Ellen Pompeo

<p>Ellen Kathleen Pompeo was born on November 10, 1969, in Everett, Massachusetts. Discovered by a casting director while bartending in New York City, she began appearing in commercials and guest roles on series such as <em>Law & Order</em>. Her breakout film performance came in Brad Silberling's 2002 drama <em>Moonlight Mile</em> opposite Jake Gyllenhaal and Dustin Hoffman, followed by appearances in Steven Spielberg's <em>Catch Me If You Can</em> and <em>Old School</em>.</p><p>In 2005, Pompeo was cast in the title role of surgical intern Dr. Meredith Grey in Shonda Rhimes's medical drama <em>Grey's Anatomy</em>. The show exploded into an international cultural phenomenon. Anchoring the series through medical emergencies, emotional traumas, and romantic triumphs, Pompeo became the emotional anchor of the longest-running primetime medical drama in American television history.</p><p>Beyond acting, Pompeo directed multiple episodes and served as executive producer of both <em>Grey's Anatomy</em> and its firefighter spin-off <em>Station 19</em>. In 2018, her groundbreaking contract negotiation made her the highest-paid actress on a television drama, which she used as a public platform to advocate for gender wage transparency and fair compensation for women across the entertainment industry.</p>