Listen To The Denzel Washington Story That Got Ellen Pompeo Raked Over the Twitter Coals: ‘This Is My Set Motherf*cker!’
Grey’s Anatomy star and producer Ellen Pompeo faced intense backlash after she told the story of an on-set clash with legendary actor and Grey’s Anatomy episode director Denzel Washington.
At issue is an anecdote that Ms. Pompeo told former co-star Patrick Dempsey on the inaugural episode of the Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo podcast. After first expressing profuse respect and admiration for Mr. Washington — whom she also said “is a movie star, right? He doesn’t know shit about directing TV” — she dished her version of an on-set clash as she was doing a scene with an actor whose character was apologizing to Pompeo’s character:
He made this choice to speak very softly. And I was pissed that I had to sit there and listen to this apology. And he wasn’t looking at me in the eye. Again, we love actors who make choices. Right. And I yelled at him and I was like, ‘Look at me when you apologize, look at me.’
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!’ And I was like, ‘Listen, motherfucker, this is my show. This is my set. Who are you telling?’
Like, you barely know where the bathroom is. And like, you know, I have the utmost respect for him as an actor, as a director, as everything. But like, yo, we went at it one day and then his wife came to set to visit. And I was like, I was not talking to him. I was mad at him. And I told his wife I was like, yeah, he yelled at me today. Yeah, he let me have it today. And I’m not OK with him and I’m not looking at him and I’m not talking to him.
Pompeo went on to say that she and Mr. Washington were “fine” after that.
But many Twitter users were not fine with it, and Pompeo received a blizzard of criticism that catapulted her to top trending topic status overnight. Here’s a sampling of reactions from verified users:
One time, James Baldwin gave me some writing advice and I said “THIS IS MY COLUMN, MOTHERFUCKER!”
j/k I’d never do that.
This tweet is about Ellen Pompeo.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) September 30, 2021
I’m here for all the Ellen Pompeo slander. pic.twitter.com/LQ54E4h4C8
— Pit of Chaos (@DPMCanty) September 30, 2021
Ellen Pompeo taking L after L by sharing things unprovoked.
— Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) September 30, 2021
I would hope Ellen Pompeo did not literally call Denzel Washington a mofo who doesn’t know where the bathroom is to his face, but since she told the story that way, it no longer matters. I respect that she’s a producer and knows Meredith like no one else, but RELAX.
— The Distracted Tatiana (@myrcellasear) September 30, 2021
Ellen Pompeo went full Liam Neeson — pic.twitter.com/rFNYrVKIU3
— MoneybaggHo (@KirkWrites79) September 30, 2021
I’m fascinated by her volunteering this information. LOLOLOL. Celebrities are a trip.
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) September 30, 2021
Seeing so many outraged responses to this like it doesn’t happen allllll the time with actors WAY way way less experienced than Ellen Pompeo ? https://t.co/izQLTp4QLe
— carina adly mackenzie (@cadlymack) September 30, 2021
That’s not how it works as their are ranks of producers. There are 22 executive sroducers on Grey’s Anatomy and Ellen Pompeo is not one of them. Shes just the producer.
— Branden Lee (@urbanzosf) September 30, 2021
…Ellen Pompeo picked a really bad day to launch her own podcast ?
— Juwan says vote for #LGBTQNationHeroes ? (he/him) (@juwanthewriter) September 30, 2021
Ellen Pompeo definitely gives “all lives matter” vibes
— L E X (@iamlexstylz) September 30, 2021
denzel washington: can you get me a mango La Croix?
ellen pompeo: *gasp* I’m ellen pompeo
denzel washington: ok, ellen pompeo can you get me two mango La Croix? pic.twitter.com/eaNb7bDrKs
— Ced® (@cedfunches) September 30, 2021
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