Dedicated Grey’s Anatomy fans have seen every possible second of Ellen Pompeo’s journey as Meredith Grey — but things are a little different under the actress’ own roof.
On Wednesday, the longtime star of the hit medical drama paid a visit to the Jennifer Hudson Show, where she told the titular host that her family members are not among the die-hard fanbase.
When Hudson pointed out the show’s reputation for steamy scenes and asked about her husband’s reaction, Pompeo quipped, “He doesn’t watch Grey’s Anatomy. That’s how I’ve been married so long.”
Ellen Pompeo recalls ‘crying’ during ‘uncomfortable’ Grey’s Anatomy sex scene with T.R Knight: ‘It was so bad’
She added that her husband, music producer Chris Ivery, is “too busy watching sports” to check in on the patients and doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial. But her eldest daughter, Stella, 15, has dipped her toes into the Grey’s drama.
“It gets to a point where they get to be 10 or 11 and all the classmates start watching it and she says ‘Mommy, can I watch it?,'” Pompeo explained. “And I can’t believe it sometimes, that 10 and 11 year olds watch the show, because I know what was going on in those early years… and still goes on, I guess.”
Pompeo then recalled watching “a few seasons” with Stella, before a certain character death made her tap out.
“I think she had it, and a lot of people do, when they see 007,” she said. “When they see that George O’Malley died they say, ‘I’m done, I just can’t do it anymore.’ So I think she made it as far as that.”
I’m Still Not Over… George O’Malley’s death on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
The death of T.R. Knight’s George was a defining moment for the show. The season 5 finale saw an unrecognizable patient admitted to the hospital after saving a stranger, and getting hit by a bus in the process. Fans — and the show’s doctors — don’t realize that the John Doe is fan-favorite character George until he uses his finger to trace “007,” a nickname he earned in the first season, into Meredith’s palm. The twist sent such powerful ripples of shock through the show’s fanbase that even new viewers like Stella can’t escape.
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While celebrating the show’s legacy in conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes said she went to great lengths to keep big moments like George’s death under lock and key.
“Nobody knew who George was. Nobody,” she said, then amended herself, explaining that “certain members of the crew” were aware for logistical reasons. “T.R. was determined that he would be the body lying on the operating table. He would be the body that you saw every single time, which is why you got to see his beautiful blue eyes.”
She added, “But he was wearing a lot of makeup. I do think we kept it really secret.”
While Pompeo’s eldest daughter still needs time to recover from the emotional loss of George, the actress previously revealed that her younger daughter, Sienna May, 10, is beginning to take an interest in the show, too.
“My 10-year-old wants to see it, which, she’s not ready,” the actress told Jimmy Kimmel earlier this year. “But a lot of kids in her class have seen it.”
While Pompeo doesn’t judge parents who do let their preteens check out the show, she explained, “I don’t want my daughter to see me in my underwear on television just yet. But all her classmates have. So, that makes for great conversation at pick-up.”
