Ellen Pompeo was warned of possible responses before the $20 million “Glaze Anatomy” salary was released in 2018.
“My manager at the time said something that literally hit me like a brick,” Pompeo recalled during his appearance.”Call her dad.“He said, 'Are you ready to be unpopular?'
“I said, 'What do you mean?' and he said, 'Well, I don't want you to think that everyone would cheer you on, cheer you on, applaud for you, succumb to you, and think you're the most strange thing ever. And that never happened to me.”
Pompeo pointed out that it could be “it's difficult for people to celebrate others,” especially when the person has “something similar to what they want.”
The “Grey's Anatomy” star reveals that the show has hardly aired, remember to “torture yourself” for emotional drama
Ellen Pompeo was warned before his $20 million “Glaze Anatomy” salary was made public. (Liliane Lathan/ABC via Getty Images)
Pompeo's $20 million salary was shared with the world in 2018. At the time, she was reported to receive $575,000 per episode, a seven-figure signature bonus and more. She has been the protagonist of ABC's “Glaze Anatomy” since the start of the show in 2005.
Call Her Daddy host Alexandra Cooper noted that the man had no experience of “this level of scrutiny.”
“It's a lot, it's patriarchy, it's misogynistic, it's that,” Pompeo replied. “Athletes are celebrated on contracts. Crazy contracts. They're not saying they're not worth it, but it's okay to celebrate it.”
Ellen Pompeo starred as Meredith Gray in the 2005 show “Glaze Anatomy.” (Cindy Ord/VF25/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
To combat negativity, Pompeo focuses on his work.
“I think what I'm helping is… then take myself out and stop thinking about myself and people, and focus on what I'm doing best – it's work,” she said.
“When you make a lot of money as a woman, let's face it, you have the power, is it? So, how can I do it well? How can I help someone else? Can I help someone else?
Ellen Pompeo supports Katherine Heigl's claims about “Grey's Anatomy” working hours: “She's f —– ballsy.”
Dr. Isaiah Washington Preston Burke, Ellen Pompeo is starring Meredith Gray, Patrick Dempsey, Derek Shepherd, and Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Shepherd, “George O'Malley, “George O'Malley,” Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, Chandra Wilson, Yas Piquien the Crazy A-A-Crazy, and Yang as Isobel, and Katherine Heigl “Izzy” and “Stevens is the star of “Grey's Anatomy.” (Frank Ockenfels/Disney General Entertainment content by Getty Images)
The actress explained that it wasn't necessarily what people were saying about her contract, and that she wasn't saying after the salary was revealed.
“He made that comment to me, so I was ready for it, and all I saw was people who didn't say anything,” the actress pointed out. “I got emails from all these people. I don't name the drop. I got lots of emails that day when the story came out of people who were great. But I'll congratulate me.
“But I don't know what to say,” she added. “Don't hate the players, I hate the game.”
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The 55-year-old actress negotiated a stunning deal after seeing her numbers.
Ellen Pompeo decided to quit his full-time role in “Glaze Anatomy” after Season 19 debuted. (Mike Rosenthal)
Pompeo pointed out that she knew “just how much money” medical dramas are making for ABC, especially how much her character contributed to the success of “Grey's Anatomy.”
“It's my face, it's my voice. I've done a lot of work over the past 20 years promoting shows around the world,” she explained. “I'm the Disney Princess of that franchise, so I have the data to back up. I know the show has generated so much money. I definitely deserve that percentage.”
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The battle of Pompeo for her massive salary came after Meredith Gray received less money in the pilot episode than Patrick Dempsey, despite being the main character of the show.
Ellen Pompeo revealed that he has fewer than his co-star, Patrick Dempsey, due to the pilot episode of “Glaze Anatomy.” (Getty Images)
“To be totally fair, the video games were very different,” Pompeo said. “He was doing 13 pilots in front of me. There was nothing personal to him, but in general, he could fail 13 TV pilots and the quotes could continue to rise.
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“He was a bigger star than I was at that point,” she admitted. “No one knew who I was. Everyone knew who he was, so he deserved the money. I'm not saying he didn't deserve that money.
“I wasn't salty about getting what he got. I was salty because I didn't value me as much as they cherished him.
