Shonda Rhimes is the matriarch of women-empowered television. It makes sense, then, that the inspiration behind one of her most powerful characters came from her mother. Rhimes has built characters like Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating, but the woman who was modeled after her mom comes from one of her original series, Grey's Anatomy. Trust us, it's someone you inevitably love.
The Icon Herself
Rhimes came from a family of intellectuals. Her father worked as a university and administrator and her mother as a college professor. As an educational role model, it makes sense that Rhimes' mother would lead to the inspirational Miranda Bailey. Yes, Dr. Bailey.
She's the driven, take-no-you-know-what from anyone resident of general surgery and eventual Chief Of Surgery. Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital could not run without Bailey, and therefore without Vera Rhimes. Motherhood and career aspirations go hand-in-hand with both women, making Bailey even more real than she appears on the screen.
Rhimes talked to TIME about being a Black woman in the entertainment industry and her support along the way, "The first people I can remember believing in my talents were my parents. I'm very lucky that I have parents who, when I was three, literally dictating stories into a tape recorder and bringing them to my parents. My mother would type them up."
She continued, "They really did think I was creative and they really did appreciate creativity. I always knew as a kid that I was a writer but I never really knew what I wanted to do. I always believed that that wasn't a real job. So I thought that all of the things that interested me like, maybe I'd be a doctor maybe I'd be a lawyer, I always thought that those were the things I actually wanted to do for a living."
Making Inspiration A Reality
In an interview with Essence, Rhimes opened up about how the lessons her mother taught her influenced how she approached her aspirations. She shared, "I think being raised by a Black woman makes it interesting because I was raised by this mother who basically felt like you have to take what you need."
She continued on the strength her mother instilled, "My sisters and I were kids who got in trouble if we didn’t speak up for ourselves. If my mother had to march down to the school for something, her first question was ‘Did you let them walk all over you?’ And, if you didn’t stand up for yourself that’s when I would get into trouble.”
Rhimes surrounds herself with ambitious women. Her characters depicted in "Shondaland" show the same intensity and balance with compassion. Personalities like Miranda Bailey's tells a story to women that you can love your work, set high standards, and have a full heart for your family.
Miranda Bailey Superlatives
Dr. Miranda Bailey, while her traits throw in light-hearted humor, exude a demand for respect from her colleagues. She constantly pushes the people around her to be better versions of themselves. While her tough exterior might appear intimidating at first, the layers of her character unveil themselves as Grey's Anatomy progresses. That motherly support shows through Rhimes' high opinions of her own mother.
Rhimes is known to write her characters without any looks expected, but that was not the case for Dr. Bailey. In an interview with Oprah Rhimes explained, "I pictured her as a tiny blonde with curls. I thought it would be unexpected to have this sweet-looking person open her mouth and say tough things. But then Chandra Wilson auditioned, and she opened her mouth and said those same things. I thought, 'That's exactly who Miranda is.'"
Bailey's drive and passion resonate with how Rhimes speaks with the upmost respect of her mother. Vera Rhimes raised six children and during that full-time role as a mom, also embarked on her professional dreams. That same tenacity rings true to Bailey's desire to rise further and further up the professional ladder.
Rhimes told NPR about the pride she has for her mother, "It was very cool to watch her evolving this way, to go from being a stay-at-home mom of six to being a full-fledged professional out in the world. And for her, I think it was incredibly freeing and very exciting to have a huge 2nd act. It's why I always feel like when people say, 'I'm too old to do something or I could never do that' I'm always like, 'My mom had six kids and then she became a professor - like, what are you talking about? Anything is possible!'"