Did Ellen Pompeo leave Grey's Anatomy?

Ellen Pompeo stepped down as a series regular on Grey's Anatomy in 2023.

Grey’s Anatomy is a superhit American medical drama series made by Shonda Rhimes for ABC. It was released in 2005 and currently has 21 seasons. The 21st season aired in September 2024. The show is set in a hospital called the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital formerly known as the Seattle Grace Hospital. The storyline focuses on the personal and professional lives of interns, residents, and doctors in the hospital. The original cast members of the show included Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, Isaiah Washington, T. R. Knight, James Pickens Jr., and Chandra Wilson.

Ellen Pompeo plays the role of Dr. Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy. She was part of the original cast of the show. She was portrayed as an emotional, sensitive, and ambitious character. She is one of the most iconic characters in television history. Fans were shocked when they got to know that Ellen Pompeo was stepping down from her full-time role in the show. Here’s a look at the reasons why Ellen Pompeo left Grey’s Anatomy.

Why did Ellen Pompeo leave Grey’s Anatomy?

In 2023, Ellen Pompeo announced that she would be stepping back from her regular role on Grey’s Anatomy. She shared this decision in a social media post and expressed her gratitude to the fans of Grey’s Anatomy who supported her for nearly two decades. In an interview with Drew Barrymore on The Drew Barrymore Show she revealed why she decided to leave the show. According to her, she gained a lot of experience from the show, but now she wants to try something new and spend more time with her family. She has given 19 years to the show, and now it's time to explore new projects.

Ellen Pompeo changed her role from being a regular to a recurring role. She is still an executive producer on the show. She appeared in 8 episodes of the 19th season and narrated all of the season. In the 20th season, she only appeared in 4 episodes. According to Deadline, Pompeo will appear in at least 7 episodes of season 21.

The storyline incorporates Ellen Pompeo's decision to transition from a regular to a recurring role. In the show, Meredith Grey receives an offer from the Fox Foundation in Boston to research Alzheimer's disease. She moved to Boston with her kids and Nick.

Related: Why did Sandra Oh leave Grey's Anatomy

Ellen Pompeo’s career after Grey’s Anatomy

After being a part of Grey’s Anatomy for almost 2 decades, Pompeo looked into different projects. In 2021, in an interview with Dax Holt on Audacy Check In, she shared that she would do some streaming television after Grey’s Anatomy. She wouldn't be doing any films. In 2022, she launched her 1st ever podcast called Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo.

According to Deadline, Pompeo’s production company, Calamity Jane, is working on a black comedy series, Deeds, which will be released on HBO Max. In 2022, she signed a limited series with Hulu and she will also produce it. The series is called Natalie and is based on the life of Natalie Grace. It is a real-life crime story where Ellen Pompeo plays the role of Kristine Barnett, a woman who adopted Natalie with her husband. It is expected to be released in 2025.