Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo’s actions spoke as loud as her words on June 9 at the “Life Out Loud” benefit in Los Angeles. She sat down exclusively with Usmagazine.com’s Jeffrey Epstein at the event to talk about why she cares about the cause and what she would do if she was the mother of a gay child.
US: How did you get involved with LifeWorks?
Ellen Pompeo: I got involved through Chip Sullivan who’s a dear friend and fellow Bostonite. He speaks so passionately about the organization. It’s such a wonderful organization. I would love to see it be taken nationwide.
US: Growing up did you have gay people in your life?
EP: Yes, a ton. I was raised by drag queens practically. And when I left Boston at 20 years old, I went to South Beach with all of my gay friends. Always very close with the gay community.
US: Was there anyone when you were younger who touched your life?
EP: I wouldn’t say there was one person who touched my life. There were several people who touched my life. My mother died when I was four years old, so I was effectively raised by a bunch of different people. And a lot of those people were friends of my sister, Kathleen (I have three sisters), who had all these gay friends. She would baby-sit me everyday, and she would take me over to her friend’s houses with all kinds of things going on: tucking, and eyebrow drawing, waxing, all sorts of things. I was literally raised by gay men. And a lot of other people: my grandmother, my aunts and uncles, but I spent a great deal of time with a lot of gay men.
Obviously there was a lot of controversy on your set this year, but you’re making a big statement by being here. How did that all unfold for you?
EP: I choose to focus on, now what has happened but what we can do. What can we do to make things like this [referring to Isaiah’s outburst] not happen again? What can we do to be proactive and change the environment and more forward and make it a day when we don’t have these problems. And hopefully organizations like LifeWorks moves us in that direction.
Eric Dane has a cheeky good time Wednesday with French TV presenter Rachel Bourlier and actress Nathalie Vincent during a photo call promoting Grey’s Anatomy at the 2007 Monte Carlo Television Festival in Monaco.
Isaiah Washington has broken his silence about being fired from Grey’s Anatomy.
“I’m saddened by the outcome,” Washington, 43, tells Entertainment Weekly. “I did everything that the producers and the network asked me to do. I came back under great duress and stress, and thought I was doing the job I was hired to do.”
Washington learned last week that the network would not renew his option for season four. At the time he issued a statement through his publicist saying: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more.”
“[Grey’s creator] Shonda Rhimes called me on Thursday of last week and told me that I would not be returning to the show,” Washington says. “Just like she personally called me and invited me to the show. It was full circle.”
The rest of the cast heard Thursday night of the final decision, which, a source told PEOPLE at the time, was reached because Washington’s behavior had made him a liability.
Washington tells EW he hasn’t heard from many of his costars. “Everyone is still on vacation. I don’t expect to hear from my castmates. I did talk to Chandra Wilson and I got a text message from Kate Walsh. Everyone’s doing their own thing.”
Katherine Heigl says that when it comes to her rocker fiancé, Josh Kelley, she enforces a strict no-groupies policy.
“About a year ago I called him on his tour bus and heard giggling voices in the background,” she tells Glamour in its July issue. “After that I said, ‘No more girls on the bus.’ ”
Still, the Knocked Up star, 28, is looking forward to having kids with Kelley. “I hope to have children and the sort of family traditions where we eat together every night,” she says. “Joshua will be amazing father, so I won’t have to do it alone.”
Part of what keeps their relationship strong is their common perspective, she says, explaining that they “see very eye-to-eye.”
And she isn’t really threatened by those groupies – especially because she’s comfortable with her body. Though she tells Glamour she had to lose 10 lbs. for her Knocked Up role – achieved with rigorous exercise and a strict diet – she adds, “I could never maintain it. I like food too much!”
Isaiah Washington may have been fired from Grey’s Anatomy, but Katherine Heigl will remain a resident at Seattle Grace.
Usmagazine.com has learned that the actress just received word from ABC inviting her back to the show next season.
Heigl’s rep tells Us, “Katherine has received a formal pick up notice and is still hopeful that ABC will show her the same respect that they have shown for her co-stars.”
Though Ellen Pompeo was on Ryan Seacrest’s morning radio show on Friday to discuss her charity work, there was no escaping talk of her co-star Isaiah Washington’s shocking dismissal from Grey’s Anatomy.
Pompeo, 37, touched on Katherine Heigl’s summer movie success and Grey’s storylines for next year, but the good stuff came when Seacrest asked her about Washington and T.R. Knight’s fates. Listen to the entire interview here or skip to the juicy parts, excerpted below!:
On Isaiah Washington’s departure:
“I got a call late last night from my lawyer…and I woke up this morning and saw it…that’s really all I know. I really can’t comment on my reaction.”
On whether she knew anything in advance:
“No. They’re very secretive about things, for obvious reasons. I guess actors have big mouths. So I didn’t really know what would happen, if anything. It’s not really my business…You just have to roll with the punches.”
On word that T.R. Knight has signed a contract to return:
“I certainly hope so. It’s such an ensemble. The show works, I think, because all of us have such great chemistry together.”
The speculation is over: After a controversial season, Isaiah Washington will not be returning to Grey’s Anatomy, his rep and ABC Television Studio have confirmed.
Howard Bragman, Washington’s publicist, says Washington’s option was not renewed, and released this statement from the actor: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more.”
Bragman did not elaborate on the statement, a reference to the 1976 film Network.
The cast was notified Thursday night of the final decision, which, says a source close to the situation, was a long time coming. In the end, the source says, Washington’s behavior made him a liability.
Katherine Heigl says that when it comes to her rocker fiancé, Josh Kelley, she enforces a strict no-groupies policy.
