Ellen Pompeo Says ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Fans Are ‘Not Far Off’ With Series Nearing End

While Grey’s Anatomy may have been shut out of the Emmy Awards this year, Ellen Pompeo still walked the red carpet and participated in the ceremony to honor Debbie Allen’s lifetime of achievement with the Governors Award. Ahead of the big show, Pompeo spoke to Entertainment Tonight and addressed the potential end to the medical drama juggernaut.

“They’re not far off,” said, addressing the fan speculation that the series could be ending soon. “I mean, I’ve been trying to get away for years. I have been trying. It’s not because I haven’t been trying. I have strong relationships at the network and they have been very, very good to me, and have incentivized me to stay.”

Still, Pompeo explained that “creatively, as long as there’s something to do,” she’s happy to keep Grey’s going. “Miraculously, we keep coming up with ways to have a reason to stay and if there’s a reason, that warrants it,” she explained. When asked if there could possibly be a season 19 after the upcoming 18th, Pompeo exclaimed “Oh please! Oh my goodness, can we pray together?”

Pompeo also addressed the effect that COVID-19 had on production and the season Itself. “We had to work around COVID obviously and so we had to be creative and think of ways to keep the show going and still be safe,” she explained. “The coma was one and then the beach and the dream sequences was another and of course, bringing back people who had passed on to the other side,” she said. “I think it just resonates with people right? Everyone wants to have one last conversation with someone they’ve lost.”

Pompeo opened up about the return of Kate Walsh as the incomparable Dr. Addison Montgomery in season 18. “Kate [Walsh] is amazing,” Pompeo gushed. “That’s one of my favorite things about the show right now is having original cast members come back. It’s so fun and so nostalgic and we all have such an incredible bond that’s kind of hard to describe and it’s been a lot of fun having everybody come back.” 

However, when asked for a definitive answer about whether or not season 18 will be the last, Pompeo kept things vague. “I’m not really supposed to say anything about it,” she admitted. “I don’t want to be disrespectful to people I’ve promised things to.”