Ellen Pompeo, the famous actress who portrayed Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy, recently shared her feelings upon learning that her former co-star, Patrick Dempsey, received a higher initial salary than hers in the early years of the series. In a conversation with the podcast Call Her Daddy, Pompeo revealed that, although she understood the reasons behind the salary difference due to Dempsey’s longer career, she found it difficult to accept the situation at the time. The actress, who was not as well-known as her colleague back then, recalled how this salary disparity made her feel that her value was not recognized in the same way.
PUBLICIDAD
Pompeo explained that in those early years of Grey’s Anatomy, Dempsey already had a greater reputation in the entertainment industry, as he had a more established career before the series. However, during the interview, the actress pointed out that, as the show’s protagonist, she also believed she deserved similar compensation. “I wasn’t upset that he was making what he was making. I was upset that I wasn’t valued as much as he was, and I never will be,” she confessed.
PUBLICIDAD
Ellen Pompeo’s salary negotiation: A change in perspective
Despite the salary differences in the early years of Grey’s Anatomy, Pompeo had a significant victory in 2018 when she negotiated a salary of 20 million dollars for her role in the successful series. To achieve this increase, the actress gathered her courage and consulted with the series creator, Shonda Rhimes, before making her request. “As a woman, I think I’m conditioned to make sure I’m not stepping on anyone’s toes and to be polite. I asked Shonda first. She doesn’t handle those things, it’s a business matter, but I told her, ‘I’m going to ask for this amount, is that okay?’” she commented.
Regarding her negotiation process, Pompeo admitted that, although she was nervous, she knew she had valid reasons to demand the raise: “I am the Disney princess of that franchise. I have data to back it up. I know how much money the show has generated and I definitely deserve a part of that,” she stated. Through this experience, the actress took the opportunity to send a message to other women in the industry, encouraging them to fight for better compensation, as it is likely that many of them are being undervalued compared to their male counterparts.
The fight for gender equality in Hollywood
Beyond salary negotiation, Ellen has also used her platform to speak out about the gender inequalities that persist in Hollywood, both in terms of salaries and female representation in film and television. The actress believed that her fight was not only about getting a fair salary, but about a broader change in the industry that allows for authentic representation of women. “If I have privileges, I have the obligation to use them to improve the lives of others,” Pompeo declared.
In her statements, the actress also reflected on how women have to fight much harder than men for what they deserve, especially when it comes to money. She recalled that often when women advocate for their salary rights, they are labeled as “difficult” or “crazy”. However, Pompeo continues to be a voice of resistance in the industry, as she expressed in a 2018 interview with PEOPLE magazine: “What is sometimes not said is that women have to fight much harder than men for what they deserve.”