Key Points
Pompeo battled for equal pay despite Dempsey's initial higher profile
Became highest-paid drama actress in 2018 earning $20 million
Fought for systemic change in entertainment industry pay
Highlighted her central role in Grey's Anatomy's success
According to Deadline, in a recent interview, Pompeo revealed the challenges she faced in securing pay equal to her co-star, Patrick Dempsey, who played Dr Derek Shepherd.
Pompeo acknowledged that when 'Grey's Anatomy' first started, Dempsey was a more established actor, with a higher profile in the industry.
"To be completely fair, the television game was so different then. He had done 13 pilots before me," Pompeo said, adding, "Nothing personal to him, just in general, only a man can have 13 failed TV pilots and their quote keeps going up, right?"
Despite Dempsey's greater fame at the time, Pompeo felt her character's prominence on the show justified her battle for equal pay.
"But in all fairness, his quote was what it was," she continued, adding, "He was a bigger star than I was at that point. No one knew who I was. Everybody knew who he was, so he did deserve that money. I'm not saying he didn't deserve that money. It's just, being that I was the namesake of the show, I deserved the same and that was harder to get."
Pompeo's fight for equal pay came to fruition in 2018 when she became the highest-paid actress in a drama series, earning a reported USD 20 million per season, according to Deadline.
Reflecting on the struggle, Pompeo admitted, "I wasn't salty about him getting what he got. I was salty that they didn't value me as much as they valued him, and they never will."
Pompeo also noted that her battle for equal pay went beyond her personal gain.
She viewed it as a fight for herself and future generations of women in the entertainment industry.
"I see exactly how much Grey's Anatomy makes for ABC/Disney. I get to see the number. It's my face, it's my voice," she explained, adding, "I've done so much work promoting the show all over the world for the past 20 years. I am the Disney princess of that franchise."
