Ellen Pompeo admits fighting for Grey’s Anatomy $20m salary ‘wasn’t easy’: ‘I had a very specific number’

Ellen Pompeo has opened up about her fight to become one of TV’s highest-paid actors in Grey’s Anatomy and admits it ‘wasn’t easy’. 

The TV star has played Dr Meredith Grey, the drama series’ famous titular character, for 17 seasons and counting. 

In 2018, it was reported that Ellen, 51, earns $575,000 (£419,000) per episode, taking home more than $20 million (£14.6 million) per year. 

It’s a healthy pay packet for any actress but one that Ellen earned by keeping her wits about her and doing research. 

CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Tracy Smith asked the TV star: ‘You are one of the highest-paid actors on TV and I would imagine that, I know, that didn’t come easy?’ 

Ellen stated: ‘No, of course not. No. But in my specific instance, I had a very specific number that I can see what Grey’s Anatomy has generated. 

‘I can see exactly how much that show makes for one of the biggest corporations in the world.’ 

Ellen revealed that it has ‘not been decided’ whether Grey’s Anatomy will return for another season, potentially closing the chapter on a character she has played for almost two decades. 

However, the actress refuses to be confined to the iconic role and said: ‘I looked at myself as if I was in a box when I was 35 years old. Now I’m 50, and I would never look at myself this way. 

‘With the age comes wisdom. Now I see it as, I can do anything I want, or not do anything at all.’ 

Ellen fought for another cause this weekend, speaking up for Black actors after it emerged that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association does not have any Black members out of 87 journalists. 

In a lengthy post, Ellen wrote: ‘I would kindly ask, all my white colleagues in this industry, an industry that we love and has granted us enormous privilege…. to pull up, show up and get this issue resolved. 

‘Let’s show our black colleagues that we care and are willing to do the work to right the wrongs we have created. Now is not a time to be silent. We have a real action item here let’s get it done.’ 

Grey’s Anatomy returns in March, airing Thursdays on ABC.

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