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19th October 2023
04:14pm BST
After playing Dr Cormac Hayes on the programme for three seasons, he decided last year that he wanted to leave LA behind in favour of living between Ireland and his wife's native Italy.
Speaking to the RTÉ Guide, the actor spoke about why he left the US, the hit medical drama and his latest project 'The Gone'.
"I don't miss it to be honest. It was a great opportunity, and I met some lovely people, but 'The Gone' is really the kind of stuff I'm looking for: in every day, long hours, some difficult scenes.
"I want that challenge. With Grey's there's such a big cast, you're only in two or three days a week. I also like being on location, as we were in New Zealand.
"With Grey's, you're in LA and everybody has their lives so after work, everybody goes home and there's not that interaction you'd have on location in a tiny town in New Zealand," he said.
"I like that aspect of the acting industry where you get to collaborate and get to know others. Grey's didn’t feel like that to me."
Even before he signed up to play the handsome doctor, Richard spent a lot of time flying around the globe between acting gigs in Hollywood to spending time with his wife Gabriella Pession and their son.
The two met when they both starred in the TV drama, The Crossing Lines, falling in love and now splitting their time between Rome and Ireland.
"Rome suits me better. I have been over and back to LA for years, often with little success, but when you’re in your twenties it’s good craic.
"But even then, I found it a lonely city, there's something a bit dark about the place for me. With the family all there and being able to make friends and build our little community, it became very pleasant, and we were lucky because we had a privileged life.
"But my wife and I felt that being European and growing up in Europe, it was what we knew and understood and that's how we wanted our son to grow up as well. My wife has a big career here and Rome made sense, we're happy," Richard said.
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