Who Is Ellen Pompeo Husband? Ellen Revealed “Chris Never Watched Grey’s Anatomy”

Ellen Pompeo, known around the world as Meredith Grey from the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, is sharing rare details about her marriage to music producer Chris Ivery — and how keeping their personal lives separate from Hollywood fame has helped them thrive.

Now 55 years old as of 2025, Pompeo recently sat down for a candid interview on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, where she opened up about how she and Ivery, who’s also 55, have navigated life in the spotlight together — and sometimes, purposefully apart.

“Chris Never Watched Grey’s Anatomy”

Despite Pompeo being the face of one of television’s most iconic love stories between Meredith Grey and Derek Shepard (played by Patrick Dempsey), her real-life husband has largely opted out of the Grey’s Anatomy frenzy.

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“I mean, Chris really never watched the show,” Pompeo told Cooper. “That helped us. It was better for him. He knew just not to watch.”

Pompeo explained that their relationship predates her breakout role on Grey’s, which debuted in 2005. The couple met in 2003, married in 2007, and went on to build a quiet life together outside of the public glare. “Grey’s kinda came out of nowhere for us,” Pompeo said. “We were on this crazy ride and just trying to hang on for dear life.”

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A Love That Stays Out of the Spotlight

Over the past two decades, Pompeo and Ivery have deliberately kept their marriage and family life away from flashing cameras and tabloids. Together, they have welcomed three children — two daughters and a son — and have remained fiercely protective of their privacy.

While Pompeo is no stranger to fame, she’s made it clear that family always comes first. “It’s just been really important for us to keep certain things sacred,” she noted.

Media Scrutiny and Racism Behind the Scenes

Though their relationship has endured the pressures of Hollywood, Pompeo also opened up about the harsher realities they’ve faced — particularly regarding race. Ivery, who is biracial, was thrust into the public eye alongside Pompeo, and unfortunately, the couple was met with negativity from certain corners of the media and the public.

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“They started attacking him, bringing up his past and things that he did,” Pompeo said, reflecting on the early tabloid coverage of their relationship. “We don’t need to get into a whole racial breakdown here, but the truth is, young Black men in this country aren’t given the same opportunities as everybody else. And a lot of people come from rough neighborhoods. I came from a rough neighborhood. I did plenty of dirt when I was young.”

Pompeo was candid about how painful it was to see the media scrutinize Ivery simply because of their interracial relationship. “I felt more bad about that,” she said, “because the media was really mean to him and biased. Like, how dare this skinny, blonde, petite little woman be with this tall Black man? The visual of that — I think America wasn’t ready for it.”

Racist Backlash and Resilience

It wasn’t just media coverage that took its toll. Pompeo revealed that she and ABC even received “racist, hateful, violent mail” during the early years of Grey’s Anatomy. While this shocked Pompeo, she shared that, sadly, this kind of treatment wasn’t unfamiliar to Ivery.

“Chris is biracial,” she explained. “His mother is white Jewish, and he grew up in Boston in the 70s — a real super liberal, hippie sort of place. But Boston historically was always a super racist place, everybody knows that.”

Ivery, according to Pompeo, was used to navigating these kinds of societal biases, though that didn’t make it any less troubling for the couple.

Keeping It Real in Hollywood

Despite the public scrutiny and the challenges that come with fame, Pompeo and Ivery have created a life rooted in authenticity. Their choice to keep their family largely out of the public eye and to prioritize their relationship over Hollywood expectations has helped them stay grounded.

Pompeo’s reflections also serve as a reminder that even in an era of progressive conversations, interracial couples in the public eye can still face outdated, harmful prejudices.

In an industry known for spotlight romances and tabloid fodder, Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery’s relationship is a testament to quiet strength, mutual support, and building a life far removed from red carpets.