt when Meredith suggests that whoever performs their solo surgery the worst should be given to do the skills lab for a month.
In the same episode, she gives up her first solo surgery to assist Alex on his, due to the lack of an intern. She tries to get Alex to talk to his patient, but Alex refuses to and acts "douchey." When she tells him that talking to the patient is a part of their job, Alex snaps at her and says that that is not his job anymore - his job is to save the patient. April realizes that Alex is really nervous and tries to placate him. When the surgery is unsuccessful despite all of Alex's efforts, she volunteers to talk to the patient, but Alex says he will do it. She tells him, "You did everything you could - you really did. He won't be able to understand that, but I do, and you should too."
Later, the fifth year residents gather in April's office to celebrate their first solo surgeries and decide who lost. Jackson suggests that Alex lost, since he screwed up a bowel resection. April defends Alex pointing out that Jackson never even performed his surgery, so he should be the loser by forfeit. She also suggests them competing for upcoming skills lab and all the residents agree.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, portrayed by Sarah Drew
Sarah Drew
Sarah Drew is an American actress. She is known for her role as Hannah Rogers in Everwood and for her role as Dr. April Kepner on Grey's Anatomy .-Personal life:...
. She was a recurring character in the show's sixth season
Grey's Anatomy (season 6)
Season six of Grey's Anatomy, an American medical drama television series developed by Shonda Rhimes, began airing on September 24, 2009 on ABC, and finished airing on May 20, 2010.-Cast:-Main cast:*Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey...
, before being promoted to a series regular in season seven
Grey's Anatomy (season 7)
Season seven of Grey's Anatomy, an American medical drama television series developed by Shonda Rhimes, began airing on September 23, 2010 on ABC. The season concluded on May 19, 2011.-Main cast:*Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey...
. She was introduced in the episode "Invasion" as a former surgical resident at Mercy West Hospital who joins the staff at Seattle Grace Mercy West after the two hospitals merge. Her strengths include being intelligent, hardworking, thorough and determined; whereas she is also considered vulnerable, insecure, sensitive and overly eager. As of the conclusion of the show's seventh season, April is the hospital's chief resident.
Background
Much of her background is revealed in the episode "Death and All His Friends." While being held at gunpoint by Gary Clark, she tells him about her life in an attempt to convince him not to shoot her, a technique she says she learned from watching OprahThe Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. She was born on April 23 and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Her mother Karen is a teacher, and her father Joe is a corn farmer. She is the second of four daughters; her sisters are Libby, Kimmie, and Alice.
Season 6
April is a surgical resident from Mercy West Hospital, and she joins Seattle Grace after the merger of the two hospitals, in the episode, "Invasion". In the same episode, she is seen locking heads with Lexie, who, finding her annoying, reads her red diary, in which April writes all her feelings, which indicates how insecure April actually is. Lexie uses her diary to unnerve April, however, she later apologises to April saying that even though she hates her, she should not have read her diary because it was personal.April is fired in the episode "I Saw what I Saw
I Saw what I Saw (Grey's Anatomy episode)
I Saw What I Saw is the sixth episode of the sixth season of Grey's Anatomy. This episode's format is different from the usual format of episodes from the show, since it depicts the events in a whodunnit style, exposing them from different points of view in a fast-paced way...
" by Chief Webber
Richard Webber
Richard Webber is a fictional surgeon from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actor James Pickens, Jr., and was created by Shonda Rhimes...
after her mistake leads to a patient's death. However, she is rehired by Derek Shepherd
Derek Shepherd
Derek Christopher Shepherd, also referred to as McDreamy, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey, who was nominated in 2006 and 2007 Golden Globe for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama for...
in the episode "State of Love and Trust" after Shepherd becomes the new Chief of Surgery. In the episode "Valentine's Day Massacre," it is revealed that she prefers doing errands for Derek as she is not confident about performing surgery anymore. Shepherd insists that she assist on a surgical procedure, and though the patient dies, she regains some of her confidence. In the episode "Sympathy for the Parents," it is revealed that April has a crush on Derek. In the season six finale, she discovers the body of her best friend Dr. Reed Adamson, who has been shot and killed. She later runs into the shooter Gary Clark, who lets her go after she tells him about her life, saying, "My name is April Kepner. I’m twenty-eight years old. I was born on April 23rd in Ohio. I’m from Columbus, Ohio. Umm, my mom is a teacher and my dad is a farmer. Corn. Corn. He grows corn. Their names are Karen and Joe. I have three sisters. Libby’s the oldest. I’m next, then there’s Kimmy and Alice. I haven’t done anything yet. I haven’t. I’ve barely lived. All I’ve done is win science fairs and go to medical school. I’m not finished yet. I’m not finished yet. No one’s loved me and, please. Please. I’m someone’s child! I’m someone’s sister. I’m a person. I’m a person." She later tearfully reveals to Yang that she did that after remembering a technique she says she learned from Oprah
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. While Cristina Yang
Cristina Yang
Cristina Yang is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Sandra Oh, who won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award in 2006 for the role...
