Callie Torres

Calliope Iphegenia Torres
Grey's Anatomy character
Sara Ramírez as Dr. Callie Torres in 2010
First appearance	"What Have I Done to Deserve This?" 2x19, February 26, 2006 (as guest star) "Time Has Come Today" 3x01, September 21, 2006 (as series regular)
Created by	Shonda Rhimes
Portrayed by	Sara Ramírez
In-universe information
Alias	Callie
Title	M.D.
Occupation	Attending orthopedic surgeon
Family	Carlos Torres Lucia Torres Aria Torres
Spouse	Arizona Robbins George O'Malley (divorced)
Children	Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres (daughter)

Calliope Iphegenia "Callie" Torres, M.D., is a fictional character from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actress Sara Ramírez. The character is the former Chief Resident and is an attending of orthopedic surgery at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, and the daughter of a wealthy family in South Florida.

Storylines

Callie is introduced as an orthopedic surgeon with a crush on intern George O'Malley (T.R. Knight). They begin dating, and George uses the relationship to help get over his feelings for his colleague, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). He discovers that Callie has been living in the hospital basement. She explains that it is convenient for work, but when Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.), the hospital's Chief of Surgery finds out, she is forced to move in with George. His friends shun her, and George becomes uncomfortable with the rate at which their relationship is progressing, so Callie moves into a hotel. She is dismayed that George appears to value his friends, Meredith and Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) more than her, which results in them breaking up. In the aftermath, she meets and has a one-night-stand with plastic surgeon Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), who becomes her friend. George is jealous of her fling, but is distracted by his father’s ill-health. Callie supports him through his father's death, and the two marry in Las Vegas on the spur of the moment. Izzie is highly unsupportive of the marriage, and Callie is pleased when George seemingly chooses her over his friendship with Izzie. However, when Callie confesses to George that she is a wealthy heiress and had kept this hidden from him, George feels betrayed. Combined with this, Callie becomes suspicious that Izzie’s feelings for George are more than platonic. Confused, George confides to Izzie about his relationship woes over alcohol, leading to a drunken sexual encounter between the two.

Callie and George reconcile, but Callie remains unaware of George's one night stand. She becomes increasingly suspicious, and announces to George that she wants them to have a baby together. Shortly thereafter, however, she discovers that George has been unfaithful, ending their marriage. Callie moves out of her hotel room, and into an apartment being rented by intern Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh). Though her personal life is troubled, Callie thrives professionally when she is appointed as the hospital's Chief Resident. However, she soon begins struggling to cope in the role. Her personal problems and desire to be performing surgery rather than filling out paperwork see her demoted soon thereafter.

Callie forms a friendship with Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith), the hospital's new head of cardiothoracic surgery. They become increasingly close, and Callie begins to question her sexuality. Mark helps her to realize that she has feelings for Erica, and in the season four finale, they share a kiss. The two embark on a relationship, although neither has been with another woman before. Erica finds it easy to accept her lesbian sexual identity, but Callie struggles with her bisexuality, and cheats on Erica with Mark. Erica initially forgives her, but after an argument about work, Erica resigns from Seattle Grace and moves away.

Mark comforts Callie through the break-up, but she grows increasingly dismayed by her single status. New pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) approaches Callie to reassure her that she does not need to be alone, and kisses her. Upon later learning that Callie has only recently accepted her sexual identity, Arizona rebuffs her, but comes to realize she has misjudged the situation. They begin dating, though their relationship is tested when Callie comes out to her father. He is unsupportive, and cuts her off financially and emotionally. Callie considers lying and telling her family that she has broken up with Arizona, but decides against it. Arizona supports Callie when George is killed after being hit by a bus. When she is not granted a position as an Attending, she publicly berates the chief and resigns from her post. She begins working at the neighboring Mercy West hospital, and when the two hospitals merge, she is promoted to an attending surgeon.

