Ellen Pompeo Inks New 2-Year Deal for "Grey’s Anatomy", Paving Way for Seasons 15 & 16, Adds Producing Duties
by Nellie Andreeva
January 17, 2018


"Grey’s Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo has signed a new two-year deal with ABC Studios, the studio behind the long-running ABC medical drama.

The Shonda Rhimes-created "Grey’s Anatomy" has not been officially renewed beyond its current 14th season. But with Pompeo on board, the veteran series, which remains one of the highest-rated dramas on broadcast television, is expected to continue for at least two more seasons, its 15th and 16th.

As part of the new deal, Pompeo became a producer on "Grey’s Anatomy" starting midway this season. She also will be a co-executive producer on the upcoming untitled "Grey’s Anatomy" firefighter spin-off series.

http://deadline.com/2018/01/ellen-pompeo-signs-2-year-deal-greys-anatomy-seasons-15-16-producing-1202238920/

Good. The only way I can see Grey's Anatomy ending its run is if Ellen Pompeo decided not to continue with it (because she portrays the show's title character).

Ellen Pompeo signs $20 million deal to stay with Grey’s Anatomy two more seasons, reveals how Patrick Dempsey affected past negotiations (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/ellen-pompeo-tvs-20-million-woman-reveals-her-behind-scenes-fight-what-i-deserve-1074978)

Pompeo’s new deal will make her TV’s highest-paid drama actress and keep her on the ABC series for Seasons 15 and 16 while also making her a producer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she’ll make “$575,000 per episode, along with a seven-figure signing bonus and two full backend equity points on the series, estimated to bring in another $6 million to $7 million. She also will get a producing fee plus backend on this spring's Grey's spinoff as well as put pilot commitments and office space for her Calamity Jane production company on Disney's Burbank lot.” In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about her new deal, Pompeo recalled her past battles for pay: “For me, Patrick (Dempsey) leaving the show (in 2015) was a defining moment, deal-wise,” she said. “They could always use him as leverage against me — ‘We don't need you; we have Patrick’ — which they did for years. I don't know if they also did that to him, because he and I never discussed our deals. There were many times where I reached out about joining together to negotiate, but he was never interested in that. At one point, I asked for $5,000 more than him just on principle, because the show is Grey's Anatomy and I'm Meredith Grey. They wouldn't give it to me. And I could have walked away, so why didn't I? It's my show; I'm the number one. I'm sure I felt what a lot of these other actresses feel: Why should I walk away from a great part because of a guy? You feel conflicted but then you figure, ‘I’m not going to let a guy drive me out of my own house. So, what does it look like when he leaves the show? First, it looks like a ratings spike, and I had a nice chuckle about that. But the truth is, the ink wasn't even dry on his exit papers before they rushed in a new guy”: Martin Henderson.

Ellen Pompeo’s “astonishingly candid” interview exposes Hollywood’ misogyny when it comes to equal pay (https://www.thedailybeast.com/ellen-pompeos-explosive-equal-pay-essay-blasts-patrick-dempsey-and-hollywoods-misogyny)
The Grey’s Anatomy star’s chat with The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/ellen-pompeo-tvs-20-million-woman-reveals-her-behind-scenes-fight-what-i-deserve-1074978) is “surprising in that few performers of any gender have ever been this frank and this specific about the terms of their salaries and negotiations,” says Kevin Fallon. He adds: “Speaking with the candor, not to mention shrugging profanity, that gave Pompeo line-cutting passes to the VIP section of the ‘Celebrities We All Want to Grab Drinks With’ party, she reveals her ambitions as an actor (more specifically, her lack thereof), the neglect of male allies, the bleak reality for women in Hollywood, and the explicit notion that because she’s a woman she didn’t deserve an excessive payday—despite being the lead of her show. At a time when gender pay equity is one of the more visible lightning bolts in the thunder storm of industry conversations about the treatment of women and minorities, Pompeo just became Zeus of the cause. (And if former Grey’s co-star Patrick Dempsey gets a little electrocuted in the aftermath, well, bitch should’ve aligned himself with the Goddess Pompzeus when he had the chance.)”

ALSO:

Even if you couldn’t care less about Grey’s Anatomy, Pompeo’s interview is worth reading (http://mashable.com/2018/01/17/ellen-pompeo-greys-anatomy-pay/)
Pompeo offers some frank salary advice for women (http://time.com/5106134/ellen-pompeo-on-negotiation/)
Pompeo reminds women that it’s empowering and important to have a woman (like Shonda Rhimes) in your corner (https://www.themarysue.com/ellen-pompeo-shonda-rhimes/)
Actors everywhere, take note: This is how you do an interview (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/ellen-pompeo-greys-anatomy-no-filter-quotes-latest-interview-a8164351.html)
10 remarkably candid quotes from Pompeo’s interview (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/ellen-pompeo-greys-anatomy-no-filter-quotes-latest-interview-a8164351.html)