Ellen Pompeo Exposes Shocking Gender Pay Gap with Patrick Dempsey in Grey’s Anatomy!

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Following two decades on air, “Grey’s Anatomy” remains a highly-watched television program. Initially, Ellen Pompeo played the central role in this medical drama as it grew into an ensemble cast. Although her character, Meredith Grey, no longer takes center stage, there’s no denying her significance to the series. As Season 22 moves forward, with the actress planning to continue providing voiceover work for the show, Pompeo has discussed the contentious wage disparity she experienced compared to her male co-star, Patrick Dempsey. Despite his departure in Season 11, Pompeo has highlighted the inequality in their contracts since day one: “It’s only a man who can have 13 unsuccessful TV pilots and see their salary increase.

As per Deadline’s report, Pompeo made an appearance on the podcast “Call Her Daddy,” hosted by Alex Cooper. During this episode, Pompeo discussed her career journey that started with small roles on both film and television. Over time, she rose to fame as the star of ABC’s popular medical drama. Subsequently, she earned the distinction of being the highest-paid actress in a drama series.

In the year 2018, she made over $23 million from her role in one season of “Grey’s Anatomy,” an impressive figure given that the show features an ensemble cast. Despite this substantial income, Ellen Pompeo continues to champion the cause of equal pay for men and women in the entertainment industry. She has previously discussed the disparity between her earnings and Patrick Dempsey’s, but now she delves deeper into why she believes such a gap existed. Pompeo shared her thoughts by saying:

To put things into perspective, the game of television production was dramatically distinct back then. He had already attempted 13 pilots prior to my debut in this field. For me, that pilot was my inaugural experience. During that era, each TV pilot you completed would increase your salary by a predetermined amount. It wasn’t a reflection on him personally, but rather an industry standard – after all, how many people can have 13 unsuccessful television pilots and still see their pay rise, right? However, it’s only fair to acknowledge that his salary was what it was. At that moment in time, he was more recognized than I was, and I was relatively unknown.

Although everyone recognized his identity, it doesn’t automatically mean he deserved the money. However, considering I shared the same name with the show, I felt I also deserved an equal share, but acquiring that was more challenging. I wasn’t envious of what he received; rather, I felt frustrated that they didn’t appreciate my worth as much as his, and unfortunately, that imbalance will likely continue.

“I Am the Disney Princess of That Franchise”

It’s clear that Ellen Pompeo makes a valid observation. The gender pay gap is an issue that the entertainment industry has overlooked and not effectively addressed. Her comments are not directed at her male co-star, but rather at the system and production studio responsible for the show she continues to promote after over 20 seasons. In essence, she’s saying…

I have access to the exact earnings Grey’s Anatomy generates for ABC/Disney. I can view the figures myself. After all, it’s my likeness, it’s my voice. Over the last 20 years, I’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort promoting this show globally. In many ways, I am the face and voice synonymous with that Disney franchise.

It’s difficult to challenge Pompeo’s position, given her continued prominence as the iconic figure of the widely-loved series. Many actors have passed through the show over time, but after all these years, it’s still Pompeo who comes most readily to mind when Grey’s Anatomy is brought up. This longevity adds significant value to a series that has been running for such a long period.

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2025-03-20 19:02