Grey’s Anatomy’s Ellen Pompeo has revealed the truth about why she wore shirts under her scrubs, as she aims to eradicate taboos.
Life as a celebrity comes with endless speculation and scrutiny, and it can’t be easy.
Ellen Pompeo has given fans an insight into just how intense life can become, after she remembers crying about her weight whilst filming Grey’s Anatomy, and the steps she took to deal with it.
Her goal is to help smash taboos with her platform, specifically around eating disorder culture.
Advert
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 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.”
And now, the on-screen medic has voiced her concerns over 'skinny-shaming' once again.
Speaking to celebrity doctor Jake Deutch on her Tell Me podcast last year, 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 the 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.
“There was a point when production got me a meal service because they thought I had an eating disorder."
Since the clip circulated online, hundreds of 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.”
Topics: Grey's Anatomy
Mia Williams