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Will Ellen Pompeo Ever Leave Grey's Anatomy? Actress Says 'Everybody Gets to Profit Off of My Hard Work'
Ellen Pompeo opens up about why she’s staying on Grey’s Anatomy, even with a reduced role, saying it still matters emotionally and financially after 20 years on the show.
Ellen Pompeo may not appear in every episode of Grey’s Anatomy anymore, but she has no plans to leave the show for good. The actress, 55, has played Meredith Grey since the medical drama began in 2005. Although she scaled back her role in season 19, she told El País there’s a clear reason she’s still part of the series.
“That would make no sense, emotionally or financially,” Pompeo said. “The show was streamed more than a billion times in 2024. More than a billion times.” She added, “The companies that own the show and stream the show make a lot of money from our images and our voices and our faces. If I were to walk away completely, everybody gets to make money from my hard work for 20 years and I wouldn’t make any money.”
Ellen Pompeo shared that the series continues to hold a special place in her heart as well as in the hearts of fans. She stated that the show means a lot to people emotionally and that she wants to maintain an attitude of gratitude toward it.
Although Meredith Grey left Seattle in season 19, Pompeo returned in season 20 and is expected to appear in at least seven episodes of season 21. Her screen time was reduced while she worked on her Hulu project, Great American Family, but she has remained closely connected to the long-running ABC drama.
Pompeo made headlines in 2017 when she negotiated a USD 20 million deal, becoming the highest-paid actress on television. She told PEOPLE at the time that the job had to be worth it, especially since she was spending a lot of time away from her children. She felt that staying on the show needed to come with a meaningful reward, including breaking certain barriers.
On the Call Her Daddy podcast in March, Pompeo shared that before negotiating her salary, she had a conversation with show creator Shonda Rhimes. She said she informed Rhimes of her plans to ask for a specific amount and wanted to make sure it wouldn't come across as disrespectful. Pompeo shared that she valued Rhimes’ support and wanted to keep her informed about the steps she was taking.
Pompeo referred to herself as the Disney princess of Grey’s Anatomy, stating that she was well aware of how much revenue the show had generated over the years. She said she had data to support her claims and believed she definitely deserved a share of that success.
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