Ellen Pompeo Reflects on Meredith, Grey’s Anatomy
The wait is almost over for Meredith and Derek fans, as they will finally reunite (for good!) in the May 22 season finale of Grey’s Anatomy.
In preparation for the big day, Entertainment Weekly talked to Ellen Pompeo about the reconciliation, the show’s future, and how she lays low when she’s done working for the day on Grey’s Anatomy.
EW: How did [Grey's Anatomy creator] Shonda Rhimes tell you that Meredith and Derek were getting back together?
Ellen Pompeo: I came in a couple weeks before we were going to go back to work and she invited me in to talk. She pretty much started off by saying she had time over the break to watch the entire series, saw where it started and where it went and where it needs to go now. It helped her get some perspective.
EW: Did she say she made some mistakes?
Ellen Pompeo: This is Hollywood. People don’t admit mistakes.
Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo shines on- and off-screen.
EW: How did you feel about the Mer-Der reunion?
Ellen Pompeo: I told her to please make it be in a way that makes sense. Don’t put us together because the fans want it: so — poof! — we’re together. Please make it make sense. I would have preferred that we really stayed apart for a while and then slowly got back together. I just worry how realistic is it after all of the mess.
EW: How had you been feeling about the relationship?
Ellen Pompeo: You can’t really judge characters, because that’s when it gets really hard to play them. But sometimes Meredith has made choices and I’m like, Why would she do this? Why would she continue to keep going back to him after that? You gotta try to find a way to do it, but it’s not always easy. I would never let a man treat me that way.
EW: When did you start to feel that Mer-Der was becoming repetitive?
Ellen Pompeo: Last season. Season 3 is when the show really started to get a little unfocused with crazy things like Meredith’s [failed] suicide, and then George and Izzie. It just sort of seemed like it was all over the place, which it kind of was. I know Shonda was writing Private Practice and her attention was diverted.
EW: How did you feel about George and Izzie?
Ellen Pompeo: I love Katie [Katherine Heigl] and T.R. [Knight] so much that I didn’t really like seeing them together. That’s like my brother and my sister kissing. I don’t want to see my brother and sister kiss! I think it was a little ratings stunt.
EW: What would Shonda say when you’ve complained about Mer-Der in the past?
Ellen Pompeo: She always has answers. Meredith can’t commit because there are issues with her mother. But if I couldn’t commit, why didn’t I just walk away? It did get redundant. But nobody wants to hear me complain.
EW: Fans can’t seem to make up their mind whether they want to love or hate Meredith Grey.
Ellen Pompeo: Not everyone’s going to like you. I don’t like everybody who I see on TV. You can’t set out to try to have the whole world love you. That’s like some weird ego thing. It’s silliness. At the end of the day I still have an amazing job.
EW: Do you think this show has eight or nine seasons in it?
Ellen Pompeo: I don’t know how you can come up with original material for that long, I really don’t. To keep the same audience for eight years…I don’t know how likely that is.
EW: Could you see yourself going to the bitter end?
Ellen Pompeo: No. I’m signed on for seven seasons, we all are. And I’ll never say never about anything. But, I think after seven seasons I’m certainly going to feel like I have nothing to give for this character.
EW: Do you try hard to stay out of the press? Except for the occasional Lakers game, there aren’t a lot of paparazzi shots of you walking down Robertson Boulevard in Beverly Hills, doing some shopping.
Ellen Pompeo: My wedding was a little bit tricky to pull off. But New York City Hall totally helped us out. It’s not hard to stay out of press if you don’t want it. There are very specific things you can do. I wear the same black tracksuit to work pretty much every day. That’s a little tip I stole from Madonna. If you don’t dress up every day when you leave your house, the paparazzi won’t come. If they know you’re going to step out with a beautiful bag, beautiful dress, beautiful shoes, they’re going to show up like clockwork every day. That’s what the magazines buy. The second reason [I stay out of gossip press] is I think the more people know about your personal life, the less they believe you as a character. I just want people to believe the character I play and believe me in the role. That’s really all I care about.
