Ellen Pompeois excited about what’s next following her decision to step back fromGrey’s Anatomy.
The actress opened up toDrew Barrymoreon Tuesday about her reduced role on the ABC medical drama after 19 seasons.
“I feel super happy, but listen the show has been incredible to me and I’ve loved a lot of the experience,” Pompeo said on the latestThe Drew Barrymore Show. “Listen it’s just I gotta mix it up a little bit. I’m 53, my brain is like scrambled eggs … I gotta do something new or I’m literally gonna turn into, like, [someone who] can’t do theNew York Timescrossword puzzle every single day.”
She continued, “I mean 10 years, that’s more than people keep their kids in their house — like people keep their kids in their house until they’re 18 and then they send them off to college, so this is like me, like, going away to college.”
Chris Polk/E! Entertainment/NBC via Getty
Pompeo shared that she is looking forward to spending time with her children — son Eli Christopher, 5, and daughters Sienna May, 8, and Stella Luna, 13 — and shooting her upcoming Hulu limited seriesOrphan.
“I have a lot that I’m doing,” she shared. “I have three kids and so I take care of them, and it’s really important for me to be around for them and be more present for them. I’m gonna do a limited series for Hulu in the spring, which is a very cool kind of crazy true story.”
Reps for Pompeo and ABC did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Liliane Lathan/ABC
Pompeostepped back fromGrey’s Anatomythis season to pursue outside projects, includingOrphan, which follows a terrifying adoption story in which a couple’s new daughter turns out to be a grown woman masquerading as a child.
At the 2022People’s Choice Awardslast week, Pompeo teased that fans willstill see her character Meredith Greyon screen a few more times this season.
“I think I am really just in the finale this year,” she told E! “I think we’ve aired six episodes or seven episodes, possibly. Maybe after the winter hiatus, I am in one more, maybe, and then the finale, actually.”
She also thanked the fans for making “it all possible,” adding, “Power to the people!”
Her costarChandra Wilsonrevealed Pompeo’s character will continue to “ebb and flow” through season 19 of the ABC drama series during a separate interview with E!.
She added, “Meredith is always with us.”
RELATED VIDEO:Ellen Pompeo Has ‘Immense Gratitude’ forGrey’s AnatomyFans as Meredith Grey Readies to Leave Seattle
She added, “I love you madly and appreciate you right back.”
Meredith’s storyline (so far) ended with her character’s decision to leave Seattle for Boston, where she accepted a position with the Catherine Fox Foundation to research Alzheimer’s disease. There have been far more dramatic, and tragic, exits on the series — and Meredith’s new job certainly leaves the door open to guest appearances.
Pompeo confirmed as much in the conclusion of her statement. “This isn’t your first time on the rollercoaster… you know the show must go on and I’ll definitely be back to visit,” she wrote. “With a lot of love and immense gratitude XoE 🙏🏼❤️”
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Grey’s Anatomyreturns to ABC on Feb. 23.
source: people.com
