Ellen Pompeo's Husband, Whom She Calls 'Soulmate' and 'Protector', Was Once Seen Flirting With Another Woman

Four years into her marriage, Ellen Pompeo's husband, Chris Ivery, sparked cheating rumors when he was seen with another woman. The rumors failed to end their relationship, and the pair are still together.

Ellen Pompeo initially met record producer Chris Ivery through friends in 2003 at a Los Angeles grocery store. The pair didn't start dating immediately and remained friends for six months until things changed suddenly.

One day, the producer started seeing the actress in a different light. Interestingly, the pair grew up minutes away from each other in Everett, Massachusetts, but never physically met.

"ONE NIGHT, SHE JUST LOOKED DIFFERENT"

Ivery previously explained to People in 2006 that "one night she just looked different to me." The actress said they were six degrees their whole lives, and it felt like they were meant to be.

Keeping tabloids in the forefront of her mind, Pompeo revealed at the time that she and her boyfriend planned on getting married eventually. She also shared that the wedding ceremony would be a secret.

THE 3.5 CARAT RING

Ivery ended up proposing to the actress on a Friday, which happened to be her 37th birthday. The proposal happened at home just after breakfast, with Pompeo's representative confessing that the star was thrilled and surprised.

The record producer proposed with a 3.5-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring in a platinum setting. The ring was custom-made by famous jewelry designer Tacori.

REACHING CITY HALL BY SUBWAY

In 2007, the music executive and the "Grey's Anatomy" actress tied the knot! Her father, Joseph, confirmed the news and said he was very happy for his daughter despite not being invited.

The duo knew their ceremony wouldn't be a secret if they traveled out in public, so they used the subway to get to New York City Hall. The couple used tunnels underneath City Hall that came up to the mayor's office!

As per Pompeo's prediction, her wedding didn't include any guests except New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who served as a witness. The ceremony was brief and quick and was performed in Lower Manhattan by a city clerk.

The bride reportedly wore a black wedding gown by Yves Saint Laurent that she'd bought in Paris the previous summer. In the past, the star said she was fortunate to get to dress up often and seemingly didn't need to go over the top for her wedding.

The actress's father understood his daughter's choice and said Pompeo didn't want a big event. After exchanging vows that morning, the couple went to eat a waffle lunch with the actress's spokeswoman sharing that they were over the moon.

The newlyweds were then seen at Sunday night's New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden. Things seemed to go well for the couple over the following years until some rumors surfaced.

CHEATING RUMORS – BEHAVING UNMARRIED

In February 2012, four years into the marriage, a HollywoodLife source sparked cheating rumors against Ivery. On the 16th of that month, the music producer was allegedly spotted at an intimate Guns N' Roses concert.

The eyewitness said the actress's husband wasn't acting like a married man as he was seen hitting on a 26-year-old woman and even asked her number. He also allegedly tried to get her to kiss him!

The insider said Ivery was quite persistent with the brunette woman throughout the night. His friends reportedly watched him flirt, and he also tried to get her to go home with him.

The source also noted how the woman recognized the music executive and probably knew he was married, but that didn't stop Ivery. The woman allegedly felt sorry for Pompeo, and that's why she didn't take her husband up on his offer.

NOT ENTERTAINING RUMORS

The rumors ended up dying out because the actress, her husband, and their representatives didn't bother addressing the matter. Instead, Pompeo went on to praise the businessman.

In June 2018, the star shared an image of Ivery and their daughter, Stella Luna, walking away while he held her hand for Father's Day. In the post's caption, Pompeo described her spouse as her "rock," "soulmate," and "protector."

She also shared how lucky and grateful she was that she had him. The actress said she didn't take him or their children for granted before thanking Ivery for his love before calling him her everything.

In October that same year, Pompeo told People that she and her husband were honest and open with their communication. He also knew how to tackle her when she became bossy.

While discussing the secret to their 10-year relationship, the actress told Us Weekly's podcast, "In Case You Missed Us," that one shouldn't try to change others. She noted that the person was who they were and were okay when you married them, so you shouldn't expect them to change.

THE COUPLE'S BROOD

Pompeo gave birth to the couple's first child, Stella, on September 15, 2009, in Los Angeles. In April, the star and her husband had previously announced that they were expecting a child together.

However, she [Ellen Pompeo] never clarified if she gave birth to him [Eli Christopher] or he was born via a surrogate.

Ivery and his wife grew their family again on October 2, 2014, when they welcomed another baby girl named Sienna May. The actress confirmed the news via a debut Instagram post showing the little girl's father kissing her cheek.

Pompeo revealed that the little girl was welcomed through a surrogate in a follow-up Twitter post. The couple became parents of three children when the actress's representative confirmed it in December 2016.

The story was broken by the Daily Mail, who published images of Ivery hiking with the newborn child. The child's measurements, sex, name, height, and weight weren't revealed immediately.

Pompeo later announced, via Instagram, that her son's name was Eli Christopher, with a photo of the newborn lying on his father's chest. However, she never clarified whether she gave birth to him or was born via a surrogate.