"As a woman, what I know is you can't approach anything from a point of view of 'I don't deserve' or 'I'm not going to ask for because I don't want other people to get upset,'" Grey's Anatomy showrunner Shonda Rhimes told The Hollywood Reporter. "And I know for a fact that when men go into these [salary] negotiations, they go in hard and ask for the world." She further advised Ellen Pompeo to "decide what you think you're worth and then ask for what you think you're worth" — and the lead actress did just that. Spoiler: It worked.
In 2018, Pompeo, who has been at the center of many of Grey's Anatomy's most heartbreaking moments, renegotiated her contract, resulting in earnings of $575,000 per episode plus a $6 million to $7 million signing bonus. All told, Pompeo began earning over $20 million per year and reportedly has a net worth of $70 million at the time of this writing.
Pompeo acknowledged "the industry perception" that she's "not the most 'relevant' actress out there," but she believes she's earned her eight-figure salary fair and square. She continued, saying, "The truth is, anybody can be good on a show season one and two. Can you be good 14 years later? Now, that's a f***in' skill."
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