Yahoo Lifestyle People Are Loving Ellen Pompeo’s Extremely Honest Comments About Her Finances After Being On “Grey’s Anatomy” For So Long
It’s no secret that Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo has been incredibly candid about her finances over the years.
Of course, Ellen has played Meredith Grey in the hit ABC medical drama since it premiered in 2005. Back in 2020, the actor opened up about staying on Grey’s for so long because of the financial security she was afforded.
In 2023, Ellen took a step back from leading Grey's and now is only in a handful of episodes. She is currently about to star in her first role outside of Grey’s in 20 years with the Hulu limited series Good American Family, which she also produced.
"I made choices to stay on the show," she said on the Jemele Hill Is Unbothered podcast. "For me...a healthy home life was more important than a career. I didn't grow up with a particularly happy childhood. So the idea that I have this great husband and these three beautiful children and a happy home life was really something I needed to complete, to close the hole in my heart."
Ellen shares three kids with her husband, Chris Ivery: Eli, Sienna, and Stella, who are now 6, 9, and 15, respectively.
“And so I made a decision to make money, and not chase creative acting roles. I don't like chasing anything ever, and acting to me, in my experience, was a lot of chasing. Although I produce, and it's the same kind of thing, I think I do it from a place of, I'm never that thirsty because I'm financially set,” added Ellen, who, at the time, was reportedly making $575K per Grey’s episode.
Fast-forward to today, and Ellen has opened up about her finances in another super honest chat with People, revealing that her financial security is “the best thing” about being on Grey’s.
“The best thing is the financial security if I'm being very honest. It’s been really lucrative, and I think financial security is not something that every actress is afforded, so I’m very grateful for that,” she said.
Ellen then discussed the most challenging thing about being on the show. “The hardest part is the repetitive nature of doing the same thing over and over. You know, there’s a familiarity with Grey’s that people love, so we can’t change it too much,” she explained.
“I would love to change it so much. I’m always like, ‘Let’s do this, let’s do that,’ and they’re like, ‘Shut up, Ellen, we’re not doing that,’” she laughed.
Several internet users have since shared their thoughts on Ellen’s candid remarks. One Reddit user said, “I like that she's being honest about the best aspect of it. Especially since in the latest seasons I've watched she wasn't making much effort with her acting. She has a very lucrative and stable job that allows her to work close from her family.”
“I think there’s also something to be said about the stability of having a main role on a popular show. The film/television industry and the nature of celebrity is so unstable and unpredictable that I imagine it’s really nice to finally land something where you know for sure you’re making x amount of money for x months of work over x many years in x city,” someone else wrote.
“This is honestly so nice to see actresses talk about stuff like this,” one person commented, while someone else said, “Welcome to our world Ellen.”
You can find Ellen’s full People interview here.
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