Ellen Pompeo Breaks Silence on Her Limited ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Role

Not sweating the small stuff. After selecting to take a step again from Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo opened up about why she wasn’t frightened in regards to the break.

“I’m going to always be a part of that show,” the actress, 52, advised Deadline on Friday, September 9, about her part-time standing for season 19. “I’m an executive producer. I spent two decades of my career on [Grey’s Anatomy] — it’s my heart and soul. I’ll never truly be gone as long as [it’s] on the air.”

Pompeo famous that the hit ABC sequence will probably be “just fine without” her as a result of it discovered such success since its debut in 2005. The sequence, which was created by Shonda Rhimes, has additionally beforehand parted methods with longtime solid members together with Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, Justin Chambers, T. R. Knight, Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey.

It was reported in August that Pompeo would star in solely eight episodes of the upcoming season. The Boston native will focus on her work because the lead and government producer for an untitled Hulu restricted sequence. The present, which is impressed by a real story, will discover Kristine and Michael Barnet‘s expertise with adopting an orphan — who was later accused of being a con-artist.

“Hopefully, [Grey’s] fans [will watch],” Pompeo added on Friday about her first starring function since Grey’s Anatomy. “I know there’s no guarantee of that. But I’m going to put the same heart and passion into that. It’s just eight little episodes, so it won’t take too much of your time.”

Ahead of her surprising departure, the Golden Globe nominee has been candid about trying to transfer on. “I feel like I’m the super naive one who keeps saying, ‘But what’s the story going to be, what story are we going to tell?’ Everyone’s like, ‘Who cares, Ellen? It makes a gazillion dollars,’” she advised Insider in December 2021.

At the time, Pompeo famous that she has been “trying to focus on convincing everybody” that the medical drama has run its course. The Moonlight Mile star later hinted that she was contemplating a approach to finish her run as Dr. Meredith Grey.

“Shonda and I, I think — we’ll see, we’ll see,” she advised Entertainment Tonight in May about leaving Grey’s Anatomy. “Trying to reinvent the show and continually trying to reinvent the show is the challenge at this point.”

Pompeo continued: “Listen, the show speaks to a lot of people, and the young people love the show. It’s inspired so many generations of healthcare workers, so, I think for the young people, it’s a really good piece of content and we’re going to try to keep it going for the young people, not necessarily with me, but keep it going beyond me.”

Grey’s Anatomy season 19 premieres on ABC Thursday, October 6, at 9 p.m. ET.