Ellen Pompeo Scales Back ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Role to Star in New Hulu Series

Ellen Pompeo is logging less time at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The Grey’s Anatomy star is reducing her role as Dr. Meredith Grey in the upcoming Season 19 of the medical drama, Deadline reports, and will only appear in eight out of the reported 22 episodes as she pursues another project.

Pompeo will be working on Orphan, an upcoming Hulu series, which will cut down on her Grey’s screen time. While we’ll be seeing less of Meredith in Season 19, Pompeo will still narrate each episode of the new season and will continue in her role as a producer on the show, according to Deadline.

Orphan, Pompeo’s latest project, is inspired by the real-life story of Natalia Grace Barnett, who was adopted from Ukraine by a couple in Indiana who later claimed she was actually an adult woman posing as a child.

Here’s Hulu’s description of the drama, per The Hollywood Reporter: “[Orphan is] inspired by the story of a Midwestern couple who adopts what they believe is an 8-year-old girl with a rare form of dwarfism. But as they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, they slowly start to believe she may not be who she says she is. As they question her story, they’re confronted with hard questions of their own about the lengths they’re willing to go to defend themselves, falling into a battle that’s fought in the tabloids, the courtroom, and ultimately their marriage.”

Pompeo’s work on Orphan doesn’t necessarily mean she’s closing her Grey’s chapter for good, although she’s certainly hinted at her eventual exit from the show. While speaking to Variety in 2020, the actress admitted, “I didn’t ever think that I would stay on the show this long,” adding, “It happened, and here I am. It’s been this incredible platform for me and allowed me to stay home with my kids so much and not travel and have the circus life of an actor.”

In a more recent interview with Entertainment Tonight in May, Pompeo suggested Grey’s will be just fine without her. While celebrating the 400th episode of the medical drama, she told the outlet, “It’s inspired so many generations of healthcare workers, so, I think for for the young people, it’s a really good piece of content and we’re going to try to keep it going for the young people, not necessarily with me, but keep it going beyond me.”

As for her potential replacement, she added, “We’ll find someone, maybe, or we won’t.”