Ellen Pompeo, the 55-year-old star of the drama series ‘Good American Family,’ recently shared her perspective on the evolution of roles for women in Hollywood. In an interview with El Pais, Pompeo stated, “When you’re really young in Hollywood, you’re hired for your talent, but also for your beauty.”
However, she believes that as actresses mature into their 50s, the criteria shift. “They’re not hiring you for your beauty at 50 years old, they’re hiring you for your complexity and your talent alone. Certainly, women are more complex as they get older, and so are the roles,” Pompeo asserted.
Despite being one of television’s highest-paid actresses due to her long-standing role in ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ Pompeo acknowledges the ongoing journey towards equality for women in the industry. She recalled earning less than her co-star Patrick Dempsey for several years, according to femalefirst.co.uk.
Pompeo emphasized the importance of female solidarity, saying, “I think that it takes all of us women standing up for each other and supporting one another. I’ve had so many women be so kind to me and supportive of me, and I have tried to do the same for other women.” She added, “I don’t think I alone have done anything, I’m part of a group of extraordinarily talented women in Hollywood, and collectively, we have to come together to learn to use our voices more.”
Having stepped back from the main cast of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in 2022, Pompeo clarified that she has no intention of completely leaving the financially successful medical drama. “That would make no sense, emotionally or financially,” she explained, highlighting the show’s impressive streaming numbers, exceeding a billion views in 2024.
Pompeo elaborated on her decision: “The companies that own the show and stream the show make a lot of money from our images and our voices and our faces. If I were to walk away completely, everybody gets to make money from my hard work for 20 years and I wouldn’t make any money.” She concluded, “To me, it doesn’t make any sense that everybody (else) gets to profit off of my hard work. And emotionally, the show means a lot to people. I want to have an attitude of gratitude toward the show.”
