“The Good Doctor ”Cast Reacts to the Series Finale: 'Hoping Our Paths Will Cross Again'
Christina Chang, Will Yun Lee, Fiona Gubelmann and more paid tribute to the ABC show after the final episode aired on May 21
The cast of The Good Doctor bid farewell to the series on social media after the show’s final episode aired May 21.
Will Yun Lee, who protrayed Dr. Alex Park, reflected on his experience on the ABC medical drama series, saying, “What a beautiful time, show and journey.”
Kayla Cromer, who played the gifted Charlotte Lukaitis, shared, “I miss every person I crossed paths with in front of and behind the camera.”
The surgeons at St. Bonaventure University Hospital have left the building.
After seven seasons, The Good Doctor aired its final episode on Tuesday, May 21. Christina Chang, Will Yun Lee, Fiona Gubelmann, Kayla Cromer, Paige Spara and Chuku Modu honored their time on the ABC medical drama with posts on Instagram and Instagram Stories.
Lee, 53, for his part, shared a cast photo from the final scene of the series finale on Instagram.
"Thank you to everyone who tuned in for the last 7 seasons of @thegooddoctorabc and the final episode last night ?? What a beautiful time, show and journey," he wrote. "Will miss our #GoodDoctorfamily, cast and crew. Checking out with love, #DrAlexPark"
Chang — who played Audrey Lim for seven seasons — saw her character rise through the ranks to become co-president of San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital until she decided to join a doctors outreach program abroad. The 52-year-old actress posted to her Instagram Stories the exact moment she was told she had just finished her last scene for the finale.
She and Fiona Gubelmann, who played Morgan Reznick, ended up watching the series finale together — a moment Gubelmann posted to her own Instagram Stories.
"Watching the finale together," Gubelmann wrote.
Paige Spara - who played Highmore's onscreen love interest and eventual wife - also chose a final moment from the last scene of The Good Doctor's finale and posted it to her Instagram Stories as a way to say goodbye to the ABC medical drama.
"Thank you for seven life changing years ?????," she also wrote.
Returning to the show halfway through season 7, Chuku Modu was bumped up to a series regular for the final season. Donning scrubs and hospital gloves, Modu, 33, offered a simple and fond farewell, writing, "Good bye, farewell and thank you ???? @thegooddoctorabc."
Cromer, who played the gifted Charlotte Lukaitis, offered her own moving tribute in Instagram post.
"Tonight marks the end of “The Good Doctor” with season 7. Portraying Charlie on the show has been a truly rewarding experience for me," she wrote. "Honestly, I do wish it wasn’t canceled, so I could be part of her character development."
"I miss every person I crossed paths with in front of and behind the camera. The collaborative effort from everyone involved is what made this show so exceptional, and I am immensely grateful for the chance to work alongside such a dedicated team," Cromer, 26, continued. "Here’s hoping our paths will cross again in the future for another project ?? #thegooddoctor #thegooddoctorabc #memories #friendship #tv #drama #abc #sony #hulu
In exclusive interviews with PEOPLE on the Vancouver set of The Good Doctor in March, the cast discussed filming the ABC medical drama’s final episodes and why they feel it has resonated with viewers for seven seasons.
Highmore, for his part, shared he was incredibly proud of how The Good Doctor portrayed his character Dr. Shaun Murphy and his autism in a nuanced, respectful way.
“If there is anything I hope the show has done, I hope that in some small, tiny little way, it has helped challenge stereotypes, change people's perceptions about autism,” he explained. “That would be the thing that certainly makes me most proud, and that was always our aim and intention.”
Lee’s character, Dr. Alex Park, has come a long way since the actor became a series regular in season 2. With the character now sharing adopted daughter Eden with Morgan (Fiona Gubelmann),The Good Doctor has also touched upon very personal issues for the star. Lee's son Cash, whom he shares with wife Jennifer Birmingham Lee, suffered a stroke when he was just 3 years old that led to frequent trips to the hospital and consultations with doctors as they searched for a cause.
The toddler, who had a second stroke seven months later, was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder called moyamoya disease and needed double bypass brain surgery. The procedure worked, thankfully, and Cash’s health journey became the inspiration for the season 6 episode “Hard Heart.”
“I thought it was an important message, because [moyamoya disease] is one of the most misdiagnosed diseases out there,” he shared. “Before I leave this show, I felt like I owed it to all the doctors who took care of my son to get that message out there.”
Chang told PEOPLE she’ll miss playing Dr. Audrey Lim, who has risen through the ranks to become San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital’s co-president alongside Dr. Glassman (Richard Schiff). Audrey also had to overcome tough personal challenges, including surviving an attack in the season 5 finale that left her temporarily paralyzed.
“What I really like about Dr. Lim is that she easily arrives at being sort of fair-minded. I think she's able to step back and look at something a little bit more objectively than I am. I'm kind of always working on that part, and so I like that,” she explained. “I'm going to take that with me to be able to sort of look at everything a little more objectively and as much as I can with perspective.”
Related: The Good Doctor: Shaun Murphy's 5 Best Moments That Made Us Laugh and Cry
Highmore admitted it’s hard saying goodbye to his character, but parts of Shaun, arguably the best parts, will remain.
“He is so hopeful and optimistic,” he shared. “I feel that's what people have over the years connected with about him, that he sees a good in people. He reminds you, that even when we're different — we're all actually more the same than different — and I think, hopefully, he's made me a better person."
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All seven seasons of The Good Doctor are available to stream on Hulu.
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