operates on Derek, she waits with Meredith Grey
Meredith Grey
Meredith Grey is a fictional surgeon and the series protagonist on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Meredith...
in the scrub room. When Owen Hunt
Owen Hunt
Owen Hunt is a fictional character on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by Kevin McKidd. He was introduced in season five as a US Army trauma surgeon who served in war-torn Iraq, and consequently joins Seattle Grace to teach medicine as a surgical attending, sometimes with...
is shot, she helps Meredith treat his gunshot wound.
Season 7
Following the shooting, April and Jackson AveryJackson Avery
Jackson Avery is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by Jesse Williams. He was a recurring character in the sixth season before being made an official series regular for season seven...
move in with Meredith, who also lives with Derek, Lexie
Lexie Grey
Alexandra Caroline Grey, more commonly known as Lexie Grey, is a fictional surgeon from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by Chyler Leigh, and was created by Shonda Rhimes. She was made an official series regular for season four...
, and Alex Karev
Alex Karev
Alexander "Alex" Michael Karev, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actor Justin Chambers. The character was not included in the original pilot script, but was added in after the pilot was shot, meaning initial scenes with him were either reshoots or...
. She is one of the first surgeons who gets cleared for surgery after the shooting. April and Meredith become closer in season seven, prompting a jealous outburst from Meredith's sister Lexie, which also leads Lexie to say that she finds April annoying. However, Lexie later apologizes for her behavior, but tells April that she won't let her start a chore wheel at the house.
In the episode "Superfreak", April reveals that she is a virgin because she wants the first time she has sex to be special, and because she thinks guys find her annoying. The other surgical residents make fun of her, but she tells them not to judge her, as she does not judge them, saying, "we all have stuff we don't want to talk about!". April is promoted, along with many of her peers, to a surgical attending for one day but struggles with a cardiothoracic case. She later shows potential as a trauma surgeon by commandeering an ambulance to transport hurt "patients" during a trauma drill. In the same episode, she is shown to have developed feelings for Alex. In the next episode, Alex almost makes April lose her virginity when he tries to sleep with her after she tells him that he deserves to know that she knows he is the one who helped save the life of a young girl, and that she will tell the Chief about it. Alex, however, blows up at her when she asks him to take things slow, as this would be her first time. When Jackson finds out about this he assaults Karev.
In "Slow Night, So Long", April helps a drunk Miranda Bailey
Miranda Bailey
Dr. Miranda Bailey is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Chandra Wilson, who won a 2007 Screen Actor's Guild Award for the role...
, and Bailey tells her "Alex Karev is not the boy you want to take your maiden voyage with", indicating that Bailey knew about them, and about April's virginity. Bailey also tells April that she is Dr Bailey, and she always knows everything. In the morning, however, Bailey asks April to not mention her drunk behavior to anyone, telling her to believe as if the night never happened. In the same episode, it is shown that April is no longer mad at Alex. In another episode, Chief Webber tells Miranda Bailey
Miranda Bailey
Dr. Miranda Bailey is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Chandra Wilson, who won a 2007 Screen Actor's Guild Award for the role...
not to use Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
to talk about her surgeries, but April insists that Bailey still use it since lots of people are counting on her. In 'Golden Hour', she refuses to help Alex forge his signature on patient documents. In the same episode, Callie Torres
Callie Torres
Calliope Iphegenia "Callie" Torres, M.D., is a fictional character from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actress Sara Ramírez...
finds April's voice too "perky" and wants her to speak in a different voice. However, Callie later tells her that her speaking voice is fine.
