Ellen Pompeo Speaks Out on Eating Disorder Rumors, Reveals Why She Stayed on 'Grey's Anatomy'

“Grey's Anatomy” star Ellen Pompeo is shutting down rumors about her naturally thin frame, which has raised some concern about her health in the past.

She told People magazine, "I used to get a lot of criticism for how thin I was, and I didn't have a lot of confidence because of it. But I was naturally thin; 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."

As for why she stayed on “Grey's," she revealed that it had all to do with ageism. She commented, "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. [I] was definitely aware of how challenging it would be to find other roles in my late thirties and early forties.”

Despite the importance of youth in the industry, Pompeo has a positive outlook. She shared, "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. The older you get, the more you realize life isn't about your looks. Everyone ages, and it's okay.”

Even with loads of pressure, Ellen isn't going to take drastic measures to stay young, "For me, personally, I don't do Botox or anything like that. It can't be what's on the outside; it's gotta be what's on the inside."