Ellen Pompeo Admits She Never Left ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Because It’s a ‘Worldwide Phenomenon’

After spending 14 years on the set of Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo admits that sometimes she thinks about leaving the ABC medical series. But once she thinks about how popular the show has become, she realizes that it might be harder to “walk away” than she thought.

“You can’t ignore the worldwide phenomenon that this show is. How do you walk away or ignore that?” the actress, 49, explained in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “Being the face and voice of something that can generate that much money, there’s only a very small number of people who can say that they have achieved that. If you’re lucky enough to be the face and voice of something that’s generated billions of dollars for a network.”

Grey’s Anatomy is so successful that it’s currently airing its 15th season on ABC and according to Deadline, the show is set to break ER’s record and become the longest-running primetime medical drama in the United States. “That’s something to be proud of,” Ellen gushed, and though she thinks about taking on different projects from time to time, the Old School costar admits that she likes working on the medical drama.

“I like my situation here,” she recently revealed in an interview with TV Line. “As much as the idea of something new appeals to me … the truth is, I have three kids. I don’t really want to travel and leave [them]. I don’t want to be a circus traveller and live in hotels. And the network and studio continue to incentives me and just make me offers that I can’t refuse.”

“In this town, you don’t get a lot of 24-episodes-a-season shows,” she continued. “So the fact that this crew gets to film 24 episodes — that’s 10 months of work — and they get to stay in Los Angeles [is remarkable].”