Ellen Pompeo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ellen Pompeo
Pompeo in 2008
Born	Ellen Kathleen Pompeo (1969-11-10) November 10, 1969 (age 55) Everett, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Actress producer
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Chris Ivery ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	3

Ellen Kathleen Pompeo (born November 10, 1969) is an American actress. She is famous for playing Dr. Meredith Grey in the TV show Grey's Anatomy. She has won a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Ellen was born in Everett, Massachusetts. She moved to Miami and then to New York City. There, a casting director found her and signed her for a L'Oreal ad. She first appeared on TV in Law & Order. She also guest-starred in shows like Friends. Her first movie was Coming Soon in 1999. A big moment in her career was in 2002. She was noticed for her role in the movie Moonlight Mile.

After that, Ellen was cast in Grey's Anatomy on ABC. Her role as Dr. Meredith Grey made her famous worldwide. She became one of the most well-known TV actresses. In 2018, she was one of the highest-paid actors on TV. She earned about $23.6 million that year.

Ellen has also been in movies like Old School (2003) and Daredevil (2003). Besides acting, she has directed two episodes of Grey's Anatomy. She also started her own production company called Calamity Jane. She has been married to music producer Chris Ivery since 2007. They have three children together.

Early Life and Beginnings

Ellen Pompeo was born in Everett, Massachusetts, on November 10, 1969. Her father had Italian, English, and Irish family. Her mother was of Irish background. Ellen was raised as a Catholic. Her mother passed away when Ellen was four years old. Her father remarried later. He passed away in 2012. Ellen has five older brothers and sisters.

When she was younger, people sometimes called her "the pencil." She worked as a bartender in Miami. In 1995, she moved to New York City. There, a casting director asked her to be in ads for Citibank and L'Oreal.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Roles and First Movies (1995–2004)

Ellen Pompeo started her career with commercials and small independent movies. Her first TV appearance was in 1996. She guest-starred in the show Law & Order. She made her first movie appearance in Coming Soon in 1999. She had a small part in that film. In 2000, she was on Law & Order again. She also guest-starred on Strangers with Candy, Strong Medicine, and Friends. She moved to Los Angeles in 2001.

In 2002, director Brad Silberling chose Ellen for a main role. This was in his movie Moonlight Mile. She played a kind love interest for Jake Gyllenhaal's character. Critics liked her performance. Some even thought it was good enough for an Academy Award. Also in 2002, Ellen was in the movie Catch Me If You Can. In 2003, she appeared in Old School. She played Luke Wilson's love interest. She was also in the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Even though her scenes were cut, she was happy to have worked with director Michel Gondry. She played Karen Page in the 2003 movie Daredevil. The next year, she starred in Art Heist.

Becoming a Star on Grey's Anatomy (2005–2010)

Ellen Pompeo got her biggest role in 2005. This was on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. The show was created by Shonda Rhimes. Ellen plays the main character, Meredith Grey. Meredith is a surgical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital. Grey's Anatomy became a huge hit in 2005. TV critics really liked it.

When the show started, Ellen received good reviews for her acting. One critic said her character, Dr. Grey, felt so real that you couldn't stop watching.

In 2011, Ellen signed a new contract for Grey's Anatomy. This increased her salary. She became one of the highest-paid TV actresses. By 2015, she was earning about $11.5 million. Her contract was renewed again in 2016. Her earnings went up to $14 million.

As the show became more popular, Ellen became famous around the world. Her acting has earned her many awards. She has won three People's Choice Awards for Favorite TV Drama Actress. She and the Grey's Anatomy cast won an award for Best Ensemble in a TV Series in 2006. In 2007, she won Best Actress in a TV Drama Series. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award with her castmates. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series in 2007.

In 2007, Ellen was honored by the National Italian American Foundation. This was for her achievements in entertainment. Many critics have said that Ellen should have won an Emmy Award for her role.

Expanding Her Career (2011–Present)

On October 27, 2011, Ellen Pompeo started her own production company. It is called Calamity Jane. Her company sold its first TV show idea to ABC. It was about female agents working for the Secretary of State. In 2014, Ellen said she might not want to act much after Grey's Anatomy ends. She felt acting wasn't "empowering" enough for her anymore.

Since then, Ellen has worked on other projects as a producer. She also directed her first episode of Grey's Anatomy in its thirteenth season. In 2014, it was announced that Ellen was working on two new dramas with ABC Studios. She also worked on a Spanish thriller called Motivos Personales. Ellen appeared in the music video for Taylor Swift's song "Bad Blood" in 2015. Two years later, she voiced a toy cat in Doc McStuffins.

In January 2018, she signed a new contract for Grey's Anatomy. This deal was for two more seasons. She became the highest-paid actress in a TV drama. She earned over $20 million a year. She also became a producer for the show. This earned her an extra $6 million to $7 million each year. She was also a co-producer for the Grey's Anatomy spin-off show, Station 19. In 2018, Forbes magazine ranked her as one of the highest-paid TV actors.

In 2019, she was a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. More recently, her production company and ABC bought the rights to a book series.

After being a full-time star on Grey's Anatomy since 2005, Ellen had a smaller role in season 19. She was only in eight episodes that season. However, she remains an executive producer. She also continues to do the voiceovers for the show.

Disagreement on Set

In 2021, Ellen Pompeo shared a story about a disagreement she had. This happened with actor Denzel Washington. He was directing an episode of Grey's Anatomy in 2016. During filming, they had a strong difference of opinion about how a scene should go. Ellen explained that things calmed down afterward.

Personal Life and Family

Ellen Pompeo met Chris Ivery in a Los Angeles grocery store in 2003. They were friends for six months before they started dating. They got married in 2007. The mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, was a witness at their wedding. They have two daughters and one son.

Ellen has spoken out against media reports that suggested she had an eating disorder. She said such rumors were irresponsible. In 2007, she mentioned she worried about young girls who look up to her. She didn't want them to think they had to starve themselves to be like her.

Ellen Pompeo, along with Shonda Rhimes and other actresses, appeared in an ad campaign. This was for the 2016 US election. They supported Hillary Clinton. In the video, the actresses compared Clinton to strong female characters on TV. They said these characters fight for justice. They also give a voice to those who don't have one. They concluded that while their characters are on TV, the real world has Hillary Clinton.

Film and Television Roles

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Music Videos

As Director

As Producer

Awards and Recognitions

See also

In Spanish: Ellen Pompeo para niños