Okay TV fans you know Ellen Pompeo right? Meredith Grey herself. Well she just sat down for a seriously candid chat on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast and she did not hold back. We are talking real talk about Hollywood pay gaps fighting for what you are worth and some behind-the-scenes Grey's Anatomy scoop.
From Underdog to Top Dog: Pompeo's Honest Take on Starting Salary vs. McDreamy's Paycheck
Ellen got straight to the point talking about the early days of Grey's Anatomy and how much she was making compared to Patrick Dempsey aka Dr. McDreamy Shepherd. Turns out in the beginning he was pulling in a bigger paycheck. Was she thrilled? Nope. Was she surprised? Maybe not.
She explained "To be completely fair the television game was so different then. He had done 13 pilots before me… Nothing personal to him just in general only a man can have 13 failed TV pilots and their quote keeps going up right?" She is pointing out a real Hollywood thing here. Men in the industry can often fail upwards in a way that women don't always experience.
Ellen admitted "He was a bigger star than I was at that point. No one knew who I was. Everybody knew who he was so he did deserve that money." She gets it on one level. Dempsey had more name recognition at the time. But as Meredith Grey the namesake of the whole darn show she felt like she deserved to be valued equally from the get-go. "It's just being that I was the namesake of the show I deserved the same and that was harder to get" she said.
She was clear she wasn't "salty" about Dempsey's pay itself. Her issue was with the system that seemed to undervalue her from the start and how she had to fight harder to get what she felt she deserved as the lead of the series.
The $20 Million Deal and a Warning: Ellen's Fight for Fair Pay and the Price of Power
Fast forward to 2018 and Ellen Pompeo becomes the highest-paid actress in a drama series landing a whopping $20 million per season for Grey's Anatomy. That is a major win. But it was not easy. She had to fight for it. And before she even started negotiating she got Shonda Rhimes's blessing. Being respectful to Shonda was important to Ellen.
She knew her worth. "I am the Disney princess of that franchise" she declared. "I have this sort of data to back [it] up I know the show generated this much money I definitely deserve a percentage of that." She knew the numbers she knew her value and she was ready to stand her ground. She even told People magazine back then she was "completely willing to walk away" if needed.
But before her big payday even became public her manager gave her a heads-up. He warned her "Are you ready to be unpopular?" He explained not everyone would be cheering her on. Some people would not be happy about a woman making that much money. He was right. Ellen realized "It can be hard for people to celebrate other people especially when that person has something that resembles something that they want."
She sees this backlash as part of "patriarchy and misogyny". Sports players men in general are often celebrated for huge contracts. But when a woman gets a massive salary it can be different. To deal with the negativity Ellen focuses on her work and using her power for good. "When you make a lot of money as a woman let's face it you have power right? So then how can I take that power and do good with it?" she asked. She wants to use her platform to "amplify someone else" and "lift up someone else who doesn't sit in the position of privilege" that she now has. Ultimately "F--- what people think of me. Who cares? You can't control that." That's some powerful stuff.
Pilot Pay Discrepancy and Long-Term Value: Understanding the Grey's Anatomy Pay Story
Ellen went back to the beginning of Grey's Anatomy to highlight the starting pay gap. Even for the pilot episode she was paid less than Patrick Dempsey. Again she explained "To be completely fair the television game was so different then. He had done 13 pilots before me. Nothing personal to him just in general only a man can have 13 failed TV pilots and their quote keeps going up right? But in all fairness his quote was what it was."
She acknowledged Dempsey was a bigger name then. But her point is about the systemic issues and the different ways men and women are valued in Hollywood from the start. Even though she understood the initial situation as the show went on and Meredith Grey became iconic she knew her value and fought for it. And she wants other women to do the same to "always fight for themselves because most likely they are getting undervalued compared to what they’re offering men." That's a message many women in many industries can relate to.
Ellen Pompeo's Key Points on Equal Pay and Hollywood Power Dynamics:
- Initial Pay Gap: Ellen Pompeo was paid less than Patrick Dempsey for the Grey's Anatomy pilot and in the early seasons.
- Underlying Issue: She felt undervalued compared to her male costar despite being the show's namesake.
- Hollywood System: Men's quotes often increase even with pilot failures while women face different valuation.
- Negotiation for $20 Million: Pompeo secured a massive salary deal in 2018 after years of fighting for equal pay.
- Shonda Rhimes's Support: She sought and received Shonda Rhimes's blessing before negotiating for higher pay.
- Warning of Backlash: Her manager cautioned her about potential negative reactions to her high salary.
- Power and Responsibility: Pompeo sees her high salary as a form of power that she wants to use to uplift other women.
- Focus on Work Not Opinions: She copes with negativity by focusing on her work and not caring about what everyone thinks.
Takeaway: Ellen Pompeo's Story is About More Than Just Money It's About Value and Standing Up For Yourself
Ellen Pompeo's interview is definitely eye-opening. It's not just about a celebrity salary it's about a woman in Hollywood speaking frankly about pay equity power dynamics and fighting for what you deserve. Her story is relatable beyond just the entertainment industry. It is a reminder for everyone especially women to know your worth advocate for yourself and use any platform you have to help others. And sometimes you have to be prepared for some "salty" reactions along the way. But as Ellen says "Don't hate the player hate the game."