Why Private Practice Recast Naomi Bennett After Grey's Anatomy (2024)

Grey's Anatomy is regarded as one of the best medical dramas, and although other medical dramas like General Hospital and E.R. came before it, the show still reigns supreme. Alongside its gripping arcs and interesting character dynamics, this medical drama has also introduced fans to a selection of spin-off series. As such, fans now have the perfect opportunity to explore more of what these highly-regarded medical professionals have to offer,

Private Practice was Grey's Anatomy's first major spin-off and followed Addison Montergormey as she started a new life at Oceanside Wellness Group. One of the show's secondary characters, Dr. Naomi Bennett stood by Addison through thick and thin and became a quick favorite among fans. She also introduced audiences to a new side of healthcare, shining a light on reproductive health and fertility. Yet, many viewers will notice that this character looks much different from the backdoor pilot. So, who is Naomi Bennett, and why was she recast after the Private Practice pilot?

Naomi Bennett Was a Good Bridge Between Two Main Characters

Notable Members of Naomi Bennett's Family

Naomi Bennett quickly became a hit with fans, mostly due to her bright and comforting personality. Not only is she an established Infertility Specialist and Reproductive Endocrinologist, but she's also a devout Catholic, making her an ideal shoulder to lean on during tough times. Many fans will remember her most for her unique relationship with Sam. Though the pair were initially divorced when the show first started, the pair managed to rekindle their marriage toward the end of the show's run. Overall, Naomi made Oceanside seem like a much more welcoming place than Seattle Grace and fans appreciated her strong bond with Addison.

Arguably, Bennett is also a strong link between Addison and Sam, ensuring that all three characters can interact with each other in order to create a ton of compelling storylines. For example, in Season 6, Episode 13, "In Which We Say Goodbye," Naomi admits to Addison that she recently had a one-night stand with Sam and is now pregnant with his child. At this point, Addison had already broken up with Sam and was interested in pursuing a relationship with Jake. Although Naomi understands that both she and Addison have had relations with Sam in the past, she still feels the need to share this bombshell with Addison. As such, the friendship between Addison and Naomi is one that is built on trust, suggesting that both women are mature enough to push Sam to the side and focus on the much more important issue at hand. Thus, Naomi's honest nature means that there's no animosity between the three characters and the audience can focus on the main storyline, which is Naomi's pregnancy.

Naomi also works to bring Addison out of her shell, defying the character fans had previously seen on Grey's Anatomy. In Season 4, Episode 21, "God Bless the Child," Addison opens up about her abortion and discusses how old the child would be if she had decided to continue her pregnancy. Naomi questions why she decided to have an abortion if she cared about the child so much. It's important for fans to understand that Bennett is opposed to abortion due to her Catholic faith. Yet, she still handles this conversation with a sense of fairness and kindness. For audiences, this is quite a hard episode to watch as it discusses the taboo topic of abortion so openly and focuses more on the emotions surrounding it rather than the controversies. In turn, even when Sam is not in the picture, Naomi strives to make sure that every character can be seen and heard. Thus, Dr. Bennett acts almost like a microphone, ensuring that key stories can be amplified and not overwritten by petty tropes that the audience has encountered countless times before. Plus, this baby is what brings Naomi and Sam together, indicating that she's able to make things work no matter what.

Bennett's Love Life Certainly Helped to Drum up the Tension

Top 5 Most Popular Naomi Bennett Episodes

• Season 3, Episode 12, "Best Laid Plans"
• Season 4, Episode 22, "...To Change the Things I Can"
• Season 3, Episode 14, "Love Bites"
• Season 2, Episode 6, "Serving Two Masters"
• Season 1, Episode 5, "In Which Addison Finds a Showerhead"

Much like its predecessor, Private Practice didn't skimp out when it came to steamy love triangles and entanglements. Despite being the show's main moral compass, Dr. Naomi Bennett also had her fair share of relationship drama. Take, for example, in Season 1, Episode 9, "In Which Dell Finds His Fight," Dell Parker finally builds up the courage to kiss Naomi and prove to her that he's not a fresh-faced young boy and that he's all man. Moments later, Naomi and Sam share an intimate kiss. Although it would be wrong to label Naomi as promiscuous, her constant back-and-forth relationship with Sam showcases that the pair still have feelings for each other, even though their relationship is toxic. As such, this episode could be seen as a way for the writers to foreshadow the fickle nature of the couple's relationship and encourage audiences to keep a close eye on the pair.

