'Grey's Anatomy': Kelly McCreary Says 'Traces of April' Remain in Jackson and Maggie's Romance (Exclusive)

The 36-year-old actress talks to ET about the 15th season, the hot new docs and the deal with that steamy Meredith-DeLuca kiss.

April Kepner may be gone, but her presence will still be felt on Grey's Anatomy.

At the end of Grey's season 14, the trauma surgeon left her perch at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital for a new career helping the less fortunate following a near-death experience that forced her to take a long, hard look at her life and career as she vowed to start anew, which prompted her to marry her ex-flame, Matthew. And as Jackson and Maggie continue to explore their blossoming romance in the upcoming season, Grey's star Kelly McCreary promised that April still permeates throughout the show.

"There are definitely still traces of April in his life. There's still Harriet there," McCreary told ET's Katie Krause at the Entertainment Weekly pre-Emmys party at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Hollywood on Saturday, adding that the upcoming Grey's premiere "picks up just the very day after Jo and Alex's wedding." "It's all still very present."

The 36-year-old actress shared that Jackson and Maggie are still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, but that things may not be as smooth sailing as they'd like.

"They're new and so it's still just building right now," McCreary said. "We're a few episodes into shooting and they're getting to know each other. They're finding what the quality of the relationship is."

McCreary hinted that Grey's fans could "very possibly" see Maggie channel her inner mom with Jackson and April's daughter, Harriet. "She's very good at it. You've seen her with Meredith's kids," the actress noted.

Speaking of Meredith, Maggie and Jackson's burgeoning romance isn't the only talk of Grey's. McCreary played coy when asked about the shocking (and steamy) kiss between Meredith and DeLuca

"What do you think it's about?" McCreary asked, staying tight-lipped about theories on the surprising moment in the bedroom -- such as it being a dream sequence or a fake-out revealing Meredith's true suitor. (Could it be Scott Speedman?) "Ohhh, these are good ideas! I think you guys are just going to have to wait and see, and I would love to see a poll of what people are hoping for that."

McCreary also spoke glowingly about the newest additions to the Grey's ensemble, Chris Carmack, who portrays an "ortho god," and Alex Landi, who plays the show's first gay male surgeon. "What they do is bring a lot more possibility into the hospital, a lot more potential couplings and complications to couplings so it's going to be a lot of fun," she teased.

As for Teddy's pregnancy reveal in the finale, McCreary says the impending arrival of her baby creates some headaches for a select few, namely Owen and Amelia. 

"Listen, that is just a mess waiting to happen," she said, "and Maggie finds herself smack in the middle of it because she winds up treating Teddy. It's a bit of a love triangle. It's that same old, good old Grey's Anatomy romance mess."

Grey's Anatomy returns with a two-hour premiere on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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