How Many Grey's Anatomy Episodes Ellen Pompeo Actually Watched?

Ellen Pompeo is an established actress with an impressive acting portfolio, which boasts such TV hits as Law & Order and Friends. But undoubtedly, Grey's Anatomy, where she plays the leading role, accounts for most of the actress' popularity and success.

ABC's medical drama has been on the air since 2005 and spanned record-breaking 19 seasons. All that time, Ellen has played the series' central character, Dr. Meredith Grey, and she has even directed a few episodes of the show herself.

Naturally, you'd expect her to watch her own work regularly, or occasionally at least. But surprisingly… she doesn't!

It turns out Ellen Pompeo never really followed Grey's Anatomy herself, as the actress confessed a number of times. In an episode of her podcast, Ellen's guest Martha Stewart asked her about the show, and the star admitted she could barely remember the series' plotlines, as she had only watched a few episodes.

'I haven't really seen most of them, I've watched only a handful. The few times I've directed, I've gone back and watched some old episodes. My intention is always to keep the spirit of the early days. That's really the hard work,' Ellen Pompeo told her guest.

During her previous talks with the media, the Grey's Anatomy star said she'd only watched six to seven episodes of the show, so it looks like the situation hasn't changed since then.

You may wonder how this lack of interest is even possible, considering how much work Pompeo has put in the fan-favorite series. But in fact, it is not uncommon for actors to feel reluctant to watch their own shows. Famously, Dame Margaret Smith admitted that she hadn't seen an episode of Downton Abbey she'd starred in (but that show was much shorter than Grey's Anatomy, with only 52 episodes against 400+).

So, even though Ellen Pompeo doesn't like watching the show she's in, fans are always keen to see her character on screen! Be sure to watch the next episode of Grey's Anatomy — it airs on May 4, 2023.

Source: Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo podcast.