It's only a few weeks before Ellen Pompeo leaves Grey's Anatomy on February 23, and fans aren't prepared to watch Meredith Grey say goodbye after 19 seasons. Although there have been multiple outcries to keep the character's storyline going, one person is particularly excited about the next chapter: the actress herself.
During a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, she opened up about what compelled her to leave the ABC show after almost two decades. According to Ellen, there is a specific reason for why she finally decided to walk away after talking about the possibility for years.
"I feel super happy," she told host Drew Barrymore about her decision. "But listen, the show has been incredible to me and I've loved a lot of the experience ... It's just I gotta mix it up a little bit. I'm 53, my brain is like scrambled eggs ... I gotta do something new or I'm literally gonna turn into, like, you can't do the New York Times crossword puzzle every single day."
Ellen continued: "I mean 19 years, that's more than people keep their kids in their house. People keep their kids in their house until they're 18 and then they send them off to college. So, this is like me, going away to college."
Speaking about family, despite all the uproar about folks not seeing the longtime cast member on the Shonda Rhimes-led show anymore, she feels confident about what she'll be doing next.
"I have a lot that I'm doing," Ellen said on the daytime TV show. "I have three kids [son Eli and daughters Stella and Sienna with husband Chris Ivery] and so I take care of them. It's really important for me to be around for them and be more present for them."
Apart from focusing on her company Betr Remedies, she reassured fans that it won't be long before she's on TV again — she's currently working on a Hulu series based on the 2009 horror movie Orphan. "I'm gonna do a limited series for Hulu in the spring, which is a very cool kind of crazy true story," Ellen added.
As for the medical drama world, she won't be completely gone either. She still has plans to be an executive producer on Grey's Anatomy, while also narrating through the end of season 19.
So, there you have it. Although Ellen is stepping into the unknown, she couldn't be more excited for what's ahead — and we're sure Grey's fans will keep cheering her on.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
