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Gray’s Anatomy is about to endure an enormous change. Ellen Pompeo’s ultimate episode as a Gray’s Anatomy sequence common would be the season 19 winter premiere, which airs February 23 on ABC. Ellen has been the present’s true north, having performed Dr. Meredith Gray for the reason that present’s premiere in 2005.
Ellen’s exit has sparked many questions amongst Gray’s Anatomy followers. Is she leaving for good? Will she be again? Why is she leaving? HollywoodLife has rounded up all of the information about Ellen and her future as Dr. Meredith Gray.
Why Is Ellen Pompeo Leaving Gray’s Anatomy Now?
Ellen is stepping again from Gray’s Anatomy to star in a brand new Hulu restricted sequence, which was introduced again in August 2022. It was revealed that the actress would seem in solely 8 episodes of the present’s nineteenth season. She is anticipated to proceed narrating each episode and nonetheless function an govt producer.
“I’m so excited. I really feel actually blissful and grateful that the corporate gave me a chance to do one thing totally different with my new restricted sequence,” Ellen instructed HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY on the D23 Expo in September 2022.
The restricted sequence is impressed by the true story of Ukrainian-born Natalia Grace and her U.S. adoptive dad and mom, who claimed that she was an grownup “sociopath” pretending to be a baby. Ellen may even govt produce the sequence. “It’s a real-life story of a pair in Indiana who adopted a baby, and it didn’t go precisely as they’d anticipated,” Ellen revealed to HollywoodLife. “I believe we’ve all been in conditions like that, the place issues don’t go as we plan or as we anticipate, and I believe that’s an attention-grabbing story.”
Is Ellen Leaving Gray’s Anatomy Perpetually?
No, Ellen just isn’t leaving Gray’s Anatomy for good. Ellen made certain to make clear what this “goodbye” episode actually means. “For the document, it’s probably not my ultimate,” Ellen instructed ET. “It’s slightly little bit of a trick they’re taking part in on folks.” She added, “It’s my ultimate episode for some time.”
Meredith Gray might be again prior to you suppose, so don’t anticipate some loopy twist to go away you hanging. Meredith is leaving Seattle for Boston. She has determined to relocate her household in the intervening time and take a brand new job on the Catherine Fox Basis so Zola can attend the Brookline STEAM Academy.
“It’s nonetheless Gray’s, she’s nonetheless there in spirit and that’s the home that Gray constructed, so she’s all the time there,” Ellen beforehand instructed ET. “She simply has to step away for slightly bit to do a Hulu present. It’s an important firm to work for and I’m actually, actually fortunate that they’ve given me the chance to do each, and so I needed to take it.”
The actress instructed Deadline that the present is “gonna be simply high-quality with out me… And I’ll be again at Gray’s for the finale, and we’ll see if we will hold it going. I’m gonna all the time be part of that present – I’m an exec producer on that present, I’ve spent twenty years of my profession on that present, it’s my coronary heart and soul, and I’ll by no means really be gone so long as that present’s on the air.”
She additionally shared a heartfelt be aware to followers after the autumn finale aired in November 2022. “I’m eternally grateful and humbled by the love and assist you could have all proven me, Meredith GREY and the present for 19 seasons!” she wrote on Instagram. “By means of all of it….none of it …would have been attainable with out the most effective followers on this planet. You all are RIDERS and also you all have made the experience so enjoyable and ICONIC!! I like you madly and recognize you proper again. This isn’t your first time on the rollercoaster… you recognize the present should go on and I’ll undoubtedly be again to go to. With plenty of love and immense gratitude.”
The 53-year-old harassed throughout her look on The Drew Barrymore Present that she simply needed to “combine it up slightly bit.” She continued, “I gotta do one thing new or I’m actually gonna flip into like, you possibly can’t do the New York Occasions crossword puzzle each single day. I imply, 19 years, that’s greater than folks hold their children of their home, like folks hold their children of their home till they’re 18 after which they ship them off to varsity. So that is like me like going away to varsity.”
Forged Response To Ellen Pompeo’s Exit
Following the information of Ellen’s diminished Gray’s Anatomy position, her co-stars have been unimaginable supportive of her resolution. “Ellen has been the captain of this ship all these years, and he or she’s about to start out producing, so she wanted to make room in her schedule for that,” Kevin McKidd, who performs Dr. Owen Hunt, instructed E! Information’ Each day Pop. “The truth that she’s not leaving the present and is simply gonna scale it again a bit—what I believe is gorgeous about it’s that it reveals her love for the present nonetheless.”
Chandra Wilson, a.okay.a. Dr. Miranda Bailey and considered one of solely three unique forged members nonetheless on the present, additionally revealed her ideas on Ellen’s exit and the general theme of the present.
“It’s all the time in regards to the lifetime of this hospital and all the personalities that come by — from our sequence common characters to our visitor characters, the medical occasion or occasions of the episode. If something evolves it’s that, however the housing of it’s the identical,” Chandra instructed ET. “We nonetheless will all the time have the general theme of Meredith Gray — her eyes, that have, type of that intern expertise. All the time. It’s all the time there and all the time peppered by, however within the midst of that’s the lifetime of the present that continues by every of the characters. And every time we carry on new personalities, our viewers, they gravitate to that persona. They discover any person that they actually [connect with].”
Jesse Williams, who returned as Dr. Jackson Avery in season 19 supply Meredith a job in Boston, famous that he’s absolutely behind Ellen’s resolution. “That girl has labored so arduous all yr, yearly for 20 years for that franchise,” Jesse instructed E! Information’ Each day Pop. “No matter time she takes off is well-earned, and I’m certain they’ve a grasp plan.”
Sarah Drew, who performed Dr. April Kepner on the present, instructed Us Weekly that it “is sensible that she needs to take a breather and pursue another issues — and nonetheless hold her foot within the door. I believe that’s nice for [Pompeo]. I want her the most effective.”
What We Know About Ellen Pompeo’s ‘Final’ Episode
Ellen’s final episode as a sequence common is titled “I’ll Comply with The Solar.” The episode title is a callback to Dr. Cristina Yang’s phrases to Meredith in season 10 — “Don’t let what he needs eclipse what you want. He’s very dreamy, however he’s not the solar. You might be.”
The official synopsis for the episode reads: “On Meredith’s final day at Gray Sloan, the medical doctors plan a goodbye shock and Nick confronts her about the way forward for their relationship. The interns compete to wash in on a groundbreaking process, and Richard asks Teddy an essential query.”
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