Stefania Spampinato joined "Grey's Anatomy" season 14 with bigger shoes to fill since Marika Dominczyk's departure. According to the Bustle, the Italian actress felt at ease working with the cast despite the challenge of playing the new Love Interest of Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw). In an interview with the actress, she said that if it was not for the welcoming nature of the cast, she probably would have had a hard time doing her job.
Spampinato thanks Arizona-Callie fans
She also thanked the hardcore fans of Arizona Robbins and Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) for being "nice" to her.
"So I feel like I try to not give too much importance to mean messages, so far, [fans] have been very nice," she adds. Spampinato, who plays the role of Dr. Carina DeLuca and sister of Andrew DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) is a liberated OB-GYN who came to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to do research about female viagra. Her research involves and requires women to masturbate in the hospital's MRI machine in order for her to capture their brain activity.
The nature of her research makes her brother Andrew uncomfortable. But that doesn't stop the quirky doctor from expressing her opinions in matters where women are concerned. In "Grey's Anatomy" Season 14, episode 3, she suggested that Arizona encourage a pregnant patient to do natural stimulation in order to improve her dilation.
Stefania Spampinato on ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy'
Stefania Spampinato admits being a fan of the show and when she landed the role as Arizona's love interest, she couldn't be happier. "I was a fan of the show, so it was even more exciting for me to go to a table read with the whole cast and Shonda Rhimes and Krista Vernoff and the whole team of writers," she adds.
Apparently, it's the most starstruck moment of her life.
Carina DeLuca's first few episodes in "Grey's Anatomy" Season 14 immediately touched heavier topics like that being Eliza Minnick's "replacement" in Arizona's life and of course, the way her research led to the discovery of Amelia Shepherd's (Caterina Scorsone) brain tumor.
On a more personal note from Spampinato, she said that the timing of "Grey's Anatomy" couldn't be more timely as time has changed into something that allows women to be more empowered. "We live in an era where women are trying to empower ourselves, and I thought it was so perfect for the social and political times we live in. I was very excited to be able to portray that character," she adds.
