Ellen Pompeo on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Season 16 Finale – Variety

For 16 seasons, Ellen Pompeo has performed Dr. Meredith Gray on “Gray’s Anatomy,” one of the empowered heroines on community TV. The top of surgical procedure at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital has demonstrated poise throughout probably the most sophisticated surgical procedures and unthinkable tragedies, however final month the coronavirus introduced manufacturing of her ABC medical drama to a standstill.

Like most TV reveals, “Gray’s Anatomy” needed to cease rolling its cameras in March for the protection of its solid and crew. Because of this, the long-running collection wasn’t capable of movie the final 4 episode scheduled for season 16. The episode, which aired on Thursday, options Meredith and her colleagues saving the lifetime of their longtime mentor Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) by a surgical miracle, and can function an finish level for now.

On an Instagram stay dialog with Selection, Pompeo spoke concerning the evolution of Meredith Gray, the latest exit of longtime solid member Justin Chambers and why she’s come to actually recognize the early days of “Gray’s Anatomy.”

Thursday’s episode of “Gray’s Anatomy” wasn’t meant to be the season finale.

It wasn’t. It was episode 21 and we have been slated to do 25, and we nonetheless had 4 extra to go.

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Are you aware if these 4 episodes can be filmed as the start of season 17? Or do you assume they are going to be compressed?

I don’t know. So far as I do know, our author’s room shouldn’t be up but. Clearly, they will’t collect.

Did you have got a favourite story line this season?

One factor that [showrunner] Krista [Vernoff] and I discuss lots about is, as subtly as we will on a community soapy drama, to name out our healthcare system and the issues with it. We have been capable of have a narrative line that handled a younger, undocumented youngster not having medical health insurance, [and that] was a narrative line that Krista and I felt actually grateful to have the ability to inform.

I do know all people’s not so loopy about it generally — and no matter, they don’t have to look at in the event that they’re not loopy about it. However to the touch on political points like that is essential. The human trafficking that was in final week’s episode to this psychological sickness story line with Giacomo Gianniotti, it’s actually essential stuff. I’m proud that we’ve got such a platform to have the ability to inform these tales in an entertaining method, however subliminally drop in messages and produce points to mild that we expect should be had extra mild shone on them.**Do you assume there can be an episode of “Gray’s Anatomy” that offers with the coronavirus?**

I don’t know. I thought of it. Clearly, we don’t need to get too political right here, however I used to be simply watching the information and I noticed clip of Barack Obama in 2014, saying {that a} pandemic was inevitable and that we needs to be ready for it. After which in 2014, the Republicans weren’t granting him the funds, the entry to place collectively what he felt like he wanted to maintain the American individuals secure, is how he put it in his phrases. So, in 2014, Obama was very effectively conscious that this was going to occur and really effectively conscious that we wanted to be extra ready than we have been at the moment for it. The truth that 5 years later we’re not ready, some individuals dropped the ball for positive. It’s disappointing.

You’ve been vocal on Instagram, celebrating medical doctors and nurses and inspiring individuals to remain at dwelling. Do you have got a message for our healthcare staff?

I’ve to maintain reminding myself this day-after-day, and I’ve small children, and it’s actually tougher for the youngsters to know it as a result of they don’t have the angle that we’ve got. However as exhausting as we expect it’s to remain in and never see our buddies and never exit, even when the climate is gorgeous, I get it. However my goodness, are you able to think about having to go well with up — hopefully go well with up, hopefully you have got the PPE to go well with up — and stroll straight right into a hospital each single day and cope with sick particular person, after sick particular person, after sick particular person? We don’t know sacrifice. Sitting in our homes, being bored, not having something to do, being alone and loneliness is an actual factor, and I don’t actually need to downplay that. And I don’t need to additionally downplay individuals financially struggling. There’s a variety of fallout from this in all areas.

Our healthcare professionals, the truth that they’re preventing this struggle unprepared with out the correct gear is actually heartbreaking for me. When individuals are struggling, should you’re struggling, I feel it’s at all times useful to consider another person and consider what you may do for another person.

When did you first notice that folks have been going to medical college due to your portrayal of Meredith?

It actually began in all probability like 12 months 10, as a result of by that point it was all people who had kind of grown up with the present. They began watching the present once they have been 14 or no matter, so once they’re 24, they’ve graduated faculty and now they’re in medical college. Individuals have been saying, “I went to medical college due to you. I went to nursing college due to you. I’m an x-ray tech due to ‘Gray’s.’”

Did you at all times see Meredith as a powerful feminist from the pilot in 2005? She’s develop into one of many strongest characters in latest TV historical past.

Thanks for saying that. I did acknowledge that the movie roles that I used to be being supplied on the time have been all of the girlfriends and kind of simply the chick within the film with not lots to do. And [when] I learn the pilot, I did acknowledge, “Wow, this can be a feminine lead — with a profession.” I wasn’t seeing a lot of these elements, so I did acknowledge that. However her journey to changing into highly effective was not likely so apparent to me. I’ve a unique perspective, and possibly individuals see the start of the present as extra empowering than I did. However that, “Choose me, select me, love me” [line]; I used to be like, “Why am I begging a person to like me?” To me, that’s not empowering. Is that season two?

Yeah. that’s after Addison arrives, and we study that Derek was married.

With tv reveals particularly, they don’t actually know the place they’re going. Shonda [Rhimes] undoubtedly had an thought for characters they usually should have some kind of arcs, however I feel {that a} present that runs for so long as “Gray’s,” the present has needed to develop with the characters. I’m 15 years older now, so I’m a lot stronger an individual than I used to be then. It simply evolves. The writers get to know you, they watch the dailies they usually watch the present. “Gray’s” is so distinctive, as a result of we’ve been on the air for thus lengthy, they’ve all watched me develop up. Shonda and the writers, we’ve all grown up collectively.

GREY’S ANATOMY – “Give a Little Bit” – Meredith heads up a professional bono surgical procedure day, however the overwhelming affected person response causes her to battle to maintain issues so as. DeLuca treats a teenage affected person whom he suspects is at risk and desperately tries to get Bailey to assist his idea on an all-new episode of “Gray’s Anatomy,” THURSDAY, MARCH 19 (9:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Gilles Mingasson)ELLEN POMPEOABC

Final 12 months, “Gray’s Anatomy” handed “ER” because the longest-running primetime medical drama in tv historical past. Did you ever assume that may occur?

No, I by no means thought it will occur as a result of it wasn’t a objective of mine. After all, I famously instructed the story about how I mentioned I hate medical reveals and I’ll by no means do one; they offer me anxiousness and I can’t watch, it turns me right into a hypochondriac. I didn’t ever assume that I’d keep on the present this lengthy. It occurred, and right here I’m. It’s been this unbelievable platform for me and allowed me to remain dwelling with my children a lot and never journey and have the circus lifetime of an actor.

So I assumed that it wasn’t the street much less traveled, to remain on a tv present for this a few years, however truly it is the street much less traveled as a result of most individuals wouldn’t keep on a present this lengthy. They need to do different issues. And so, that’s been ironic. You assume, “This could’t be the street much less traveled, that is too apparent a alternative.” But it surely turned out to be the street much less traveled as a result of most actors would by no means need to be on a present this lengthy. And as quickly as they get off, they do the whole lot of their energy to attempt to distance themselves from the present, as a substitute of lean into how a lot the present has given them, what number of blessings the present gave them, how implausible it was and what number of lives it touched. And that’s what I’m doing.

Are you continue to a hypochondriac?

I don’t know if it’s I’m a hypochondriac or if it’s this disaster that we’re coping with. However day-after-day I get up and I’m like, “Do I’ve a sore throat?” I’ve been in my home for 5 weeks. Packages come to my home and my husband goes out to purchase groceries. I’m like, “Preserve the groceries exterior and wipe the whole lot down.” I is likely to be getting on his nerves slightly bit.

Do you have got a spot in your thoughts the place Meredith goes within the closing episode of “Gray’s Anatomy”?

No. I’ve no expectations and that’s how I survive.

Do you have got a picture of her closing scene?

Not the ultimate scene. The ultimate episode I did, however I can’t actually let you know as a result of then I’ll should kill you. Krista and I talked about potential issues.

Do you have got an finish date in thoughts?

I’ve signed on for yet another season is all I can say.

I wished to ask you about Justin Chambers leaving “Gray’s Anatomy” final month, as a result of that was a giant second for the present.

It was fantastically completed. The writers did a implausible job. We didn’t get to learn that script. All of us filmed our elements not having learn it. We didn’t know as a result of they wished to be very confidential about that story line, they usually didn’t need it to leak or get out. All of us simply learn our elements on the day after we confirmed up. Debbie Allen directed it and she or he mentioned, “You’re going to be doing this.”

I’ve to say, after I watch that episode and I see these early days of the present, I sometimes don’t watch the present. It’s an excessive amount of. I movie it, I stay it, I’m too vital of myself. The present again then, was simply so, so, so, so good. I want we had an appreciation for it then about how good it was. I don’t assume we did, I don’t assume any of us did. There was an excessive amount of shit happening. It was too massive, it was too scorching, it was too quick and there was simply a lot happening to start with. It was extra consideration and extra work than any of us had ever skilled or completed in our life.

We have been exhausted and none of us had had that sort of consideration. I want we had appreciated it for actually how good it was, as a result of — man, the present was implausible again then. It’s nearly like a unique present now and it’s nice for different causes. However my level is, I’m pleased with the best way it ended as a result of I feel that Alex going again to be with Izzie [Stevens, portrayed by Katherine Heigl] is an homage to these first days of that present. The primary six seasons, with that authentic solid, are simply implausible.

(This dialog has been edited and condensed for readability.)