‘Scandal’ Sets ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Reunion

Shonda Rhimes is continuing to keep the casting in the family.

The showrunner behind Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and ABC’s upcoming drama Scandal has tapped Kate Burton to play the vice president of the United States for a multiepisode arc, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Burton, who played Meredith’s (Ellen Pompeo) mother Ellis on Grey’s, joins her former on-screen husband Jeff Perry (who played Meredith’s father Thatcher) on the drama series starring Kerry Washington as a crisis manager and based on the life of Judy Smith.

Burton and Perry — who plays the president’s (Tony Goldwyn) right-hand man Cyrus – aren’t the only connections to Rhimes’ other series on Scandal: Private Practice’s JoBeth Williams and Liza Weil also will appear on the midseason drama.

Scandal, like Grey’s Anatomy in its freshman season, is expected to premiere in late February or early March.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit