Ellen Pompeo on why she won't ever leave 'Grey's Anatomy, "Everyone will profit...except me"

Ellen Pompeo is finally breaking down why walking away from Grey’s Anatomy completely was never an option, for her heart or her bank account.

In a new interview with Spanish publication El País, Pompeo explained that even though she stepped down as a full-time cast member after Season 19 (which aired in 2022), she’s stayed close to the series with voiceovers and occasional appearances for a reason: quitting entirely just wouldn’t make sense.

“The show was streamed more than a billion times in 2024 – more than a billion times,” the actress emphasized.

Pompeo, now 55, didn’t hold back about the financial imbalance she sees behind the scenes.

“The companies that own the show and stream the show make a lot of money from our images and our voices and our faces,” she said. “If I were to walk away completely, everybody gets to make money from my hard work for 20 years and I wouldn’t make any money.”

Known for playing Dr. Meredith Grey for two decades, Pompeo also serves as an executive producer.

And she knows exactly what her continued presence means to fans and the franchise alike.

“To me, it doesn’t make any sense that everybody else gets to profit off of my hard work,” she told El País.

“And emotionally, the show means a lot to people. I want to have an attitude of gratitude toward the show.”

Outside the hospital scrubs, Pompeo has also been exploring darker, more complex roles—like her portrayal of Kristine Barnett in Hulu’s Good American Family.

“Well, this is a limited series, so I won't appear as this character again,” she confirmed.

“I was just looking for something that was very different from Meredith Grey, and this offer presented itself.”

Still, no matter what new projects come her way, Pompeo is keeping one foot firmly planted in the Grey’s universe—because walking away entirely would mean everyone wins but her.