'Grey's Anatomy' Star Ellen Pompeo Hinted Her Run Is Nearing Its End

Grey's Anatomy has tugged at fans' heartstrings since 2005, but star Ellen Pompeo suggested her journey on the long-running medical series might be inching toward its end.

Pompeo became a household name in the early 2000s upon landing the role of Meredith Grey on the acclaimed and beloved ABC series. She's appeared in movies like Daredevil and Old School in addition to television shows such as Law & Order and Friends. While she says she "still cares very much about the show" to this day, she seems to be hinting at her eventual exit.

"I am really feeling like we have told the majority of the stories that we can tell," Pompeo, 48, told Entertainment Weekly. "It's about time that I mix it up. I'm definitely looking for a change."

Despite this, Pompeo suggested how she's "fighting every day for the quality of the show to be good and for the actors to be happy."

Ellen Pompeo Hinted at 'Grey's Anatomy' Exit
Ellen Pompeo is shown attending the Women in Film 2018 Crystal Lucy Awards presented by Max Mara, Lancôme and Lexus at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on June 13, in Beverly Hills, California. Pompeo... Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Women In Film

Since Pompeo is the show's lead protagonist, her potential departure from Grey's Anatomy would be a major loss for the series. Fans have had to say goodbye to many high-profile talents over the years, like Sandra Oh (Dr. Cristina Yang) in Season 10, Katherine Heigl (Dr. Izzie Stevens) during Season 6, Kate Walsh (Dr. Addison Montgomery) parting as a series regular in Season 3 and Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd) memorably being killed off in a car accident toward the end of Season 11.

In 2017, Pompeo signed a $20 million annual contractual agreement with ABC—a two-year arrangement that allowed her to become the highest paid TV actress. This hike in pay includes "$575,000 per episode, a seven-figure signing bonus, and two full backend equity points on the series, estimated to bring in another $6 or $7 million," according to a January report by The Hollywood Reporter.

Pompeo has had to defend her salary increase after a report from Deadline suggested her pay boost may have resulted in former castmates Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew being booted off the show after Season 14. This led fans to target Pompeo by voicing their dissatisfaction.

"We R grateful all of you are so passionate but if you knew these two women the way I know them they would not approve of all this nastiness," Pompeo tweeted in March. "They both are super shiny happy people. I know you're angry but your representation couldn't be further from who these women actually are."

Co-showrunner Krista Vernoff rejected the accusations as well by tweeting in March how such allegations are "wrong and hurtful and misguided."

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more

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