Shonda Rhimes Has a Lot to Say on Ellen Pompeo's Grey's Anatomy Exit
How does the creator of the long-running medical drama feel about the show losing its leading lady?
Ellen Pompeo played the iconic Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy since its debut episode back in 2005, and fans watched her grow from a reckless but talented intern to Chief of General Surgery.
Unsurprisingly, there was quite a stir among fans when news of Pompeo's impending departure first broke, many will miss the show's main character, and others doubted that it would be able to continue without her.
Grey's Anatomy creator, head-writer and executive producer Shonda Rhimes, however, has supported her decision from the beginning.
Rhimes firmly believes that after all her years on the show, Pompeo should have the opportunity to pursue other projects, adding that if the actress wanted to make a return to the series, she could.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, she said: 'Ellen's spectacular and I think she deserves a little bit of creative time that's different from what she's been doing. She's been doing this job -- I mean, nobody expected the show to go this many seasons. We're entering the 20th season, so she deserves the break and gets the chance to do something else... And if she wants to come back, she comes back.'
Shonda Rhimes has always been a supportive figure in Ellen's career, and it was Shonda's rise to power in the industry that empowered Ellen to push for growth and opportunities, having credited Shonda for allowing her to be a producer on the show, as well as an integral force behind her becoming the highest-paid woman on television.
Since announcing her departure, Ellen has made limited appearances in the 19th Season but will still be involved in Grey's Anatomy as she continues to narrate the series and fulfill her role as executive producer.
Shonda Rhimes herself took a step back from the show in 2015 and has focused her attention on other projects like Netflix's Bridgerton series.
As for Ellen Pompeo, she is set to executive produce a series known only as Untitled Orphan Project, based on what is described as a 'creepy' true story.
In an interview with Drew Barrymore, Pompeo expressed that she felt 'super happy' about her decision to leave Grey's, saying, '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.'
Whilst Rhimes is supportive of Pompeo's decision to leave and excited for her future opportunities, she still describes it as 'a little bit of a heartbreaking moment' when she finally did leave.
Like Shonda Rhimes, Grey's Anatomy fans will always hold onto hope that Ellen Pompeo meant it when she said she'd be 'back to visit.' But after 19 years and over 400 episodes as Meredith Grey, it's easy to understand her desire for change.