SHES AMAZING IN HER VIEWS AND ALL.
i love how she thinks and how she says it all.
shes very smart and down to earth and I love it.
thank you for posting the interview.
I love her
not afraid to stand up for what she believes and express what she thinks.
She is a star.
Ellen is awesome!
I agree with what Ellen said about Derek and Meredith reuniting. It would have been nice for them to gett back together slowly cause it would have been more realistic. But then again, for all we know in the 4th season finale when they get together for good it could look realistic.
Great article. She didn’t hold back at all and I love how honest she was about the George and Izzie thing as well as the Meredith and Derek relationship and what she really thought about season 3 as well as the future of Grey’s.
It’s always nice when the actor can be honest and not sound like a kiss ass.
I used to be a huge fan of her, but the way she bashed Gizzie, I am no longer a fan. She just spat on all of us Gizzie fans.
Who cares how she feels about TR and Katie? Tr and Katie were not kissing, George and Izzie were and many of us thought they were hot together.
I always enjoy her interviews very realistic………love ellen
Wow I’m impressed, she seems really sincere and she is right in everything she said
she is so great. i love her
love her love her love her!!! of course greys anatomy will make till 8 or 9 seasons i will still be a fan!!!
this is really great. Thanks for this interview.
i love her so down to earth and stuff. Cant wait to see her tonight. 
Ellen is a very smart woman. I love her and I totally love Meredith Grey, flaws and all
Simply wonderful. If you all can, get the EW magazine. It’s 3 pages long (EP’s on the cover) and both Shonda and Patrick are interviewed for it. I love her view points on both Meredith and Mer/Der. It can’t be easy to be the lead, but she handles it with grace as usual. Bravo Ellen!
i love ellen pompeo…i like her views and opinions…esp about meredith and derek…more power EP !
i love ELLEN she’ so great, awsome, beautiful, smart&………. i love her & show.
I love ELLEN she’s so great,beautiful,smart&………
i just love her!
Surely it’s not wise to badmouth your boss?! Admittedly, it’s not like she could easily be fired - but to slag off the writing is just a really bad idea. And also not very cool.
Oh I ot so tuoched buy this text
I really hope they are gonna do sevn seasons and that it will be fun watching it….. and merder and all others most have fun doing it so =)
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Amazing. Ellen Pompeo is a honest, respectful, decent woman who understands how the fans feels and actually shares their opinions. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Ellen!
She’s simply wonderful! What an amazing, honest, decent woman who values her fans and basically wants from Mer/Der what we all want. Her character Meredith is my favorite on the show and the actress who plays her shines! Ellen Rocks!
I am a big Grey’s Anatomy fan! I love the characters. However, I too have been frustrated with the relationship between Meredith and Derek, but I think all of the drama is worth it. I actually do see them together eventually. They have to realize that they are in-love with each other. I’m really interested to see where their relationship goes. I’m really interested to see what happens with Addison and Mc Steamy and Alex and Izzie. I think Alex really likes Izzie which makes it difficult for him to connect as intimately as he should. As for George and Izzie, I think they are better off as friends rather than lovers.
I LOVE that she called Shonda out on her bad decisions! That was awesome!
I love that she cares more about her role as a character in Grey’s than herself as a movie star. She’s very articule and seems so down to earth. All of the fame from the show could’ve easily gone to her head!
I am easily the world’s biggest Gizzie fan, but she has a right to her opinion. Does not change anything. I disagree with her completely and think Gizzie belongs together, but she has a right to her opinion
I love ellen!
Sounds like shes kind of attacking the show at some points,but thats just me.
seven seasons of greys?! im down with it! so its gonna probably end in 2011? whoaaaa ill probably be a wreck with the shows done.
and about the gizzie shes so right,they were weird together NO OFFENSE GIZZIE LOVERS! but it was just weird
Love Ellen!!!!!!!!!!