Denzel Washington Says He Has No Memory Of Ellen Pompeo’s On-Set “Grey’s Anatomy” Rant
The Tragedy of Macbeth is out in theaters and stars Denzel Washington as the titular Macbeth. And with promoting that movie comes the many questions from interviewers such as, “How did you prepare to become the tormented Scottish lord?”, “What was it like working with the Cohen brothers?”, and “Ellen Pompeo is the absolute WORST, right?!” After months of waiting, Denzel has broken his silence and we finally get his view of Ellen’s infamous girlboss moment!
Earlier this year, Ellen revealed on her podcast (we certainly need more of those!) that she got into a screaming match with Denzel. Back in 2015, Denzel directed an episode of The Neverending Story a.k.a Grey’s Anatomy. When Ellen improvised a line, he allegedly went “HAM” on her to which Ellen politely responded, “Listen, motherfucker, this is my show!” And then the crew burst into applause and chanted “YAAAS, queen!” That last part didn’t happen. Maybe in Ellen’s mind but in our shared reality, no. Anyway, Variety recently sat down with Denzel to discuss his storied career as well as toss in an innocent question about the incident that totally wasn’t designed to stir the pot.
But there’s one way in which Washington is definitely old school. You won’t find him on Twitter or Instagram — he prefers to keep the spotlight out of his private life and to stay off the gossip pages. That’s why it was so shocking when Washington’s name was splashed across the tabloids a few months ago. In 2015, he directed an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” the only time he’s stepped behind the camera for a TV show. As Ellen Pompeo recalled in a podcast in September, she clashed with Washington because he wouldn’t let her improvise in a scene. “Denzel went HAM on my ass,” Pompeo said, which led her to shoot back: “Listen, motherfucker, this is my show!”
When asked about the incident, Washington sidesteps the question. “No, no,” he says, claiming that he doesn’t recall that day. Then, with a slight grin, he adds, “But it’s all good.”
So according to Ellen, two juggernauts of film and tv locked horns in a battle that ultimately decided who truly understood the prestigious craft of ACTING. And to Denzel? It was just another Tuesday!
The grin at the end of his statement is the perfect icing on this weird, petty cake. That’s top-quality subtle shade right there! Ellen could learn a few lessons from Denzel on the art of appearing unbothered. At least this is fodder for the Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo podcast. Stay tuned for the next episode wherein Ellen dissects the REAL meaning of a slight grin and gives top tips on how to share “relatable” stories that make you look like an asshole!
Pic: Instagram