Ellen Pompeo plays Dr. Meredith Grey on 'Grey's Anatomy'. Image Source: She Knows
Can Grey’s Anatomy survive without Ellen Pompeo?
ABC's hit and beloved show, "Grey's Anatomy," which was recently renewed for a 19th season, has always had the fans wonder if the show could survive without Ellen Pompeo, who is the leading actress on the show. Many stars, including Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, T.R Knight, etc., left the show, but Ellen Pompeo is going strong.
Recently during an interview with Access Hollywood, actor Jesse Williams, who portrayed the character of Dr. Jackson Avery on the show was asked the same question and he shared his thoughts on whether the show could survive without Ellen Pompeo, who plays Dr. Meredith Grey on the show.
Jesse Williams shared that he does not know but the show would be so much different without Ellen Pompeo since she is the heart of the show and added that she’s Grey but clarified that he does not work there anymore so it does not matter what he thinks. Jesse Williams decided to leave the show after 12 seasons in 2021, and although he returned to the show with Sarah Drew, who played Dr. April Kepner for season 18th’s finale episode since it was the 400th episode of the show.
Eric Dane, who played Dr. Mark Sloan on the show, also shared the same thoughts as Jesse Williams when it comes to Grey’s Anatomy's survival without Ellen Pompeo. In his interview with SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live to discuss his success and one of the most talked-about series, HBO Max’s "Euphoria", he was also asked about Grey’s Anatomy’s future without the actress, to which he answered that it was a good question.
Eric Dane answered that he honestly does not know if the show would survive without Ellen because she is the star of the show and added that maybe it could live without her, but it would be a short-lived journey. Ellen Pompeo has appeared on the show since its inception and has hinted that she wants to move on and that the show could survive without her since there are many characters to explore, but no one knows how that is going to turn out. In an interview in May, Ellen Pompeo shared that when asked if the show would go on without her, she said "we’ll see".
At the premiere of Grey's Anatomy's 400th episode, Ellen Pompeo told Entertainment Tonight that the show's writers and producers are always trying to reinvent the show's themes and characters, which is a challenge at this point, and that they have received so much love and support since they began, and that the show speaks to a lot of people, particularly young people, for which they are grateful. The actress added that the show has inspired many generations of healthcare professionals, so she believes it's a great piece of material for young people, and they are going to attempt to keep it continuing for the young people, not only with her but beyond her and they will either find someone who could replace her or maybe they won't.
It was announced in January that Ellen Pompeo would be returning for the show's 19th season.
