If ever there was a time to dance it out… Grey’s Anatomy fans rejoiced as the show’s OG lovebirds, Ellen Pompeo & Patrick Dempsey reunited at Disney’s D23 Expo in Anaheim on September 9th. The occasion? Both were on hand to receive a very special award.
The pair are two of the 14 new Disney Legends to be celebrated at this year’s expo in a special awards ceremony hosted by Tamron Hall. Others to be honored include Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, and the late Chadwick Boseman.
#GreysAnatomy stars Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey chat on the #D23Expo carpet. https://t.co/w5KFBIVh7o pic.twitter.com/C43bNt01Vn
— Variety (@Variety) September 9, 2022
Ellen and Patrick smiled and laughed as they stopped to chat on the D23 Expo red carpet. Ellen looked gorgeous in a purple dress. Patrick wore a fancy suit and rocked newly-dyed platinum blonde hair. Grey’s Anatomy fans responded to Variety‘s video of the encounter and gushed over the sweet moment between the actors who played Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd on the beloved tv show.
Both stars spoke to Variety reporter Marc Malkin on the carpet for solo interviews. Ellen talked about the new season of Grey’s Anatomy, where she’ll have a limited role and only appear in eight episodes. “There are stories left to tell. I just can’t tell them like I used to,” she explained. “The show is a formula that works and I just want to tell other stories.”
Patrick, meanwhile, reflected on filming the very first episode of Grey’s in the early 2000s. “I remember the Pilot, and I remember how much fun that first season was. And then how everything changed and steadily started to build, and then it becomes this huge success internationally and changed everyone’s life profoundly,” he said.
The Disney Legends honor recognizes talents who have given significant and lasting contributions to the Disney Legacy. For his part, Patrick not only starred on the hit ABC drama for over a decade, but he also charmed audiences as Amy Adam’s true love in the film, Enchanted (and the highly anticipated sequel, Disenchanted). Of course, Ellen’s being honored for not only being the led of Grey’s for 19 seasons – and counting – but also ushering the show into each evolving generation as a producer. She will be taking a hiatus from the role this year, however, to star in a new series on Hulu, another Disney-owned company.
To say it’s a treat to see Patrick and Ellen together is, of course, an understatement. After leaving the show in season eleven, Patrick returned to Grey’s last year in season 17 for an unusual arc. Derek appeared as apparition/angel in Meredith’s coma dream, as she battled COVID-19. The storyline allowed for many other fallen friends to return, like Lexie, George, and Mark.
The D23 Expo promises to be full of surprises for fans of the company’s movies, TV shows, and stars. Throughout the three-day event, there are expected to be a number of special first looks, trailer debuts, and announcements for upcoming projects.