Ellen Pompeo

An effervescent, quirky actress, Ellen Pompeo began her career working in commercials and episodic television guest spots before she hit the showbiz lottery by landing the lead role on the mega-hit television series, "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC, 2005- ). Before finding fame as on the small screen, Pompeo landed her first role alongside Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon in a major feature film, "Moonlight Mile" (2002). This led to a small part in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, followed by a more prominent turn in the Todd Phillips directed comedy, "Old School" (2003). Although the latter film raised her profile in Hollywood, artistically satisfying projects were still not presenting themselves. That all changed when Pompeo was offered the title role of Meredith Grey on the medical melodrama, "Grey's Anatomy" in 2005. As a surgical intern at a Seattle hospital struggling to navigate her intense professional and romantic life, Pompeo's emotionally honest performance won over viewers, catapulting her to TV stardom seemingly overnight. The show became a ratings bonanza, garnering Pompeo an impressive fan base and positioning her to enjoy a respectable career in film and on television for years to come.