Grey’s Anatomy – the medical drama that refuses to flatline. Despite the fact that it has been on for two decades now, the fan-following is still going strong, even as the show reaches its twenty-second season. Since many of the OG actors have stuck by the show’s side through thick and thin, it is only natural for a fan to wonder just how much of their bank account is supported by Grey’s Anatomy‘s paychecks. Well, let’s just say that money ain’t a problem for them.
Especially Ellen Pompeo, our favorite Dr. Meredith Grey. Over the years, she has stitched up patients, survived more disasters than superheroes, and delivered enough monologues for the entire cast. If there’s anyone who deserves the big bucks from Grey’s Anatomy, it’s her.
How much does the cast of Grey’s Anatomy make?
Of course, we cannot talk about every single actor that has graced the television show which is older than many people reading this piece. However, let’s take a brief look at the reported paychecks of some of our favorites.
From Sandra Oh to Patrick Dempsey, whose death we are still not over, Grey’s Anatomy has given us some of the most incredible acting performances of all time. It’s only fair that after being responsible for these absolutely lovable characters, actors get paid their fair share.
The lowest on this list at a reported income of $83,000 per episode – Camilla Luddington. Luddington plays the role of Dr. Jo Wilson and she hopped onto the Grey’s Anatomy train in Season 9. Luddington is tied with Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt), who joined the cast in season 5. Both actors are still a part of the show.
Take a look at some of the cast’s salaries during their most recent years on the show and let’s just say you’re not ready for Ellen Pompeo.
| ACTOR | REPORTED SALARY (per episode) |
TIME ON SHOW |
| Camilla Luddington | $83,000 (via The Richest) | Season 9 – present |
| Kevin McKidd | $83,000 (via The Richest) | Season 5 – present |
| Kate Walsh | $125,000 (via CNW) | Main: Season 2-3, Guest Star: 1, 4-8, 18-19 |
| Katherine Heigl | $125,000 (via EW) | Seasons 1 – 6 |
| Chandra Wilson | $125,000 (via Reuters) | Season 1 – present |
| James Pickens Jr. | $125,000 (via Reuters) | Season 1 – present |
| Jesse Williams | $260,000 (via The Daily Mail) | Seasons 6 – 17, Guest Star: 18, 19, 21 |
| Sandra Oh | $350,000 (via TV Guide) | Seasons 1 – 10 |
| Justin Chambers | $350,000 (via CNW) | Seasons 1 -16 |
| Patrick Dempsey | $400,000 (via THR) | Seasons 1 – 11, Recurring: 17 |
| Ellen Pompeo | $575,000 (via THR) | Season 1 – present |
Told you Pompeo’s gonna be a little shocking. But hey, the woman has been the main character since 2005, we think she’s worth every penny! The actress admitted her $20 million contract on the Call Her Daddy podcast.
Ellen Pompeo’s net worth
As per Parade, Pompeo’s net worth is estimated to be at a whopping $80 million currently. Clearly, working as a doctor at the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital brings in cold hard cash.
Back in 2019, Pompeo was listed as the tenth highest-paid actress in the world by Forbes, bringing in $22 million. What a slay!
Before she signed on to play Meredith Grey, Pompeo was doing alright in her career, having been in a few films and shows like Law & Order and FRIENDS. When her movie career began to dwindle by 2004, her agent proposed the idea of joining Grey’s Anatomy. To our surprise, she completely opposed it.
She recalled her conversation with Rick Kurtzman to The Hollywood Reporter stating,
I was like, ‘I’m not going to be stuck on a medical show for five years. Are you out of your f*ckin‘ mind? I’m an actress.’
Well…she ended up staying for much, much more than five years. Kurtzman convinced her to audition despite her reluctance as a means to pay rent. Funny how life works out!
Grey’s Anatomy is available to watch on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
