‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Ellen Pompeo Addresses Easter Eggs That Have Fans Speculating Over Final Season

Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo admits there are more than a few Easter Eggs to come from Season 18, which premiered on Sept. 30. In her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, to clear up some rumors surrounding her interesting wardrobe choice in the opener. 

As some fans noticed, Pompeo appeared in Season 18 Episode 1 wearing one of Meredith Grey’s outfits from the first season. The moment sparked several conspiracies as people continue to speculate that this may be Pompeo’s last season on the show as its titular character. “I have a feeling it’s the end…When I saw that shirt and that you wore in Minnesota, it reminded me of Cristina going to Switzerland. I’ll miss the show but it’s time the earlier seasons were the best,” a fan wrote on Twitter.

Grey didn’t share too much information surrounding the mysterious decision, but she downplayed the decision saying, “I think [the Grey’s costuming department] hung on to it. All that stuff is property of ABC Studios.”

She went on to explain that there will be several nods to previous seasons to come in upcoming episodes. “It was my idea to pay homage to many things in many different seasons,” she told the host. “And to give the audience things to watch out for.”

Kimmel probed for more, asking if she was becoming sentimental in the hopes that she would confirm if the actress was finally prepping her exit from the show. However, Pompeo didn’t fall for it. “I’m not sentimental at all,” she told the comedian. “I even look for them,” she concluded. “Because it was just my idea, I didn’t necessarily say let’s do this and this. I wasn’t specific about it.”

In addition to some special wardrobe additions, there will be another blast from the past in the form of a cameo from Kate Walsh. Walsh played Dr. Addison Montgomery for several seasons on the long-running drama before leaving to star in the spinoff Private Practice. “I’m Dr. Addison Montgomery,” the neonatal surgeon said in a recent teaser. “And you must be the group that’s been screwing up the program.”