In the episode "Not Responsible", April agrees to go on a date with Dr. Robert Stark, believing him to have a good side. In the next episode, "This Is How We Do It", April seems sick of seeing Jackson and Lexie making out everywhere in the house, prompting her to ask them, "Is there anywhere you don't do it?" In the same episode, Alex Karev
Alex Karev
Alexander "Alex" Michael Karev, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actor Justin Chambers. The character was not included in the original pilot script, but was added in after the pilot was shot, meaning initial scenes with him were either reshoots or...
teases her saying she is going to "screw" her "way to the top", when Dr Stark behaves well with her. Later during Callie's baby shower, all the residents make fun of her and Stark, saying she will be losing her virginity to him on their next date, which Dr Stark had proposed be held at his house (for a movie). In the same episode, she tells Stark that, though she likes spending time with him, she considers him just a friend. Dr Stark is heartbroken at this, saying that he never just wanted to be friends with her. She ends up watching the movie alone on the couch, after successfully making Lexie and Jackson go to their room for making out. In 'Its A Long Way Back', she tries to talk to Stark on multiple occasions, but he either refuses to talk to her, or talks rudely. Eventually, April tells him that people have been talking about him, and are saying good things, and that he deserves it. Stark, however, brushes her off once more. In the episode "White Wedding", April confronts Stark over his attitude toward her, saying that he promised to treat her the way he treats all of the other residents. He assures her that he is treating her the same way he treats all of the other surgical residents. When Stark sees April cooking a special porridge for one of the African orphans Karev brought to the hospital he gives her a glowing review to Dr. Hunt, who is one of the people in charge of deciding the next Chief Resident for the hospital. In the episode next episode 'I Will Survive', April impresses Owen by coming up with an idea of checklist while treating the patients, which would bring down the chances of human error. However, April finds out that Cristina Yang
Cristina Yang
Cristina Yang is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Sandra Oh, who won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award in 2006 for the role...
breached the protocol by streamlining the checklist. When she confronts Cristina about it, Cristina tells her that if she cooperates with her, Cristina will put in a good word for her with Owen. However, Cristina finds out that April told about her breach of protocol to Teddy Altman
Teddy Altman
Theodora "Teddy" Altman, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy portrayed by actress Kim Raver. She is the new cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital.-Background:Dr...
and Richard Webber
Richard Webber
Richard Webber is a fictional surgeon from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actor James Pickens, Jr., and was created by Shonda Rhimes...
. While performing a surgery together, April tells Cristina that she knows that people think rules are fussy and annoying and people who enforce them seem fussy and annoying too, but rules are there for a reason. Cristina then tells her that April will never become the chief resident. In the same episode, April approaches Cristina at the bar, and says that she knows she probably won't be the Chief Resident, but that her checklist works, and she also says that she cares about rules and steps so much because she once killed a woman as a result of having missed one simple step. In the season finale, she is ultimately granted the position of Chief Resident.
Season 8
In the first and second episode of Season 8, April's first week as the chief resident is shown. Her fellow doctors do not listen to her, and do not take her seriously. To make all fifth year residents perform well, Bailey assigns them a gunther. Arizona bets her money on April Kepner. However, Jackson emerges as the gunther, and April tells him she was merely his efficient assistant, and she does not possess leadership qualities.In season 8 episode 3, titled, "Take The Lead", April tries assigning her fellow residents to teach the interns at the skills lab, but they refuse to work according to her schedule, and moreover, make themselves comfortable in her office, much to her dismay. She shows her contempt when Meredith suggests that whoever performs their solo surgery the worst should be given to do the skills lab for a month.
In the same episode, she gives up her first solo surgery to assist Alex on his, due to the lack of an intern. She tries to get Alex to talk to his patient, but Alex refuses to and acts "douchey." When she tells him that talking to the patient is a part of their job, Alex snaps at her and says that that is not his job anymore - his job is to save the patient. April realizes that Alex is really nervous and tries to placate him. When the surgery is unsuccessful despite all of Alex's efforts, she volunteers to talk to the patient, but Alex says he will do it. She tells him, "You did everything you could - you really did. He won't be able to understand that, but I do, and you should too."
Later, the fifth year residents gather in April's office to celebrate their first solo surgeries and decide who lost. Jackson suggests that Alex lost, since he screwed up a bowel resection. April defends Alex pointing out that Jackson never even performed his surgery, so he should be the loser by forfeit. She also suggests them competing for upcoming skills lab and all the residents agree.
External links
- Grey's Anatomy at ABC.com