by Daisy Hodges
After 19 seasons of the television series Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo, best known for her role as Dr. Meredith Grey, finally said goodbye in her farewell episode which aired February 13.
Pompeo first joined Grey’s Anatomy as the star of the show at age 35. Now she is 53 and has spent almost 20 years on the show. She worked as the executive producer on ‘Grey’s‘ and as a Director/Producer on Station 19, an ABC spin off. Not only this, but Pompeo also founded her own producing Company called Calamity Jane. It’s safe to say, Pompeo is an expert when it comes to Hollywood and all things entertainment.
Her career first took off in 2005 when the show became a breakout hit, and in 2012 she was named the highest paid television actress by Forbes. In 2016 she brought in 14 million dollars of revenue from the show.
News of Pompeo leaving was initially announced in August, when she apparently left the production to “pursue other opportunities”, including a new Hulu series that is a 2009 adaptation of the thriller, Orphan. She took to Instagram to announce this news to fans and said, “I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have all shown me, Meredith Grey, and the show for 19 seasons!”
Despite her seemingly kind regards, many are skeptical about her sudden and swift exit, as she was a director and producer on the show. In an interview a few years back, she said that during the first 10 years of shooting, Grey’s had a “serious culture problem” and “a really toxic work environment.” Her old colleague T.R. Knight, who played George O’Malley, reportedly left the show abruptly when he got into a fight with a co-star on the show, who attacked him with a queer slur. Clearly the behind the scenes of ‘Grey’s’ has experienced some troubles in the past, which leaves many wondering if behind the scenes drama played a role in Pompeo’s exit.
