Grey’s Anatomy has introduced a striking array of primary characters, allowing fans to fall head over heels with the staff at Grey Sloan. The show also does a fantastic job of writing secondary characters, ensuring to include them in multiple gripping storylines. As such, over the past 20 years, Grey’s Anatomy has encouraged every character to tell their story in what tends to be the most dramatic way possible.
Daniel Sunjata’s Eli Lloyd is a prime example of a successful secondary character. His charm and good looks often made him a popular hit with fellow staff members and fans. This popularity culminated in a romantic entanglement with his superior, creating one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most enticing love triangles. So, how did Daniel Sunjata’s character evolve throughout the show, and why did he decide to leave the medical drama so abruptly?
Updated by Lauren Younkin on May 8, 2025: Given the long-running nature of Grey’s Anatomy, plenty of characters have come and gone over the years, with Nurse Eli Lloyd being just one of many. This article is updated to include additional information on actor Daniel Sunjata’s other roles after leaving Grey’s Anatomy and reflect CBR’s current publication standards.
Who Is Daniel Sunjata in Grey's Anatomy?
Nurse Eli Lloyd Is Passionate About Caring for His Patients
Daniel Sunjata is best recognized by Grey’s Anatomy fans for playing Eli Lloyd, a sweet-talking nurse who wasn’t afraid to stand his ground. Sunjata made his first appearance in this role in Season 7, Episode 10, «Adrift and at Peace.» Here, he butts heads with Lexie Grey, wanting to override Grey’s order to send a patient’s pancreatic fluid sample to the lab. The nurse believes that it’s best to let the patient rest and recover first after a bad night’s sleep.
This conflict continues to bubble under the surface until Nurse Eli explains that he has 12 years of experience at Seattle Grace and views the patients as family members. Right from this first appearance on the show, it’s apparent that Nurse Eli isn’t too keen on being pushed around. Not only does this conflict give the audience more insight into his character, but it also works to highlight the tremendous influence that nurses have on the hospital, even if they aren’t involved as much as fans think.
Another example of Eli’s highly determined and passionate nature happens in Season 7, Episode 17, «This is How We Do It.» This time, the nurse was keen to overlook Miranda Bailey’s order and focus entirely on his patient’s well-being. Eli was concerned about Clara Greene, a diabetic patient who was experiencing a slow recovery after having a tumor removed. Bailey was quick to put Lloyd back in his place and assert to him that Greene was not his patient, so he should not be asking questions about her. While many fans could see where Bailey was coming from, others argue that this confrontation only works to emphasize Nurse Eli’s incredible work ethic. He can sometimes come across as a tad arrogant and argumentative, but it’s evident that he only acts this way because he cares so much about his patients.
Nurse Eli Acted as a Love Interest for Miranda Bailey
Eli Took Care of Miranda While She Cared for Everyone Else
Although he tended to bicker with his superior, Miranda Bailey, quite a bit, Lloyd never hid the fact that he had feelings for her. In Season 7, Episode 13, «Start Me Up,» Nurse Eli placed flirty notes in Miranda Bailey’s chart to help display his attraction towards her. Though many fans see them as a deeply unsuitable pair, it’s hard to deny the sweetness of the gesture.
Bailey’s relationship with Lloyd also helped her to fit in with the rest of the staff. During this time, Lexie allowed her relationship to blossom with Jackson and Teddy was in a very confusing love triangle with Andrew and Henry. As such, it was quite nice to see Bailey get a bit of attention too. After splitting up with her husband, Tucker Jones, many fans felt sorry for this strong doctor and believed that she deserved a second chance at love.
In Season 7, Episode 22, «Unaccompanied Minor,» they took their relationship to the next level, and Bailey allowed the nurse to meet her son, Tuck. Long-time fans of the show will remember how emotional this episode was as it centers around a recent plane crash. Bailey revealed that she had been on the same flight as it came into Baltimore, causing her to feel a ton of anxiety and sadness.
At first, Eli invited her back to his house, but Miranda declined because she had to look after her son. However, Eli eventually convinced Miranda that it was natural for him to want to support both her and her son during this troubling time, given that they were in a relationship. Dr. Bailey is often forced to look after everyone else, whether it’s her family, patients, or even other staff members. So, for many viewers, it was a chance to see Miranda being cared for while also changing their perception of Nurse Eli.
Why Did Daniel Sunjata Leave Grey's Anatomy?
Eli Lloyd's Purpose in the Show Had Come to an End
At first glance, Nurse Eli’s time at Seattle Grace seemed to be going well. He didn’t have to worry about being pushed around by his superiors and his relationship with Miranda seemed to be going smoothly. Yet, Ben Warren’s interjections threw a spanner in the works. In Season 8, Episode 5, «Love, Loss and Legacy,» Warren discovered that Bailey was dating Lloyd and attempted to win back her affection. This obviously disrupted her bond with Eli and caused the couple to break under the pressure. During this episode, Bailey admitted that she still had feelings for Ben and didn’t feel comfortable seeing Eli anymore. Thus, the couple split up and Daniel Sunjata was not seen on the show again.
It’s clear that Sunjata’s character was created to help move Bailey’s arc forward a little and give her character a taste of romantic infatuation. Since his departure from the show was never explained, a lot of fans believe that Nurse Eli is still working at the hospital. It’s important to note that he worked at Seattle Grace for many years before he appeared on-screen, so it doesn’t seem too strange that he would also be working at Grey Sloan. However, it must be said that Eli’s unexplained absence from the show is not uncommon. Long-running characters like Joe and Casey Parker were simply swept under the rug and never mentioned again, even though these characters were in the middle of very important plot points.
Daniel Sunjata’s departure from Grey’s Anatomy is probably a lot simpler. Eli’s function as a character had come to an end with his separation from Miranda Bailey, and though Sunjata never overtly explained why he left the hit medical drama, it’s likely that he wanted to pursue other projects. This actor is well known in the world of procedurals, as he spent many years playing Franco Rivera in the powerful drama Rescue Me, so he’s not immune to working on very vast and lengthy projects. He’s also had a lot of success on Broadway and even won a Tony Award for his role as Darren Lemming in Take Me Out.
Many fans praise Sunjata’s Grey’s Anatomy musical theater performance in «Song Beneath Song» and believe that was one of the main reasons he was cast on the show. Audiences also came to admire the character of Eli as a portrayal of nurses. This is exceptionally important, considering that Grey’s Anatomy is a show that mainly circles around the lives of high-performing doctors and tends to ignore other aspects that keep the hospital up and running.
Daniel Sunjata's Roles Since Leaving Grey's Anatomy
Sunjata Steps Into Leading Roles on Series Like Graceland and High Potential
After exiting Grey’s Anatomy in 2011, Sunjata appeared in several network television shows. He did a lengthy stint on the USA series Graceland as Paul Briggs, an FBI agent who lives in a beach house with other special agents from government organizations. Sunjata spent three seasons in the role before the network canceled it. In a similar vein, he played the role of a SWAT commander on the Quibi series #FreeRayshawn in 2020 alongside notable actors such as Lawrence Fishburne and Skeet Ulrich.
At present, Sunjata has returned to ABC as one of the leads in the series High Potential, which debuted in 2024 and is currently ongoing. He stars in the show as Adam Karadec, an LAPD detective who becomes the partner of a cleaning lady when her high IQ proves to be an asset to their division. High Potential established itself as a success for ABC, having found popularity through streaming alongside its live viewership. This popularity prompted the network to renew the show for a second season, meaning that Daniel Sunjata will continue to grace television screens in the near future.
