I am in a beautiful committed relationship and though lately it’s been tumultuous, the love is very much still alive. It’s been 13 wonderful (sometimes complicated) years but Grey’s Anatomy and I are still very much in love. Not only has the show been a beautiful constant in my life but the main character Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, has been a powerful life-companion.
Meredith Grey taught me how to be okay with being dark and twisty. She taught me how to fall and how to clumsily get back up. I have learned the most important life-lessons from this fictitious character and I have loved every minute of it. She reminded me that people need people and in the most difficult of times, she taught me how “dance it out”. I have made my worst mistakes and had my happiest times along-side Meredith Grey so imagine my absolute delight when I find out that the wonderful Ellen Pompeo, is just as magical as Meredith Grey is.
Earlier today I read an interview that Ellen gave The Hollywood Reporter and I have been thinking about it ever since. You can find the article HERE. Now, I’ve known that Ellen Pompeo is magical for a while now (because I’m an avid twitter-follower and interview-watcher) but my belief of her magic was cemented in reality with this unapologetically-honest interview. In the interview she discusses her new $20 Million Deal with Grey’s Anatomy and she explains what helped her get to this point.
What a time to be a woman in Hollywood!
As a woman who is awkwardly trying to burst into the Hollywood scene, my heart is full of hope for the possibilities. One of the major talking points, when it comes to Hollywood lately, is about the gender pay gap and Ellen confronts the issue head-on in this interview.
“At one point, I asked for $5,000 more than him (Patrick Dempsey) just on principle, because the show is Grey’s Anatomy and I’m Meredith Grey.They wouldn’t give it to me. And I could have walked away, so why didn’t I? It’s my show; I’m the number one. I’m sure I felt what a lot of these other actresses feel: Why should I walk away from a great part because of a guy? You feel conflicted but then you figure, “I’m not going to let a guy drive me out of my own house.”
In this interview she stands with confidence, she encourages other women, she thanks her mentor Shonda Rhimes, she is brutally-honest about the industry and she doesn’t hold back about her worth. Reactions varied when the story broke this morning and though some were upset with the revelation of the deal, unfortunately I cannot relate. I am happy for Ellen, I applaud her determination to get what she deserves. Yes, deserves, because this woman has been the lead of a television series that has generated nearly $3 billion dollars for Disney (as she states in the interview). She has brought a new take, every year, on a character she has played for thirteen years and I think she puts it perfectly when she states, “Now, that’s a fuckin’ skill”.
This is the kind of woman that I aim to be! At only 28 years old I still struggle with the confidence part and last time I asked for a raise I started the conversation by apologizing for the inconvenience of calling for a late meeting- so yes, I have a lot to learn from Ellen Pompeo; which is why I’m happy that she’s signed on for two more seasons of Grey’s. Meredith Grey still has a lot of lessons to teach this 28-year-old, who is still clumsily stumbling through life.
