Welcome to Shondaland, Stefania Spampinato! In early August, ABC made an exciting announcement: the 35-year-old Italian actress is officially joining the Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 cast as Dr. Andrew DeLuca’s sister, Dr. Carina DeLuca. Let me tell you, we couldn’t be more thrilled to see Stefania join the world of Grey's Anatomy. Here's why she's going to become your new favorite Grey's star in no time.

She’s No Stranger to the Screen

Let’s start with Stefania’s experience. She’s been in the entertainment game since 2006, racking up an impressive 26 acting credits along the way. If you were a fan of Glee, you might recognize her as a dancer from the show's later seasons. But that's not all—she’s also made guest appearances on other TV series like Chasing Skirts, Less Is More, Satisfaction, and Mr and Mrs Smith. On the big screen, Stefania has showcased her talents in movies such as Two Wolves, The Gods, and Off the Grid. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s currently working on several exciting new projects that will keep her in the spotlight for years to come.

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Tre Italiani e uno Scozzese! So incredibly excited to share the set with these great artists! @caterinascorsone @therealkmckidd @giacomo_gianniotti @greysabc
A post shared by Stefania Spampinato (@spampistefania) on Aug 21, 2017 at 9:41pm PDT

Her Journey to Stardom Was Anything But Ordinary

Before Stefania became the actress we all know and love, she had a fascinating backstory. Born and raised in Belpasso, Sicily, Stefania discovered her passion for the arts at the tender age of six when she began dancing. Her parents quickly recognized her talent and her mom even took on the task of sewing Stefania’s recital costumes to help cover the costs of her dance education. After finishing high school, Stefania moved to Milan to pursue higher education in performing arts. Her journey didn’t stop there—she traveled the globe, performing with world-renowned artists like Kylie Minogue and Leona Lewis in cities such as Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Berlin. In 2011, she made the bold move to Los Angeles with a one-way ticket, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Giacomo Gianniotti Can’t Stop Talking About Her

Stefania's chemistry with Giacomo Gianniotti, who plays her on-screen brother Andrew DeLuca, is already off the charts. “I can’t wait for you guys to meet her. She’s lovely. She’s going to be a great new addition to the show,” Giacomo said in a recent interview. Carina DeLuca, Stefania’s character, made her Grey’s debut in the Season 14 premiere episode, and she’s already making waves. She arrived in Seattle to study women's brains during sexual orgasms and, oh yeah, she hooked up with Dr. Arizona Robbins on her first day! Giacomo hinted that Carina will definitely stir things up at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital with her European flair and medical expertise. “She’ll stir things up with a European background and take on medicine. She comes from Italy, as my character is Italian, and you get to see us exchanging some blows in Italian, which will be very interesting,” he explained.

She’s Thrilled to Be Part of the Grey’s Family

Stefania has been vocal about her excitement for joining the Grey’s Anatomy family. From the moment she landed the role, she’s been sharing her joy with fans on social media. First, she posted a sweet photo with Giacomo, her on-screen sibling. A few days later, she shared a picture of an article announcing her big break. Then, she posed with fellow Grey’s stars Caterina Scorsone (Amelia Shepherd), Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt), and Giacomo, captioning the photo, “So incredibly excited to share the set with these great artists!” Just a few days ago, she posted a picture of herself standing beside her trailer, captioning it, “Just a tiny bit excited to be on set again!” Before the Season 14 premiere, the entire cast celebrated the show’s 300th episode with an epic party, and Stefania was thrilled to share photos from the event. “Beyond excited to share such a special moment with this wonderful family, thank you… [to] the whole [Grey’s Anatomy] team for making my dream come true!” she wrote in one caption. In another, she expressed her gratitude: “So honored to share the set with these incredible, beautiful and inspiring ladies.”