Ellen Pompeo
Encyclopedia
Ellen Kathleen Pompeo is an American actress, known for playing the title role of Meredith Grey
on the ABC
medical drama Grey's Anatomy
.
, the daughter of Joseph, a salesman, and Kathleen Pompeo. Of Irish and Italian descent, she was raised Roman Catholic. Her grandfather was born in Gesualdo, a village in the Province of Avellino
, Italy. Her mother died of a painkiller overdose when Ellen was four, and her father remarried soon after. She has five siblings, three sisters and two brothers. She was nicknamed the pencil, and Stracciatella (an Italian egg drop soup).
For more than two years, she served cocktails in Miami, where she met fashion photographer Andrew Rosenthal, with whom she was romantically linked for some time. In 1996, she was bartending at the SoHo Bar & Grill in New York City's Upper West Side
when an agent approached her to appear in commercials. Subsequently, she appeared in commercials for Citibank
and L'Oréal
. She began her career with minor roles on television shows like Strangers with Candy
, Friends
and Law & Order
and a handful of others.
. A turning point came when she was selected by director Brad Silberling
in 2002 for a role in his film Moonlight Mile playing Jake Gyllenhaal
's sympathetic love interest. She also appeared in the film Daredevil
playing Matt Murdock's (Ben Affleck
) secretary Karen Page
, but most of her scenes were deleted from the theatrical version of the film. In 2002, Pompeo appeared in Catch Me If You Can
and in 2003, Old School
. Television guest roles include two episodes of Law & Order
and an episode of Friends
. She portrayed Jim Carrey
's ex-girlfriend, Naomi, in the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
. Although her scenes were cut from the film, she felt grateful that director Michel Gondry
chose her to appear in his film.
Pompeo landed her first major role in the ABC
medical drama Grey's Anatomy
, which is now in its eighth season, as the title character, Meredith Grey
, a surgical resident at a prestigious hospital. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series. That year, she also signed a new contract for Grey's Anatomy that increased her salary
to US$200,000 per episode. She is contracted with the show for eight seasons which is the standard length in Hollywood after which actors often demand large raises.
On October 13, 2007, Pompeo was honored by the National Italian American Foundation
for her achievement in entertainment at a black-tie gala in Washington, D.C.
On October 27, 2011 Deadline.com reported that Ellen Pompeo has launched her own production company called Calamity Jane which sold its first project to ABC, an untitled show about female agents on the Secretary of State's security detail. Pompeo will be the show's executive producer.
was the legal witness to the ceremony. She gave birth to their first child - a daughter named Stella Luna, on September 15, 2009.
Meredith Grey
Meredith Grey is a fictional surgeon and the series protagonist on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Meredith...
on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
medical drama Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
.
Early life
Ellen Kathleen Pompeo was born in Everett, MassachusettsEverett, Massachusetts
Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council...
, the daughter of Joseph, a salesman, and Kathleen Pompeo. Of Irish and Italian descent, she was raised Roman Catholic. Her grandfather was born in Gesualdo, a village in the Province of Avellino
Province of Avellino
The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....
, Italy. Her mother died of a painkiller overdose when Ellen was four, and her father remarried soon after. She has five siblings, three sisters and two brothers. She was nicknamed the pencil, and Stracciatella (an Italian egg drop soup).
For more than two years, she served cocktails in Miami, where she met fashion photographer Andrew Rosenthal, with whom she was romantically linked for some time. In 1996, she was bartending at the SoHo Bar & Grill in New York City's Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
when an agent approached her to appear in commercials. Subsequently, she appeared in commercials for Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
and L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
. She began her career with minor roles on television shows like Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy
Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m....
, Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
and Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
and a handful of others.
Career
Determined to succeed in acting, Pompeo moved to Los Angeles in 2001. She participed in the movie Mambo Café with ThalíaThalía
Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda , known simply by the mononym Thalía , is a Mexican singer and actress. She has sold over 40 million albums worldwide...
