<Tr> <Th> Religion </Th> <Td> Catholicism </Td> </Tr> <P> George O'Malley is a fictional character from the medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States . The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes, and was portrayed by actor T.R. Knight from 2005 to 2009 . Introduced as a surgical intern at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, O'Malley worked his way up to resident level, while his relationships with his colleagues Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) formed a focal point of the series . O'Malley married Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) whom he later separated with to pursue a relationship with Izzie Stevens . O'Malley also had entertained a romantic interest with Meredith Grey and Olivia Harper (Sarah Utterback). </P> <P> Knight auditioned for the show, expecting a one - season run . In 2007, Knight's co-star Isaiah Washington (Preston Burke) insulted him with a homophobic slur, which resulted in the termination of Washington's Grey's Anatomy contract . In 2009, after the conclusion of the fifth season, it was confirmed that Knight would not be returning for the show's sixth season . The actor stated the reason for his departure was due to a "breakdown in communication" with Rhimes, his character's lack of screen time, as well as his decision to come out as openly gay . Knight received generally positive reviews for his performance as O'Malley, and garnered a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards . Despite this, his death received mixed feedback . </P> <P> George O'Malley is introduced as a fellow surgical intern to Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers); the five of them working under Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson). O'Malley and Stevens move in with Meredith, for whom he has romantic feelings but did not express them due to his fear of rejection and the fact that she and one of the attendings Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) had a mutual interest in one another . On the first day of internship, O'Malley is selected by chief of cardiothoracic surgery Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) as the first intern to perform surgery . He freezes in the operating room, and is mocked by his peers, and earns the nickname "007" because of almost killing a patient in such a simple operation (referring to James Bond's "licence to kill"). O'Malley dates nurse Olivia Harper (Sarah Utterback), breaking up with her when he contracts syphilis from her, which she in turn contracted from Karev . His friendship with Karev is further strained when the two become trapped in an elevator with a patient who begins to bleed out . Karev freezes, and O'Malley is able to save the patient single - handedly . He goes on to admit his feelings to Meredith, and the two have a one - night stand . When Meredith tells him that sleeping together was a mistake, O'Malley begins avoiding her and starts dating orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). </P>

Why did the actor who played george o'malley leave grey's anatomy