Ellen Pompeo Denies Eating Disorder and Botox Rumors

"Watching myself age on TV is miserable," the Grey's Anatomy actress tells People

By Zach Johnson Jul 27, 2016 1:41 PMTags
Ellen Pompeo, Grey's AnatomyABC

Ellen Pompeo wants to set the record straight.

Contrary to tabloid reports, the TV star insists she has never suffered from an eating disorder. "I used to get a lot of criticism for how thin I was, and I didn't have a lot confidence because of it. But I was naturally thin," the 46-year-old Golden Globe-winning Grey's Anatomy actress says in People's Aug. 8 issue. "I always thought it was irresponsible of the media to portray me as someone with an eating disorder because if some girls look up to me and think that's what you have to do to look like me, it's a horrifying concept. I listened to the criticism a little too much—and this was pre-social media. It's even crazier to think what women have to deal with now."

One issue Pompeo currently faces is how to mature in an industry that values youth. "My decision to stay on Grey's was based solely on age. At 33, I was wise enough to know my clock was already ticking in Hollywood," she says. Pompeo got a "super late start" in Hollywood, landing her first roles in her mid-20s. So, when Grey's contract renegotiations came up, she "was definitely aware of how challenging it would be to find other roles in my late 30s and early 40s."

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While many of her co-stars, including Katherine Heigl and Sandra Oh, left the ABC medical drama several years ago, Pompeo has no intention of following suit. "I thought, 'Why would I leave something that is super successful and pays me great to search the landscape?' I decided that I would stay on Grey's and be grateful and try to ride it out for as long as I could," she says. "And I am very happy that I made the decision to stay. It's only gotten better with time." Of course, there are downsides to being on the same show for so many seasons. "Watching myself age on TV is miserable. To be honest, it's the toughest part of my job. But as uncomfortable as watching myself age is, I don't think focusing on physical beauty is necessarily the best thing for your mind. It's a natural thing that we all do, but I don't think it's the healthiest thing," she says. "The older you get, the more you realize life isn't about your looks. Everyone ages, and it's OK."

"I think when you're in your 20s and 30s, you're super obsessed with your looks because you don't have any other wisdom," Pompeo says. "I have the wisdom to know that growing old is a privilege that not everyone is afforded. If my physical beauty is the only thing that leaves me and my health and my family stay, then that is what's really important to me."

Looking younger is not high on her priority list. "For me, personally, I don't do Botox or anything like that," she tells People. "It can't be what's on the outside; it's gotta be what's on the inside."

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Eating Disorders Association helpline at 1-800-931-2237.
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