Ellen Pompeo speaks out on sad reason why she wore shirts under scrubs in Grey’s Anatomy

Celebrities often prefer keeping the ins and outs of their general health under wraps and out of the eye of the public.

After all, with their love-lives and career stints constantly under speculation from fans, is it any surprise they'd want to keep some personal woes to themselves?

Despite this custom, Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo is once again using her platform in the hope of eradicating taboos surrounding eating disorder culture.

The much-loved actress previously spoke to PEOPLE Magazine about the backlash she faced over her weight upon entering the spotlight.

In 2021, she told the publication: "I used to get a lot of criticism for how thin I was, and I didn’t have a lot 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."

And now, the on-screen medic has voiced her concerns over 'skinny-shaming' once again.

RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Speaking to celebrity doctor Jake Deutch in on her Tell Me podcast last year - with the audio once again doing the rounds on social media - the Golden Globe nominee explained the sad reasoning behind why she wore a shirt under her scrubs uniform.

"I experienced so much drama in my early life, I was naturally freakishly skinny," she told press. "For whatever reason, I couldn't explain it. Don't understand.

"The amount of times I cried because people thought I had an eating disorder."

The on-screen bombshell claimed that the criticism she received over her weight reached such an extent that she felt unable to appear on the red carpet.

"The s**t the tabloids would say was, like, crazy about me. Even on my show - even playing a doctor - they'd be like, 'You have to wear a t-shirt under your scrubs because you look painfully thin. Are you eating? Is there a problem?'," she continued.

IMDB/Byron Cohen/ABC - © 2017 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

"There was a point when production got me a meal service because they thought I had an eating disorder."

And after the interview audio began re-circling on social media this week, hundreds of 54-year-old Ellen's fans have offered the actress their condolences.

"Well they want you to be super skinny, unless you are… in this case they will find another reason to bug you," one hit out.

Another penned in the comments: "and when a skinny woman finally gains some weight, people are not happy with it either. what’s wrong with the world?!"

"Another wrote: "Awe that's awful. I just thought she was cold. How do you tell the main star she doesn't fit your standard of beauty? Wow. We as viewers didn't even care."

TYLA has contacted ABC for comment.