. A turning point came when she was selected by director Brad Silberling
Brad Silberling
Bradley Mitchell Silberling is an American television and film director. He is married to the actress Amy Brenneman, who he met on the set of NYPD Blue and with whom he has two children, Charlotte Tucker and Bodhi Russell...
in 2002 for a role in his film Moonlight Mile playing Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal is an American actor. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal began acting at age ten...
's sympathetic love interest. She also appeared in the film Daredevil
Daredevil (film)
Daredevil is a 2003 American superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and out of the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil...
playing Matt Murdock's (Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
) secretary Karen Page
Karen Page
Karen Page is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' Daredevil series created by writer Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett. She first appeared in Daredevil #1 .-Character overview:...
, but most of her scenes were deleted from the theatrical version of the film. In 2002, Pompeo appeared in Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical comedy-drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana parish prosecutor...
and in 2003, Old School
Old School (film)
Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips, director of the documentary Frat House. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong...
. Television guest roles include two episodes of Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
and an episode of Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
. She portrayed Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
's ex-girlfriend, Naomi, in the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic science fiction film about an estranged couple who have each other erased from their memories, scripted by Charlie Kaufman and directed by the French director, Michel Gondry. The film uses elements of science fiction, psychological...
. Although her scenes were cut from the film, she felt grateful that director Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène. - Life and career :...
chose her to appear in his film.
Pompeo landed her first major role in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
medical drama Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, which is now in its eighth season, as the title character, Meredith Grey
Meredith Grey
Meredith Grey is a fictional surgeon and the series protagonist on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Meredith...
, a surgical resident at a prestigious hospital. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series. That year, she also signed a new contract for Grey's Anatomy that increased her salary
Salary
A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis....
to US$200,000 per episode. She is contracted with the show for eight seasons which is the standard length in Hollywood after which actors often demand large raises.
On October 13, 2007, Pompeo was honored by the National Italian American Foundation
National Italian American Foundation
The National Italian American Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational foundation that promotes Italian American culture and heritage...
for her achievement in entertainment at a black-tie gala in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
On October 27, 2011 Deadline.com reported that Ellen Pompeo has launched her own production company called Calamity Jane which sold its first project to ABC, an untitled show about female agents on the Secretary of State's security detail. Pompeo will be the show's executive producer.
Personal life
Pompeo married record producer Chris Ivery on Friday, November 9th, 2007. New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
was the legal witness to the ceremony. She gave birth to their first child - a daughter named Stella Luna, on September 15, 2009.
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 1999 in film The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep... |
8 ½ x 11 | Human Resources Woman | (short film) |
| Coming Soon | Upset Girl | ||
| 2000 2000 in film The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor .... |
Eventual Wife | Beth | (short film) |
| In the Weeds | Martha | ||
| Mambo Café | Stacy | ||
| 2002 2002 in film The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of... |
Moonlight Mile | Bertie Knox | |
| Catch Me If You Can Catch Me If You Can Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical comedy-drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana parish prosecutor... |
Marci | ||
| 2003 2003 in film The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,... |
Old School Old School (film) Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips, director of the documentary Frat House. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong... |
Nicole | |
| Daredevil Daredevil (film) Daredevil is a 2003 American superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and out of the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil... |
Karen Page Karen Page Karen Page is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' Daredevil series created by writer Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett. She first appeared in Daredevil #1 .-Character overview:... |
||
| Undermind Undermind (film) Undermind is a 2003 psychological thriller written and directed by Nevil Dwek.- Plot :Derrick, a corporate lawyer with a large trust fund, and Zane, a criminal, live in opposite social spheres. Although they never meet, their lives are more connected than either one of them could ever imagine.... |
Flynn | ||
