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When Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery’s paths first crossed in 2003 at a grocery store in Los Angeles, it set the stage for a love story that would capture the hearts of many. Ivery, a record producer, seemed to echo a famous line from Pompeo’s iconic role in “Grey’s Anatomy” as he made his interest known.
During an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show” in 2022, Pompeo, who has portrayed Meredith Grey since the series debuted in 2005, recounted the amusing beginning of their relationship. She explained that after their initial meeting, “I was with my mutual friend,” and the connection between the two Boston-area natives was evident.
However, the road to romance wasn’t immediate. “He called me a bunch of times, and I wouldn’t call him back,” Pompeo shared. “And then he said, ‘You’re rude. You won’t call me back,’ and I replied, ‘Well, because I’m not trying to go on a date with you.’ To which he retorted, ‘Who’s trying to go on a date with you? I don’t even know you.'”
Reflecting on those early days, Pompeo noted with a smile, “We had a fight first. That’s kind of always the way to my heart, is like, piss me off and I’m all yours.” This feisty beginning laid the groundwork for a romance that grew stronger over time.
Basically, she continued, “We had a fight first. That’s kind of always the way to my heart, is like, piss me off and I’m all yours.”Â
Married four years later, the pair welcomed daughter Stella in 2009, her little sister Sienna in 2014 and son Christopher in 2016.Â
“We’re sort of two kids who made it out and then landed in Hollywood and jumped on this ride,” Pompeo said of their journey during a 2025 appearance on Alex Cooper‘s Call Her Daddy podcast. “We just couldn’t believe that something was actually happening—that it was great, that I had this great job and we were getting to travel all over the world.”