Chris Carmack's Wife, Erin Slaver, Is the Reason He Didn't Go Bald on 'Grey's Anatomy' (EXCLUSIVE)

Actor Chris Carmack has hit the jackpot in the television industry several times. His breakout role as Luke Ward on The O.C. led to another recurring role on Nashville as Will Lexington. Then, in 2018, the Washington, D.C. native booked a role on his current show, Grey's Anatomy, where he's been for six seasons and counting as Dr. Atticus Lincoln, also known as Link.

Link strolled into Grey Sloan Memorial with long, blonde hair and a charming smile that eventually made Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) — and her sister-in-law, Dr. Amelia Shepard (Caterina Scorsone) fall for him. However, not long after his arrival, Link reintroduced himself by cutting off his hair in Season 15, Episode 6.

In an exclusive interview with Distractify, Chris explained how his wife, Erin Slaver, who he teamed up with to promote AutoTrader's Private Seller Exchange, stepped in and ensured his memorable haircut wasn't too extreme.

Chris shared with Distractify that, despite he and his wife both being creatives, she had a limit to how much he would sacrifice for his work. He told us that, during the Grey's Anatomy episode where he shaved his head, Link was initially supposed to shave his head bald in solidarity with a child who was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer and was losing his hair.

While Chris was up for the challenge, he said the Grey's team rightfully asked him to run it by Erin, who refused to let her future husband walk down the aisle with a buzz cut.

"Erin said, 'Absolutely not, you WILL NOT SHAVE YOUR HEAD BEFORE OUR WEDDING!" he recalled his wife telling him. "I will not have pictures of you with a shaved head at our wedding."

Chris said he eventually told the Grey's producers he couldn't shave his head, which they understood. Eventually, they agreed on the cut fans know and love Link for today.

"They understood, and we would just crop it short," he added.

Fortunately, Chris and Erin's wedding went smoothly, with his new haircut in tow. The couple, who met when she guest starred on his other iconic show, Nashville, married on Oct. 19, 2018. Erin and Chris's wedding came two years after the birth of their first daughter, Kai. In 2022, the couple welcomed their second child, Cielle Estee.

In addition to being life partners, the couple has also become co-workers, at least on social media. Chris and Erin frequently post videos on TikTok that range from relatable parenting videos to Erin's unique experience of being married to a hunky TV doc.

In December 2024, the couple teamed up for a "wonderful partnership" with Autotrader for the brand's Private Seller Exchange, a used-car marketplace that streamlines the private buying and selling process. The partnership was something Chris said he and his wife take seriously, as he said they both practice safe driving, with the actor comparing his driving skills to a "grandpa."

And while most couples struggle to work with their partners, the actor shared how working with his wife helps him with their projects and on Grey's.

He credited the love and "humor" from his marriage as the inspiration for his character, Link's relationship with Dr. Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington).

"With Jo, I get to draw from a place of humor, which I think is a very comfortable place for me to draw from," Chris shared. "Because I have a lot of humor with my wife, Erin, at home."