Before Grey's, Ellen Pompeo Starred in Another Iconic Show, But No One Remembers
She plays one of the most iconic female characters to date, with a massive fanbase and over 400 episodes under her belt, when fans look at Ellen Pompeo, they see her pivotal character, Dr. Meredith Grey.
Ellen Pompeo is an American actress best known for her role as Meredith on the hit ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.
Pompeo has starred in the series since its debut in 2005, and her acting talents have received much praise over the years.
Her character is dark and real and has dealt with the most unimaginable things during her time on the show, and Pompeo has never once failed to bring the necessary range of emotion and depth to her character, moving fans to tears and earning awards for her performances.
Not only does she play an inspiring role model on screen, Ellen Pompeo is just as admirable in real life.
In 2018, she renegotiated her Grey's Anatomy contract to become one of the highest-paid female actresses on television, a pivotal moment for women in Hollywood fighting for equal pay, which she has been an advocate for.
It's hard to separate Ellen Pompeo and her Grey's Anatomy character, which makes it easy to understand how after all these years fans have forgotten that Grey's Anatomy is not the first show that Pompeo starred in.
Ellen Pompeo guest-starred not just once, but twice, on NBC's long-running Law and Order.
In 1996 she made her acting debut in the sixth season of the crime and legal series as a young woman suspected by police to be involved in the deaths of her mother and brother.
She appeared a second time in the series's tenth season and once again played a character that police and audiences didn't know whether to believe or not.
Her second appearance saw her playing a young woman who was initially made out to be a victim but turned out to be the mastermind behind the crimes.
Even as a fresh-faced young actress Pompeo could convey a range of believable emotions, and her performances on Law and Order were praised. Law and Order wasn't the only work she did pre-Greys Anatomy.
Ellen Pompeo had a role in other movies and series including, Coming Soon, and Moonlight Mile. She even appeared in an episode of the immensely popular sitcom Friends.
Fans find it hard to imagine Pompeo playing any character besides Meredith Grey, but what if she had been cast as a regular on one of the series she guest starred in, or pursued a career as a movie star?