Ellen Pompeo

Ellen Kathleen Pompeo, an American actress, is the title cast member, and hence the star, of Grey's Anatomy, a television series of the one-hour medical drama type, whose characters and situations were initially created by television writer and producer Shonda Rhimes. Pompeo's character of Dr. Meredith Grey, M.D., is the "Grey" of the program's title.

Biography
Pompeo was born on November 10, 1969, in Everett, Massachusetts, USA, and considers Boston home. She made her major studio screen debut in Brad Silberling's Moonlight Mile (2002), starring alongside Susan Sarandon, Dustin Hoffman and Jake Gyllenhaal. She received outstanding reviews for her performance as an outspoken young woman who carried a silent burden that was breaking her heart. After her involvement in Moonlight Mile, Pompeo appeared, later that same year, in Steven Spielberg's fact-based Catch Me If You Can, also released in 2002, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. The following year, Pompeo appeared alongside Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell in the wildly successful comedy Old School, which was released in 2003.

Pompeo suffers from the chronic respiratory disease asthma, but the time in her life when she was initially diagnosed and the severity of her case are not known.

She married Chris Ivery on September 9, 2007 and, on September 15, 2009, gave birth to their daughter. They welcomed a second daughter in September 2014.

Filmography

 * Life of the Party (2005)
 * Art Heist (2004)
 * Nobody's Perfect (short) (2004)
 * Undermind (2003)
 * Old School (2003)
 * Daredevil (2003)
 * Catch Me If You Can (2002)
 * Moonlight Mile (2002)
 * In the Weeds (2000)
 * Mambo Café (2000)
 * Eventual Wife (short) (2000)
 * Coming Soon (1999)
 * 8 ½ x 11 (short) (1999)
 * Do You Have the Time (short) (1995)

Television

 * Grey's Anatomy (2005-)
 * Friends (2004)
 * The Job (2001)
 * Strong Medicine (2001)
 * Get Real (2000)
 * Law & Order (1996-2000)
 * Strangers with Candy (1999)

Notes and Trivia

 * Ellen is allergic to cats.
 * Ellen once said she'll quit acting after Grey's Anatomy.
 * Ellen knows what a lot of medical terms mean, because she finds it makes it easier for her to learn her lines.
 * She stated in multiple interviews that she loves it when fans come up to her on the street because they always have interesting stories to tell.
 * Ellen wanted to do a different ABC pilot, written by Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, called Secret Service. When that didn't get picked up she was asked to play Meredith Grey.