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Nobody's Perfect | Veronica | (short film) |
| Art Heist Art Heist Art Heist is a 2004 film starring Ellen Pompeo, William Baldwin, and Catalan-actor Abel Folk; and written by Diane Fine and Evan Spiliotopoulos.... |
Sandra Walker | ||
| Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic science fiction film about an estranged couple who have each other erased from their memories, scripted by Charlie Kaufman and directed by the French director, Michel Gondry. The film uses elements of science fiction, psychological... |
Naomi | (scenes deleted) | |
| 2005 2005 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005... |
Life of the Party Life of the Party (2005 film) Life of the Party is a 2005 film with Eion Bailey and Ellen Pompeo. It was written and Directed by Barra Grant.-Synopsis:Michael Elgin, former high school track star, now in his thirties, is floundering. He keeps life's realities at bay by having too many cocktails a few nights too often... |
Phoebe Elgin | |
| 2011 | The Goree Girls The Goree Girls The Goree Girls is an upcoming musical film set in the 1940s which tells the story of eight Goree Prison inmates who form a country-western band. Filming was set to take place during January 2010, but was pushed back to accommodate Aniston's filming of Just Go With It. Ellen Pompeo also agreed to... |
Farah |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 1996 in television The year 1996 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1996.For the American TV schedule, see: 1996-97 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:... |
Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
Jenna Weber | Savior |
| 1999 1999 in television The year 1999 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1999.For the American TV schedule, see: 1999-00 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:... |
Strangers With Candy Strangers with Candy Strangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m.... |
Lizzie Abrams | Feather in the Storm |
| 2000 2000 in television The year 2000 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2000.For the American TV schedule, see: 2000-01 United States network television schedule.-Event:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
Law & Order Law & Order Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,... |
Laura Kendrick | Fools for Love |
| Get Real Get Real (TV series) Get Real is a short-lived comedy-drama on the FOX Network centering on the fictional Green family of San Francisco. It ran from September 1999 to April 2000... |
Nina Adler | History Lessons | |
| 2001 2001 in television The year 2001 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2001.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:*Meet the Press .*Candid Camera .*CBS Evening News .... |
The Job The Job (TV series) The Job was a single-camera television comedy drama about a New York City police officer named Mike McNeil -- who indulges in adultery, alcohol, cigarettes and prescription drug abuse—and his fellow 'bumbling detective' pals... |
Sue | Anger |
| Strong Medicine Strong Medicine Strong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict. The television series aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series was created and produced in part by comedienne and... |
Quincy Dunne | Wednesday Night Fever | |
| 2004 2004 in television The year 2004 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2004.For the American TV schedule, see: 2004–05 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
Friends Friends Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television... |
Missy Goldberg | The One Where the Stripper Cries |
| 2005– 2005 in television The year 2005 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2005.For the American TV schedule, see: 2005–06 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:... |
Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in... |
Meredith Grey Meredith Grey Meredith Grey is a fictional surgeon and the series protagonist on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Ellen Pompeo. In 2007, Pompeo was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Meredith... |
All/Lead Role/Narrator |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Result | Award | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Nominated | Teen Choice Award | Choice TV- Breakout Female | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2006 | Nominated | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2006 | Nominated | Teen Choice Award | TV- Choice Actress | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2006 | Won | Satellite Award | Best Ensemble in Television | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2007 | Nominated | Golden Globe Award Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign... |
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2007 | Won | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2007 | Won | Satellite Award | Best Actress – Drama Series | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2007 | Won | National Italian American Foundation National Italian American Foundation The National Italian American Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational foundation that promotes Italian American culture and heritage... |
Special Achievement in Entertaining | |
| 2008 | Nominated | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2008 | Nominated | Ewwy Award | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2009 | Nominated | Gold Derby TV Award | Best Drama Actress -Television | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2010 | Nominated | People's Choice Award | Favorite TV Doctor | Grey's Anatomy |
| 2011 | People's Choice Award | Favorite TV Drama Actress | Grey's Anatomy |