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Ellen Pompeo & Denzel Washington Had Heated Argument On Grey’s Anatomy Set
Ellen Pompeo had a heated argument with director Denzel Washington on the set of Grey's Anatomy in 2016. Pompeo stars as Dr. Meredith Grey in the long-running medical drama, which is currently about to debut its 18th season. The show was created by Shonda Rhimes and began its run in 2005 on ABC. It has hosted a number of stars throughout its run, from Pompeo to Sandra Oh to Patrick Dempsey to Katherine Heigl and more, making it a launching pad for many up-and-coming and established names in the industry.
Pompeo has been on the show since the beginning, making it her primary career role since getting her start in films like Daredevil, Catch Me If You Can, and Old School. Pompeo's character is aptly named after the show's title, which is a riff on the first human anatomy textbook published in the late 1800s. The actress has dabbled in directing the show herself in the past, having directed two episodes between 2017 and 2018.
While filming an episode of the 12th season, according to a story she told on her podcast, Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo (via E! Online), Pompeo got into a heated argument with none other than Denzel Washington, who was directing the episode entitled "The Sound of Silence." During the scene in question, Pompeo improvised a line of dialogue, telling another character, "Look at me when you apologize. Look at me." Washington intervened, saying to Pompeo, "I'm the director. Don't you tell him what to do." This prompted Pompeo to yell back at Denzel, "Listen, motherf--ker, this is my show. This is my set. Who are you telling?" The heated exchange was cooled, however, and the two got along afterwards.
Quote:
"So, we didn't get through it without a fight, but that's actors for you. Passionate and fiery and that's where you get the magic, and that's where you get the good stuff. So, it was an amazing experience, it really was."
With that said, Pompeo regarded the experience and the episode with Washington fondly, saying, "He's just one of the best to ever do it." Washington is no stranger to directing, having made Antwone Fisher, The Great Debaters, and Fences, and is set to debut the Michael B. Jordan starring A Journal For Jordan later this year. As an actor, Washington recently appeared in the WB thriller The Little Things, and his next gig is playing Macbeth in Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth.
Actors and directors having heated arguments on set is nothing new and certainly not something that will ever go away. The creative process can be a tricky one and disagreements, creative or otherwise, will always arise. Still, when it comes to actors directing actors, there seems to be a better understanding and common ground that can be found a little easier when those moments arise. For Pompeo, the arguments may well resume as she returns to Grey's Anatomy season 18, which kicks off September 30th, 2021.
