Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo recently appeared on the Drew Barrymore Show where she spoke about the show. Among the subjects covered in the interview, the actress that plays Meredith Grey shared what happened when she fought for equal pay on set.
Fighting for equal pay on Grey’s Anatomy
It was in January 2018 that Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo first mentioned fighting for equal pay on the set of the show. At that time, Pompeo had been playing the lead role of Dr. Meredith Grey for more than 13 years. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the actress spoke openly about her fight for equal pay after she found out her co-star Patrick Dempsey was earning more than she was.
Fast forward to now and Pompeo is making her exit from the hit medical drama after having become the highest-paid actress on TV. Moreover, she inspired countless other women to fight for what they deserve.
Not everyone supported Ellen Pompeo in her fight
While appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show earlier this week, Ellen revealed that not everyone supported her in her battle for fair pay. While many in the industry had shown their support for her fight, it turns out those closest to her remained silent.
So many people not in my inner circle reached out to me and said, ‘This is amazing’ – I mean, icons. But the people directly around me were quiet as a mouse on set that day. You could have heard a pin drop.
Pompeo explained that while it was frustrating that few in her circle supported her in her fight, she said her experience taught her a valuable lesson, saying:
When your life does change, when you are courageous and fearless and speak out, don’t expect everybody to stand up and cheer for you, because they don’t. And I thought that was really interesting, and a life lesson, and I’ve never forgotten it.
According to a report by Women in the World, Pompeo was paid $500,000 per episode. While this made her one of the highest-paid actresses, she has since been beaten out by Elisabeth Morris, who earned a massive $1.1 million for each episode of Shining Girls.
Meanwhile, the life lesson that Pompeo learned is valuable for everyone. So many people just shrug and accept the situation. However, while standing up for yourself might prove divisive, this doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it. We all need to stand up for ourselves in this difficult world to get what we deserve.
Watch the interview between Drew Barrymore and Ellen Pompeo here:
