In a new podcast episode, Ellen Pompeo recalled going at it with Denzel Washington on the set of her hit show Grey’s Anatomy.
Denzel Washington sat in the director’s seat during the 12th season of Greys back in 2016. According to E-News –
The show star’s Ellen Pompeo is singing his praises now (and did then, too), the actress revealed that the two went “at it” while filming.
After gushing about Denzel’s superstar power and presence during the latest episode of her podcast, Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo, the actress revealed to her guest and former co-star, Patrick Dempsey, that once she yelled an improvised line to another character during an emotional scene, it set things off quite a bit.
“I was like, ‘Look at me when you apologize. Look at me,'” she recalled yelling at the actor during the scene. “And that wasn’t in the dialogue. And Denzel went ham on my ass. He was like, ‘I’m the director. Don’t you tell him what to do.'”
“I was like, ‘Listen, motherf–ker, this is my show,'” Ellen continued. “This is my set. Who are you telling?” Clarifying that she has the “utmost respect for him as an actor and director,” Ellen also made it clear that despite the incident, it was smooth sailing between the two from there on out.
“So, we didn’t get through it without a fight, but that’s actors for you,” she added. “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.”
Ellen’s “amazing” experience echoes what her co-star Jason George told E! News about having the actor as a surprise director back in February 2016.
“There is a slight difference when a director [who] has been an actor is directing you,” Jason explained.
“Denzel leads everybody in the dust in terms of that. He can hit to the core of what’s really going on for you in that scene very quickly and get everybody focused.”
As Ellen herself puts it at the end of her memorable tale, “He’s just one of the best to ever do it.”
Welp!
Twitter wasn’t happy about her admission, in fact, many Twitter users called her out for thinking she could go up against Denzel.
OMG it's even worse when you hear it. This is Ellen Pompeo's Denzel Washington story, Wait for the end. #ellenpompeo pic.twitter.com/82EieHg6xA
— Tommy moderna-vaX-Topher (@tommyxtopher) September 30, 2021
and
Ellen Pompeo really disrespected Denzel Washington and proudly told the world like we were gonna be on her side… pic.twitter.com/oZpmVoO6L4
— Shonnia Burton (@shonnia21) September 30, 2021
and
Denzel Washington: Ellen can you move slightly to the left..
Ellen Pompeo : DO YOU KNOW WHO TF I AM?! This is MY SET! THIS IS MY SHOW pic.twitter.com/zduokIDJ6A
— raveen marie ☕️✨ (@xoraveen) September 30, 2021
and
I don’t know if Ellen Pompeo revealing that she yelled at Oscar Winning Denzel Washington on the set of Grey’s Anatomy is the flex she thought it would be. She seems like a Karen, and if I hear her say one more time she’s married to a Black man and has Black kids… pic.twitter.com/rYF3ivkx32
— ?sassenach ? (@omwill3) September 30, 2021
and
the tl eating ellen pompeo up and i can’t defend her this time bc she was wrong and why you telling us the story unprovoked like it’s tea pic.twitter.com/uGTg3QZe94
— more heat, less foam (@j_ogun) September 30, 2021
and
Ellen Pompeo telling us that Denzel story is like when Liam Neeson told us that story about him wanting to kill a random black man. No one asked. But they know nothing will happen to them if they tell the story because of their privilege.
— Cheyanne. (@CheyanneBabeey) September 30, 2021
and
Katie Couric and Ellen Pompeo expecting Denzel Washington to bow down to them only for Denzel to firmly put them in their place. pic.twitter.com/CnMD2C4Waj
— TV Fanatic?⚜️ (@TvKhaleesi) September 30, 2021
and
Marrying someone Black does not give you a Pass. Having bi-racial kids does not make you know the experience. You are still YOU.
This tweet is for Ellen Pompeo.
— Nayyera (@nayyeroar) September 30, 2021
and
The audacity of Karen (Ellen Pompeo) to disrespect THE Denzel Washington #SheTriedIt pic.twitter.com/bZMudZD2fX
— ??BreonnaTaylorSleptWB ?? (@LadyJmbala) September 30, 2021
and
Ellen pompeo went full Karen on the greatest actor ever. She’s lucky she still had a job on a show that should of ended a long time ago. pic.twitter.com/EpC3WqbA2u
— Black Royalty ?? (@blu_alexia) September 30, 2021
‘Sis’ should have saved that story.