In Season 2, Naomi starts dating Addison's brother, Archer, a notable neurologist and author. Despite his prestige, Addison cannot stand her older brother and, in Season 2, Episode 17, "Wait and See," warns Naomi that their relationship is destined for failure. Although Naomi is extremely intelligent, many fans find it strange that she cannot spot the glaring red flags that stand in front of her. Thus, the audience is forced to watch Archer break her heart because she refuses to listen to Addison's warnings. Though it's quite sad seeing a sweet woman like her getting dumped, the couple's breakup was a great way for the writers to drum up tension. As such, Naomi and Archer's toxic dalliances helped to place Private Practice at the same level as Grey's Anatomy and highlight that the shows are not in competition with each other but are actually linked.

The Original Actress Didn’t Meld Well With Test Audiences

• Naomi Bennett owns 55% of Oceanside Wellness Group.
• She always completes her crosswords in pen because she rarely makes mistakes.
• Bennet is known to stress eat and indulge in large quantities of chocolate and cheesecake after a rough day.

Private Practice first released a backdoor pilot in 2007, serving as a test episode for a much larger series. This episode took place in Season 3, Episode 22, "The Other Side of This Life" in the Grey's Anatomy universe. Here, Addison travels to Los Angeles and visits her friends at Oceanside Wellness Group. Alongside introducing the audience to the doctors at this private hospital, this episode allows fans to understand how these characters actually know each other. Thus, because a lot of these doctors know each other through medical school, their bond doesn't seem too unrealistic. In this pilot episode, Dr. Naomi Bennett was portrayed by Merrin Dungey, best known for her role as Kelly Palmer in the hit sitcom The King of Queens. Despite having tons of experience and a unique comedic charm, the test audience felt that her depiction of Naomi didn't fit in with the rest of the group. As such, the show decided to replace her with Broadway star Audra McDonald.

Though some fans may believe that replacing Dungey was quite unfair, especially since she didn't really have the chance to display her full potential, recasting is an important part of developing a TV series. At this point, Grey's Anatomy was already a major hit and was praised for its unique lineup of actors. So, in order to match its predecessor's success, the team had no choice but to select another actress to play Naomi Bennett. Even though Dr. Bennett is considered to be a fairly secondary character, her presence on the show is undeniable. Not only was she involved in a ton of immense storylines during her time on Private Practice, but she also contributed to a few crossover episodes in Season 5 of Grey's Anatomy. Thus, Naomi Bennett's character is a key part of what made Private Practice so successful, something that could be attributed to her initial recasting.

Private Practice

TV-14

Drama

Comedy

Romance

In sunny Los Angeles, a recently relocated surgeon joins a private medical clinic filled with talented and emotionally driven doctors. Each episode delves into the intertwining personal and professional lives of these medical professionals as they handle challenging cases, explore romantic entanglements, and confront the pressures of maintaining their own health and happiness while caring for patients.

Release Date

September 19, 2007

Creator(s)

Shonda Rhimes

Cast

Kate Walsh , Paul Adelstein , Kadee Strickland , Taye Diggs , Amy Brenneman , Tim Daly , Brian Benben , Audra McDonald

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

6

Story By

Shonda Rhimes

Writers

Shonda Rhimes

Network

ABC

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu , Netflix , Prime Video

Directors

Shonda Rhimes