'No,' Denzel Washington Does Not Recall Going 'Ham' on Ellen Pompeo

Entertainment

By ShaCamree Gowdy Published: January 10, 2022

‘No,’ Denzel Washington Does Not Recall Going ‘Ham’ on Ellen Pompeo

Director-actor Denzel Washington attends "The Great Debaters" film premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007 in New York. In a recent interview with Variety, Washington said he doesn't recall a "spat" he had with Ellen Pompeo while directing an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" in 2016. Pompeo previously claimed the two got into a heated debate when she gave someone an order during filming. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

In Summary

Actress Ellen Pompeo seems to have a vivid recollection of her spat with Denzel Washington when he directed an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” but he certainly doesn’t.

Denzel Washington has already admitted he doesn’t remember everything he says when playing a particular role, and we can now add “spat with Ellen Pompeo” to that list.

Television’s beloved Meredith Grey faced criticism last year after recalling an incident in which Washington “went ham” on her while directing “The Sound of Silence,” the ninth episode of Grey’s Anatomy‘s 12th season, in 2016.

Pompeo shared her recollection of events with co-star Patrick Dempsey during an episode of her Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo podcast.

“I was like, ‘Look at me when you apologize. Look at me,’” she recalled yelling at another actor, per Complex. “And that wasn’t in the dialogue. And Denzel went ham on my ass. He was like, ‘I’m the director. Don’t you tell him what to do.’”

Pompeo went on to share her not-so-nice response, in which she told Washington, “‘Listen, motherfucker, this is my show. This is my set. Who are you telling?'”

Pompeo acknowledged it’s not unheard of for actors to get into heated disagreements on set, because that’s where the magic and good stuff comes from—but Washington has no recollection of the argument.

When asked about the incident in an interview with Variety, the award-winning actor said nothing more than, “No, no,” before adding, “But it’s all good.”

Start Your Day hosts Sharon Reed and Mike Hill previously discussed Pompeo’s claims surrounding the debate with the esteemed actor and director.

“I think, in the pure sense, you have a white woman, who is working at the highest level … they’re just two actors who got into it,” said Reed. “But when we hear about a white woman barking and clapping at Denzel… that’s a problem.”

“The Sound of Silence” has been lauded by fans and television critics alike as one of the best Grey’s Anatomy episodes ever, with many praising Washington’s direction. It is Washington’s lone television directing credit to date.