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Camilla Luddington, who has been playing Dr. Jo Wilson on ABC’s

since 2012, can’t wait for viewers to dive into this season’s storyline when the medical drama returns from midseason break on Thursday (8 p.m. ET). And that’s not only because her character takes some major twists and turns during this, the 13

season of this fan favorite. Read on as Luddington, who is also expecting her first child—she’s due the last week of shooting—goes behind-the-scenes at TV’s most popular hospital.

She’s going through quite the journey. In the next three episodes there are some crazy emotional scenes. What you see with Jo is that she’s in such a delicate place. When she discovers what happens to Alex, it pushes her over the edge and breaks her. It’s interesting to see her reaction and what that means for her. She’s crazy about Alex but it becomes so messy and so complicated that hearing any news about him has a ripple effect on her.

Is this going to be Jo’s most important season?

This is a pivotal season for her. It’s something that will continue into the next season by the way. We’re just scratching the surface of her past and who she is. For example, I just found out some juicy stuff about Jo two days ago during a table read. That’s what’s so great about Shonda’s shows. There’s never a moment where you feel bored playing your character. The writers spring stuff on you and it’s always intense.

When we’re shooting we’re so involved and I’m not thinking of what’s happening outside our set hospital. When the show airs, it’s really surprising to see the reactions. I feel like I expect people to react a certain way. Whatever the fans say, it comes from a passionate place. They’ll write ‘Jo is terrible for Alex’ or ‘Alex is terrible for Jo.’ I never take offense if they love or hate a character—it just means the storyline is affecting them in some way.

Why do you think fans love this show so much?

People stay tuned in because no one is perfect. That’s real life. You screw up, you make the wrong decisions, you don’t tell the truth. That makes for fascinating situations and drama and it’s real.

That’s one of the most amazing things. We find that mothers are watching the show with their daughters who have caught up on earlier seasons on Netflix. We’re also hearing that a lot of those daughters want to be doctors because they want to be Meredith Grey. I think there’s something about Shonda Land that shows women who take charge and are ambitious. That’s appealing to watch.

So I’d love to know: Do you have any doctors in your family?

There are no doctors in my family and I’ve joked about this, that my dad got the doctor daughter he always wanted. But I would make a terrible doctor—I hate the sight of blood!

What med-school prep do you get before you join the cast?

We’re all sent to watch a real surgery. I was sent to watch a triple bypass. It lasted for six hours and it was so intense to watch. At the same time, I heard the surgeons talking about lunch during the procedure. It’s so normal for them to talk about ordering lunch while they were doing a bypass!

I didn’t pop until recently but now it’s becoming an issue. We film until the end of March/beginning of April and I’m due around that time. Luckily we have real surgeons on set. They say

is the best place to work if you suddenly go into labor. There’s one surgeon here who could deliver my baby in the makeup trailer if necessary!

What are some of the best tips you’ve gotten from the other Grey’s doctors who are moms in real life?

The best thing they’ve told me is to be forgiving of yourself as a mother. I think you go into it and you want to hold yourself to the highest standards and you want to be perfect. That’s not possible. You make mistakes and learn. It’s been so wonderful to hear the realities behind motherhood. And the maternity clothes have been great, too, like Jessica Capshaw handing me a bag of maternity clothes. They’re so expensive and you only wear them for three months and I got to wear hers. We have a great community on set.

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