After 20 years of playing Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo is thrilled that new audiences are still discovering the show — unless it’s her preteen daughter.
“My 15-year-old [daughter] has seen it, and now my 10-year-old wants to see it, which she’s not ready,” Pompeo, 55, said on the Thursday, March 13, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! “A lot of kids in her class have seen it.”
Pompeo shares daughters Stella and Sienna, as well as 8-year-old son Eli, with her husband, Chris Ivery. Throughout the bulk of the actress’ marriage, she has starred as Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy.
“No judgment on other parents, but I don’t want my daughter to see me in my underwear on television just yet,” Pompeo explained on Thursday, referring to her character’s many sex scenes on the show through the years. “All her classmates have, so that makes for great conversations!”
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Ivery, 57, has been married to Pompeo since 2007 and also doesn’t keep up with Grey’s story lines. (Pompeo took a step back from the ABC medical drama during 2023’s season 19 but continues to make cameos and still serves as an executive producer.)
“There was a time back in the day that I watched it a lot, but then I didn’t know if she had a lover,” Ivery exclusively told Us Weekly in February 2019. “I would say I’m not jealous; I’m really confident, but it’s awkward. She’s acting but now she’s got this new lover, which I know him, Giacomo [Gianniotti].”
The record producer added, “He’s a great guy. I actually like him. And to be honest, I haven’t watched those scenes because I feel like it can be awkward.”
Gianniotti, 35, had played resident Andrew DeLuca on Grey’s until his character’s death in season 17. Meredith later sparked a romance with trauma surgeon Nick Marsh (Scott Speedman), who recently moved to Boston with her and her three kids.
Despite Meredith’s handful of onscreen romances, Ivery remains Pompeo’s “biggest fan.”
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“What’s the secret? We’ve been doing it for a long time. I think the secret is taking the time that we need,” Ivery told Us. “Like if it’s me and her and we need a date night, we take it. It’s just sort of supporting each other. And, obviously, with three kids it’s ample. Her on set, me downtown, it’s a lot. But she’s my biggest fan. I’m her biggest fan.”
He continued, “We love going to games. We love going to, like, a Laker or Clipper game. We’ll go to a game and we’ll go out to dinner. We have an amazing place out in Malibu so sometimes we’ll go out there, stay out there for the weekend. Whatever. We’ll go out with friends for dinner.”
Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays on ABC at 10 p.m. ET.
