Actress Shares Insights on Emotional Scene and Its Impact
Ellen Pompeo, who portrayed Meredith Grey for 19 seasons on Grey’s Anatomy, recently discussed her complicated feelings about one of the show’s most iconic speeches. In a conversation with former co-star Katherine Heigl for Variety’s annual “Actors on Actors” series, Pompeo revealed she strongly opposed the monologue in which her character begs Derek (played by Patrick Dempsey) to choose her over another woman.
The speech, which has become a hallmark of the series, features Meredith expressing her love in a dramatic and heartfelt manner: “Derek, I love you… So pick me. Choose me. Love me.” Despite its popularity among fans, Pompeo admitted she found the sentiment embarrassing, saying, “I can’t beg a man on TV! This is so embarrassing.”
Reflecting on the speech’s legacy, Pompeo noted, “I fought that speech so hard… And then it turns out to be one of the most famous scenes ever.” Heigl responded positively, calling it “a beautiful scene,” to which Pompeo added, “In the scene, I’m crying, but I’m really crying because I have to beg a man on television.”
The discussion also touched on the unique challenges of portraying surgeons while handling real animal parts during filming. Heigl recalled, “By season two, we’d become so desensitised to it, we’d be standing on our marks eating ramen over the cow intestines.”
As Pompeo moves on from her role, her reflections highlight the complexities of acting and the unexpected ways certain scenes resonate with audiences.
