Ellen Pompeo Reveals She Wanted to Leave ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Because of the ‘Toxic Environment’

"Grey’s Anatomy's" Meredith, whose real name is Ellen Pompeo recently made a shocking revelation about the struggles she has had to deal with in the movie industry, and how it made her consider leaving the series.

In a recent episode of “Variety: Actors on Actors," two Hollywood celebrities Ellen Pompeo and Taraji P. Henson had a heart to heart talk, and they both shared their experiences as TV stars.

Ellen identified the common troubles that are paramount in the movie industry, she claimed that at a time in her career, the “toxic environment” was responsible for her decision to stop appearing on “Grey Anatomy.”

Taraji also spoke about the rigors of being on screen as an African-American. She said that there was a time when she did not get paid as much as she would have loved to and that Tyler Perry was the first person to pay her a huge sum.

The pair settled in on the matters surrounding role interpretations. When Ellen was asked by the “Empire” star if there was ever a time when she wanted to quit acting on the ABC series which she had managed to star in for more than twelve years, she said:

“There were many moments. It’s funny: I never wanted off the bus in the year that I could get off. The first 10 years we had serious culture issues, very bad behavior, really toxic work environment. But once I started having kids, it became no longer about me. I need to provide for my family.”

She claimed that what influenced her decision to stay was the fact that she needed to make provisions for her kids, and also that she, alongside Shonda Rhimes who happened to be the producer of the series, planned on re-scripting the ending after Patrick Dempsey left in the 11th season.

She also expressed how her husband informed her decision to demand an increment in her pay. In 2018, she emerged as one of the top paid female actors on screen, she stated that she asked for a yearly pay worth $20 million, she also earns $575,000 for every episode she stars in, plus a producing fee on “Station 19” which is the “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff.

Apart from being a force to reckon with in the movie industry, she happens to be a dedicated wife, and loving mother. Married to Chris Ivery who is a music producer, they both share a unique bond and are proud parents!

The duo fell in love after they met at a shopping mall, after which they had a secret court wedding which they invited only Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Although, she may have had doubts in her mind on the success of her career due to the troubles she faced but it didn’t stop her from combating her fears, thus she serves as a focal point of inspiration for other young women and upcoming tv stars.