‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Sara Ramirez Is Joining ‘Madam Secretary’

— Sara Ramirez (@SaraRamirez) October 24, 2017

Sara Ramirez is joining the cast of CBS’s Madam Secretary. According to CBS, the Tony winner and former star Grey’s Anatomy will play Kat Sandoval, “a brilliant political strategist, legendary in D.C. for her talent and for abruptly dropping out of politics until Elizabeth manages to coax her back into the State Department.”

After several years of bit parts, Ramirez first broke out when she appeared as The Lady in the Lake in the Monty Python Broadway musical Spamalot. After that came Grey’s and voiceover work. Parents know her voice well as Queen Miranda on Sofia the First and the new Disney Junior show Vampirina. She left Grey’s in 2016 citing a need for a break. This is her first regular on-camera role since.

This news comes just days after fellow Broadway icon Bebe Neuwirth announced she and her character Nadine Tolliver are leaving the show, which follows Téa Leoni as Dr. Elizabeth McCord, the Secretary of State of the United States, and is in its fourth season.

— Bebe Neuwirth (@BebeNeuwirth) October 23, 2017

2/3 So grateful to @CBS for accepting my request to depart @MadamSecretary and writing a beautiful exit for me. #IllmissNadine

— Bebe Neuwirth (@BebeNeuwirth) October 23, 2017

3/3 So grateful for everyone's support & good wishes here in Twitterland.

— Bebe Neuwirth (@BebeNeuwirth) October 23, 2017

While her loss will be felt among Madam Secretary fans, they needn’t wait long for Ramirez to fill the hole in their hearts. The first episode featuring Ramirez as Sandoval airs Sunday, Nov. 19.

Ramirez, who came out as bisexual last year, played Dr. Callie Torres, one of the few openly bisexual characters on television during her time on Grey’s. Earlier this year, she took her former network to task after another ABC show, The Real O’Neals made jokes comparing being bisexual having “webbed toes” or “money problems.”

— Sara Ramirez (@SaraRamirez) February 16, 2017

Dear @ABCNetwork @TheRealONeals :own it,address it,clarify it,empower our #Queer #Bisexual youth & community w/accurate positive reflections

— Sara Ramirez (@SaraRamirez) February 16, 2017

Queer Twitter is already super onboard with Ramirez’s Sandoval.

— Dana Piccoli (@DanaPiccoli) October 24, 2017

And i just got wayyyy gayer pic.twitter.com/XbkIjprfl7

— LGBT Shippers™️‍ (@LgbtShippers) October 24, 2017

i'm about to start getting real into #MadamSecretary pic.twitter.com/l96WvlO3WX

— Trish Bendix (@trishbendix) October 24, 2017

But like for real this is a real win for Latinx queer representation ty @SaraRamirez

— Rebecca Marques (@_RebeccaMarques) October 24, 2017

Madam Secretary airs at 10/9 p.m. Central on Sundays on CBS.