Ellen Pompeo on Friday made her first public comments about her reduced on-screen presence on Grey’s Anatomy next season. As Deadline exclusively reported last month, Pompeo will appear in only eight episodes of ABC’s top scripted series for the upcoming 19th season. She is using the time to star in and executive produce an eight-episode Untitled Orphan limited series for Hulu.
“[Grey’s is] still gonna be just fine without me — I’m still gonna do the voiceover,” Pompeo told Deadline today on the red carpet for the Disney Legends ceremony at the D23 Expo, confirming that she will still do the series’ narration as Meredith. She said she hopes her fans would “come with me” to check out the Hulu series, in which she plays the mom in a drama inspired by the true story of Ukrainian-born Natalia Grace and her U.S. adoptive parents who claimed that she was an adult sociopath pretending to be a child. “I’m gonna put the same heart and passion into that.”
D23 Expo: Livestream + Schedule
Pompeo, who remains a Grey’s Anatomy executive producer, also revealed when she will be back on the show as Meredith after taking a break to film the Hulu series.
“And I’ll be back at Grey’s for the finale, and we’ll see if we can keep it going,” she said. “I’m gonna always be a part of that show – I’m an exec producer on that show, I’ve spent two decades of my career on that show, it’s my heart and soul, and I’ll never truly be gone as long as that show’s on the air.”
Ellen Pompeo says “I’ll never truly be gone as long as that show (#GreysAnatomy) is on the air” #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/1i8Oof2EcD
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) September 9, 2022
Pompeo also said that the upcoming season sets up the next generation of Grey’s. In one of the biggest new cast infusions on the show, which has reinvented itself multiple times throughout its run with major cast changes there are five new additions joining the cast for next season: Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho, and Midori Francis.
“We’re really trying to set up the next generation,” she said. “I’m really excited for them – they’re really great actors. …They’re really excited to be there and they’re excited to tell these stories.
“It helps all of us who have been there since the beginning — it helps keep it new and fresh, so we’re really grateful to them.”
Ellen Pompeo on passing the baton to the next generation on #GreysAnatomy #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/rUMyoN5o7v
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) September 9, 2022
At D23, Pompeo was enshrined as Disney Legends alongside her former Grey’s castmate Patrick Dempsey as well as Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, Chadwick Boseman, Rob’t Coltrin, Robert Price “Bob” Foster, Jonathan Groff, Don Hahn, Josh Gad, Doris Hardoon, Idina Menzel, Chris Montan and Tracee Ellis Ross.