I Know We Were Mad at the Time, but I Think Ellen Pompeo Branching Out from Grey's Is the Best Thing She's Ever Done

Ellen Pompeo may not be fully gone from the Grey’s Anatomy galaxy, but the new universe she's inhabiting is one that shows she's been ready for this second star turn all along.

As a longtime Grey’s Anatomy fan I was just as upset as the next person when we found out she’d be taking a step back from her iconic role as Meredith Grey after 19 seasons. But, in the few years that have passed since then, we still get to see how Meredith's life is unfolding as she stays connected to Grey Sloan Memorial from afar and — delightfully — the change appears to have motivated her to step out in a way we haven’t seen for years. 

During her recent appearance on Call Her Daddy, Pompeo herself said, fresh off of turning 55, she feels like she’s getting “a whole second chapter." And personally, I can’t stop flipping the pages! 

As she set off on her press tour ahead of the release of Good American Family — her first role since her tenure on Grey’s began 20 years ago — Pompeo was giving interviews (including a PEOPLE cover), appearing on talk shows and proving that she is a style star to watch in 2025.

Let’s start with the Vanity Fair Oscars party, one of the most star-studded events of the year, where Pompeo made her first appearance at the event in six years in a stunning floor-length black gown that she paired with Tiffany & Co. diamonds. I gasped when I saw it! And as it turned out, this would only be the beginning of a string of incredible looks she pulled out on this press tour. 

At the Good American Family premiere days later, she opted for a sexy white number with a bold asymmetrical cutout that she styled with a bronzy eye look; she followed that up in March with a polished promotional appearance.

And then she outdid herself again, stepping out in the Big Apple Tuesday night in a totally sheer top over a black bra and a silky skirt, all topped with a bright purple coat.

To round out the week, Pompeo’s Call Her Daddy episode dropped on Wednesday — a phrase I couldn't imagine saying just a year ago — and she opened up about everything from her childhood, to her own three kids, to societal misogyny and even her love of Love Island.  

She also shared that, after more than 20 years on Grey’s, her journey hasn't been “the most normal” compared to other actors who might have pursued more variety in their careers. But after making that choice for a few decades, she was more than ready for the moment she's in now.

“I just knew that I really couldn't do Grey’s anymore, to the point where I really just felt like an animal at the zoo,” she told host Alex Cooper. 

And now that she’s out in the wild — I can’t wait to see what’s next.