Ellen Pompeo Gets Real About Why She Publicized Her $20 Million Salary!

Wow, Ellen Pompeo is the realest.
As we reported, the Grey’s Anatomy star got a ton of praise last month when she opened up in The Hollywood Reporter about becoming the highest-paid actress on a primetime drama — and all the bullshit (like being paid less than her male costar, Patrick Dempsey) she had to face on her way up.
In a new interview with Jimmy Kimmel, the 48-year-old actress discussed her decision to go public with her salary, and why it’s important for women to ask for what they deserve. Ultimately, she’s grateful for how the story was received.
Related: Catt Sadler Is Potentially Suing E! Over Pay Disparity!
The TV star explained:

“I’m grateful that it was received in the way in which I intended it to be, which was as an empowering story for women and to also be very honest about my faults and my shortcomings. Because I think that there’s a lot of blame, especially right now. People are blaming people. There’s a lot of finger pointing, but there’s less people owning up to their side of things. And I wanted to sort of do a truthful interview and talk about my road to my own empowerment and how I got there, but also mistakes I’ve made along the way.”

She went on:

“As women, you know, it’s not only about what’s done to us or what’s not given to us. It’s what don’t we ask for. You know, how much of it is [it] isn’t given to us, or is it that we don’t ask? I think that as much as we can point the finger at other people and [say], ├óΓé¼╦£You don’t give us or you don’t treat us fairly,’ We also have to point the finger at ourselves and say, ├óΓé¼╦£Did we ask? Did we step up and have the uh, gumption, to ask for what a man would?’ We have to own part of it. And sometimes we’re too shy; we’re too afraid to be seen as difficult to really speak our mind.”

Ellen was also sure to applaud Disney‘s CEO Bob Iger, who runs the entire company: