Ellen Pompeo shares why she has stayed with 'Grey's Anatomy' for 15 years

Ellen Pompeo has played "Grey's Anatomy's" leading lady for nearly 15 years and 17 seasons. What made her stick around for so long is a hefty cheque that is deposited to her bank account every month. In a recent interview, Pompeo, who is one of the highest-paid television actresses, shares reasons for her decision to stay with "Grey's" all these years.

Speaking on Spotify's "Jemele Hill Is Unbothered podcast," Ellen Pompeo said that she did not want to "chase creative acting roles." Her decision to play the titular role for so long was to"make money." Unlike other actors, she has not looked beyond "Greys' Anatomy" in all these years.

In her interview, she clarified that she is not ready to "chase roles" or "beg for roles." What matters is that she is "financially set." All she is looking for is a "healthy home life" with her husband Chris Ivery and three children.

"For me, personally, healthy home life was more important than career. I didn't grow up with a particularly happy childhood. So the idea that I have this great husband and these three beautiful children [and] a happy home life was really something I needed to complete, to close the hole in my heart," Pompeo said in the interview (via ET Canada).

Pompeo signed in a $20 million per year contract with the show in the year 2018 which did manage to raise a few eyebrows.

Addressing the discussions surrounding her hefty paycheque, she admitted that she has "finally gotten to the place where I'm okay asking for what I deserve." She also revealed had she started out at an earlier age she may have drifted away after her six-year contract was over. She says her decision has a lot to do with her.

"If I started the show when I was younger, [like] 25, I probably would have dipped out when I was 31, 32, [when] my six-year contract was up, but my age had a lot to do with it. I knew coming up on 40, it's like, I don't want to be out there chasing things, running after things, begging. I'd rather just see this as the blessing that it is," Pompeo explained.

"Grey's Anatomy" season 16 concluded abruptly in March due to coronavirus outbreak and production shutdown. Meanwhile, the cast and crew are working on forthcoming season 17 that is expected to incorporate stories inspired by the ongoing pandemic.