Ellen Pompeo Reveals She Has ‘No Desire’ To Act Again After Grey’s Anatomy

Published on August 3, 2021.

Ellen Pompeo is opening up about her plans after her time on Grey’s Anatomy, and it’s not what you may think!

The star revealed that she currently has “no desire” to act again following her role as Meredith Grey on the hit medical drama. “I’m not saying I’ll never act again; I very well may, but I’m not super excited about continuing my acting career,” Pompeo revealed during a recent podcast episode of “Ladies First With Laura Brown.”

“I’m more entrepreneurial at this stage. I’m excited about investing in businesses, and starting [a] business. That’s an area of growth that I’m excited about, using my brain in a different way.”

The actress, who has played Dr. Meredith Grey since 2005, admitted that she feels tired of the acting routine and is ready for something new. “Even though I haven’t done a million different roles, I feel like I’ve done it. Sitting around in trailers, traveling around, shooting this in Atlanta, shooting that in Vancouver,” she shared.

“I have no desire to go sit in trailers at 11 o’clock at night and wait to shoot scenes and have ADs knock on my door and tell me when I can eat lunch. You know, it’s for the young at heart. It’s for the youth!”

Pompeo continued to open up about her thought process that led her to stay in the role of Meredith Grey for so many years. “When I was in my 30s, I absolutely saw myself as in a box. That’s why I stayed on the show, because I said, ‘Holy s–t. By the time I can negotiate my contract again and get out of this I’m going to be almost 40 years old,’” Pompeo admitted.

She continued: “I am super typecast in this role. I am 40, so I’m never going to work again. Even 15 years ago, the thought of being 40 was, like, you’re over as an actress.”

“Now that I’m 50, I don’t see myself that way at all. I think of myself that I can do whatever I want, or I can do nothing at all, quite honestly,” Pompeo concluded her thought.