If you’ve spent any time at all roaming the halls of Grey Sloan Memorial, you’ve definitely fallen for the charm of Dr. Andrew DeLuca. He was the intern who showed up in a suit, the resident who spoke Italian like a dream, and the attending who eventually stole Meredith Grey’s heart. But outside the white coat, who plays Andrew DeLuca?
That would be Giacomo Gianniotti.
Honestly, it feels like forever ago since he first stepped onto the screen in 2015, but Gianniotti’s impact on the show is still something fans talk about in Reddit threads and Facebook groups every single day. He didn't just play a doctor; he brought a specific kind of vulnerability to a show that’s already known for its high-octane emotional drama.
The Man Behind the Stethoscope: Giacomo Gianniotti
Giacomo Gianniotti isn't just "the guy from Grey's." Born in Rome, Italy, on June 19, 1989, he moved to Toronto, Canada, when he was just a little kid. You can hear that mix in his voice—he’s perfectly bilingual, which the writers leveraged more than once to make us all melt.
He didn't just stumble into acting.
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He actually studied the craft seriously at Humber College’s Theatre Program in Toronto and even did a residency at the Norman Jewison Canadian Film Centre. Before he ever picked up a scalpel on ABC, he was busy playing Lord Julien on Reign and Leslie Garland on Murdoch Mysteries. Basically, he was already a bit of a TV veteran before Shonda Rhimes came calling.
What's kinda cool is that his first day on the Grey's Anatomy set was actually the Season 11 finale. You remember the one—the massive tunnel collapse. He rolled up in a suit, and everyone thought he was an attending because he looked so confident. Turns out, he was just a first-year intern who didn't want to be late. Talk about a first impression.
Why Giacomo Gianniotti Left Grey’s Anatomy
The question of who plays Andrew DeLuca usually leads straight into the heartbreak of how he left.
Let's be real: we are still not over it.
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In Season 17, DeLuca was tragically killed off after being stabbed while chasing down a human trafficker (Opal, for those keeping track). It was a crossover event with Station 19, and it caught everyone off guard. Unlike some actors who leave because they want to pursue movies or have "creative differences," Gianniotti didn't actually ask to go.
The showrunners, Krista Vernoff and Debbie Allen, felt that his character’s arc had reached a natural, albeit devastating, peak. He had struggled with bipolar disorder—a storyline Gianniotti handled with incredible grace and research—and they wanted him to go out as a hero.
Life After Grey Sloan
If you’re missing his face on Thursday nights, you’ve got plenty of other places to find him now. He hasn't slowed down one bit.
- Wild Cards: As of 2026, he’s starring as Detective Cole Ellis in the hit series Wild Cards. It's a procedural with a much lighter tone than Grey's, and his chemistry with co-star Vanessa Morgan is top-tier.
- Deceitful Love: He took a darker turn in the Netflix Italian series Deceitful Love (or Inganno), playing a mysterious man named Elia who gets involved with an older, wealthy woman.
- Diabolik: He also took over the lead role in the Italian film series Diabolik, proving he can carry a major action franchise just as well as a medical drama.
Breaking Down the DeLuca Legacy
A lot of people think DeLuca was just a "rebound" for Meredith after Derek died. That's a pretty surface-level take. Giacomo Gianniotti played him as a man who was deeply intimidated by Meredith’s legend but also willing to stand up to her.
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Remember when he took the fall for her insurance fraud?
He literally went to jail for her. That’s not a rebound; that’s a man who is "all in."
Gianniotti’s performance during the bipolar disorder storyline in Season 16 was arguably his best work. He portrayed the mania and the subsequent "crash" without turning the character into a caricature. It was raw, it was uncomfortable to watch at times, and it felt incredibly human.
Actionable Tips for Following His Career
If you want to keep up with who plays Andrew DeLuca and see what he's doing next, here is how to stay in the loop:
- Watch Wild Cards: If you like the "buddy cop" vibe with a romantic twist, this is his current home. It’s currently in its third season (as of early 2026) and is easy to find on The CW or CBC.
- Follow his Socials: Giacomo is pretty active on Instagram. He often posts behind-the-scenes looks at his projects and bits of his personal life with his wife, Nichole Gustafson.
- Check out the Italian Projects: If you don't mind subtitles, his work in Deceitful Love and Diabolik shows a completely different side of his acting range that American audiences don't always get to see.
- Rewatch the "Beach" Scenes: If you need a good cry, DeLuca’s final appearance on the "coma beach" in Season 17 is a masterclass in saying goodbye. It’s some of his most peaceful and poignant work.
Ultimately, Giacomo Gianniotti took a character that could have been a footnote and turned him into one of the most beloved figures in the show's 20-plus year history. Whether he's playing a doctor, a detective, or a master thief, he brings a level of sincerity that makes it impossible not to root for him.
Go ahead and binge Wild Cards this weekend. You won't regret seeing more of the man who gave us Andrew DeLuca.