Sandra Oh Reveals Romantic Rivalry to Come on 'Grey's'

March 12, 2007 — -- On "Grey's Anatomy," Sandra Oh plays the fierce and determined Dr. Cristina Yang.

It turns out that in real life, the actress isn't far removed from her character. She's just as particular about her job on the set as Cristina is in the operating room.

"I feel like how I approach my work is a little bit how Cristina might approach work," she said on "Good Morning America," talking about how she grilled the "Grey's" writers and producers about scripts.

"But the writers are really, really receptive."

Considering the "Grey's" writers develop story lines for each of the show's five interns, Oh is grateful that they listen to her suggestions.

"When you get a script you realize, 'Oh my God these are five clear story lines,'" she said. "I think it must drive them mad because they're working really, really hard to keep things up."

The next plot twist for Oh's character involves a visiting doctor who vies for her affection.

"The wonderful Roger Reeves has come in to the show as Dr. Colin Marlow, who is a fantastic cardiothoracic surgeon," she said. "He comes in as a rival of sorts. … You see that we had a past relationship. You'll see how that unfolds, and how that might be a bit of [a] threat to what's going on between Cristina and Burke."

Tune in Thursday, Even If Oh's Not

Other than the rivalry, Oh kept her lips sealed about what was to come on the show. She asserted she didn't have any secrets to reveal.

"We actually don't have any information that we could possibly lie about or possibly forget and slip up on," she said.

As much as Oh relishes her work on "Grey's," she usually doesn't watch the show when it airs.

"I'm usually not home on Thursday nights, and it's also a little too close to home. … I'm so personally involved in, of course, everything, and it's a little hard for me as an actor to watch my own work," she said.

The 35-year-old Canada native has worked hard to become a major player in Hollywood. Though many remember her fiery performance in 2004's "Sideways," she won acclaim in Canadian films like "The Diary of Evelyn Lau" early in her career.

While Oh doesn't have much on her plate other than "Grey's," for now, that's a good thing. She has time to relax and enjoy her success.

"Actors have this starving mentality. If there's a job they feel like they have to take it," she said. "I have to remember that I'm going to be acting for a very long time."