Ellen Pompeo is sharing why she decided to step back from her central role on "Grey’s Anatomy" after 19 seasons.
During an appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, the actor explained her decision to reduce her involvement in the show, shifting to a supporting character and producer role.
"I didn't know what I was going to do," she said. "I just knew that I really couldn't do Grey's anymore. It was to the point where I really just felt like an animal at the zoo. I'm a big believer in destiny.
"I thought, if there's something else I'm meant to do, it's gonna find me. But I know I have to leave this."
Despite her strong desire to leave the hit medical drama, Pompeo said she realized that landing another acting gig might not come as easily.
"Sometimes you know you'd like opportunities to come while you're doing something, so you have an easy exit," she said. "You have a soft landing — and it turns out I actually did get a soft landing. But I was sort of thinking like nothing's coming along, and I really believe in this town, if they want you, they will find you."
During the podcast, Pompeo also opened up about her doubts after "Grey’s Anatomy" when new offers didn’t come her way immediately. She felt overlooked, saying, "Clearly, these people don’t want me."
She also explained how her long commitment to the show may have hindered her ability to take on other roles due to contractual obligations, with offers often being withheld because of her Grey's commitment.
Looking back, Pompeo said she recognized that times have since changed, noting that "it's become a little easier" to take on other roles since networks have reduced their orders to 15 episodes.
"But anyway, I had really stepped away, and I had said I really have to step away I can't do it anymore," she added. "And if nothing else comes, nothing else comes. It's my destiny. [If] no one wants me, that's OK, I can swallow that pill like I swallow everything else and at least I'm financially OK."
Pompeo previously spoke about stepping back from her role in "Grey's Anatomy," sharing that she was "super happy" to be reducing her screen time.
"I feel super happy, but listen the show has been incredible to me and I've loved a lot of the experience," Pompeo said during a 2022 interview with Drew Barrymore, according to People. "Listen it's just, I gotta mix it up a little bit. I'm 53, my brain is like scrambled eggs ... I gotta do something new or I'm literally gonna turn into, like ... can't do The New York Times crossword puzzle every single day."
She continued, "I mean 19 years, that's more than people keep their kids in their house — like people keep their kids in their house until they're 18 and then they send them off to college, so this is like me, like, going away to college."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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