Callie's father visits with a priest, and tells her that homosexuality is a mortal sin. Arizona speaks with him, discussing her background and how her parents accepted her. Ultimately, Callie's father is able to accept and support her also. When Callie mentions that she would like to have children, Arizona states that she has no interest in parenthood. Their differing stances on the issue lead them to break up. Soon thereafter, a gunman commits mass murder at the hospital. Relieved to have survived, Callie and Arizona reconcile, and Arizona agrees that they will have children together. When Arizona wins a prestigious grant to help treat children in Malawi, a disgruntled Callie agrees to move there with her, as the position will last for three years; however, her lack of enthusiasm causes Arizona to end their relationship and go without her. A heartbroken Callie moves in with Mark, and they have a one night stand. Arizona returns for Callie, apologizing and hoping for forgiveness. Callie initially rebuffs her, and later reveals that she is pregnant with Mark's baby. Arizona agrees to raise the child with her, but dislikes that Mark will be a permanent part of their lives. When Callie is twenty-three weeks pregnant, she plans a weekend breakaway to thank Arizona for her support. En route, Arizona proposes to her, but before Callie can respond, they crash into a truck. Callie is treated at Seattle Grace, where her daughter is delivered early. When she regains consciousness, she accepts Arizona's proposal.

After twelve weeks of recovery, both Callie and baby Sofia are discharged and allowed to leave the hospital, with Arizona and Mark in tow. Callie recovers from her surgery, but deals with the backlash from her mother's attitude toward the wedding and her granddaughter in "White Wedding". Callie and Arizona marry in a garden after the minister's wife is laid up at the hospital, and Miranda Bailey officiates the ceremony, attended by many of the staff at the hospital.

Development

The end of the show's fourth season saw Callie grow closer to cardiothoracic surgeon Erica Hahn, in a relationship dubbed "Eri-Cal" and later "Callica" by Entertainment Weekly. Rhimes stated that: "Callie and Erica have an undeniable chemistry, and watching the story unfold is something the writers are looking forward to. I wanted to illuminate their relationship in the same way we do all relationships on the show — it will be funny, sweet, honest, and a little bit dirty." She explained that in developing the relationship between the two: "we wanted it to be real – not some stunt to get people talking. We wanted to see what would happen if a woman suddenly had feelings for another woman." The two characters shared a kiss at the end of season finale, with which After Ellen have noted: "Callie and Erica became the only regular lesbian/bisexual female characters currently on network television. This is also the first time that two regular characters on a network show have begun a lesbian romance, as opposed to one becoming involved with a new lesbian character introduced expressly for that relationship."

Before embarking on the storyline, the show's producers consulted with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to ensure they maintained realism throughout. Trish Doolan, star of April's Shower was invited to consult in the workshop sessions which took place, and surmised that; "They were really wanting to be truthful to the two characters they're focusing on in the woman-woman relationship", with Nikki Weiss, who also consulted, adding: "they didn't want to stereotype anything either, and write from a place where they didn't understand it. [...] I don't think they did it as a stunt to get people back to watching after the strike. I really think that they wanted to develop these two characters, and that you could see a closeness with them way before they ever decided any kind of — I think they just have a chemistry together, as actresses, too. You could tell that in the room. They definitely have a chemistry."

Reception

Discussing the character in terms of her relationship with Erica Hahn, AfterEllen.com was largely positive, assessing that: "The story line offered both the drama Grey's is known for and a truthfulness network television has rarely achieved when it comes to lesbian relationships." Trish Doolan and Nikki Weiss, invited by GLAAD to consult with Grey's Anatomy producers on the storyline, praised the effort put in to researching the issue by the writers and actors involved, though were more negative on the scene which saw Hahn kiss Callie in an elevator in front of Mark Sloan. Weiss commented: "I just felt like, if they really cared about each other, I don't think they would do that as a stunt. That seemed a little, I don't know, forced. [...] [It] was more like a conquest, like he could have [Erica] too or something." AfterEllen.com agreed with this view, criticizing the way the scene was edited so as to keep cutting to Mark's point of view, as though "privileging the male gaze."

External links

• Callie Torres at ABC.com
• Template:IMDb character