Ellen Pompeo has no plans to leave Grey's Anatomy until the whole thing closes its doors for good -- and we're not complaining.
In a recent interview with Variety, the actor -- who has now played the character of Meredith Grey for over 20 years -- clarified that even if she doesn't ever return to the show on a full-time basis, there's not a chance she would dare walk away from it forever.
“That (leaving the show) would make no sense, emotionally or financially," she said. "If I were to walk away completely, everybody gets to make money from my hard work."
But money isn't the only reason she's attached -- understandably -- to the project. It genuinely means something to her, because it means something to a lot of other people too. "Emotionally, the show means a lot to people. I want to have an attitude of gratitude toward the show."
The recent release of Hulu's Good American Family -- starring Pompeo -- brought a long-standing question to the surface: is Meredith Grey looking to move beyond Seattle for other endeavors? In a way, yes. Going part-time allows the actor to pursue other projects, something she really hasn't done extensively since Grey's first aired on ABC in 2005.
But even though the show has flourished despite Pompeo's minimized screen time -- certainly not because of it, to be clear -- she largely still holds the series' heart. From those now-iconic opening and closing voiceovers to the legacy she is set to leave for residents and attendings alike, to continue Grey's Anatomy without the last remaining Grey standing might leave a sizable hole that no amount of dynamic characters or thrilling storyline could ever hope to fill.
Pompeo has more than earned her success, and deserves her right to want to own it -- literally and figuratively. Her character will continue to weave in and out of these stories at will, and there's no better way to do it. The so-called "younger" generations get to shine brightly in new storylines, and she has the luxury of stepping back without disappearing entirely. After 21 seasons and nearly 450 episodes, we'll see how long both the show and its star will remain thriving. (The hope is, as a longtime fan, forever. But I suppose you never know.)