For 11 years they played one of the most iconic and idyllic couples on television, but now it has been years since the actors last said a word to each other. Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey first began starring in 'Grey's Anatomy' in 2005, playing the roles of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd. Their on-screen marriage was perfect, and behind the camera their friendship was immeasurable, but now that has all changed. What happened?
In 2015 Dempsey made the decision to leave the show, and his character consequently died in a tragic car accident while Grey was pregnant with her third child.
In an interview for the Facebook program, Red Table Talk, she was asked about her relationship to the actor, and Pompeo confessed, "we haven't spoken since he's left the show". She quickly added: "I have no hard feelings toward him. He's a wonderful actor and we made the best TV you can make together. That's a talented man right there. He did 11 amazing years".
It has been three years since Dempsey made his decision to leave, but he has not made contact with Pompeo during this time. The actress justified this, saying: "Typically, when people leave the show, they need to sort of find themselves, who they are without the show, because the show takes up so much of your life. You need that time to figure out who you are without the show, we have not spoke, but I will always have a place in my heart for Patrick".
It was Dempsey himself who decided to put an end to his participation in 'Grey's Anatomy', even going so far as to say that he probably should have left earlier than he did. But the fans did not thank him for his move, as he was a crucial part of the plot and they feared that this could mean the end of the series completely. Now, three years later, the ABC series still has its faithful audience and a long road ahead.
The Future of Meredith Grey
After 15 seasons, Pompeo knows that at some point she will have to put an end to this television stage of her life, to which she has given so many years. A few months ago, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she stated that although she was not making any formal statements about her future on the show, she believed that it was time for a change. Her contract, however, extends to 16 seasons, which will end in 2020. She also plans to direct a pilot episode and admitted that she enjoys producing as it creates a challenge and that out of all the different aspects involved in making a series, producing and directing is what she wants to do.
The second half of season 15 of 'Grey's Anatomy' will stream at the start of 2019.
