Ellen Pompeo Talks About Her Fight for Equal Pay on Ellen

Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo made an appearance on The Ellen Show and talked about her choice to reveal her salary to The Hollywood Reporter and rumors regarding her co-stars, Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew, leaving the medical drama series.

During her visit, Ellen mentioned that Pompeo has been on Grey’s for 14 seasons. Pompeo explained how she initially did not want to take the role because medical shows made her nervous.

DeGeneres also congratulated Pompeo on becoming the highest-paid actress on primetime drama. Pompeo discussed her decision to share her salary with the world as well as issues of pay inequality in her cover issue of The Hollywood Reporter.

“There are certain moments where it’s important to be really truthful about our pain and about our struggles,” Pompeo said. “Sometimes you have go through painful things to just be an example.”

The actress also set the record straight on the exits of Jessica Capshaw and Sarah Drew and explained how long-running shows like Grey’s experience problems such as writers having a hard time creatively thinking of new stories for characters.

Pompeo also announced that she is collaborating with Omaze, an online fundraising platform, to raise money for The Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund. She will also be giving fans an opportunity to spend the day with her at a wildlife sanctuary.