Ellen Pompeo received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this week.
The "Grey's Anatomy" and "Good American Family" actress was honored during a ceremony on Tuesday and said it had "taken me a long time to get my star on the Walk of Fame, but the truth is, I have been surrounded by stars my entire career."
"This doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen easily," she continued. "It takes a village. I have been so lucky to be surrounded by a lot of stars who do their thing everyday and who do it brilliantly in this town."
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She thanked her team, as well as all the "brilliant women" who have surrounded her throughout her career, including "Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes and Disney president Dana Walden.
Pompeo is known for her portrayal of Dr. Meredith Grey on "Grey's Anatomy," in which she's starred in for 20 years. Over the years, Pompeo has served as an executive producer for the show. She also is a co-executive producer on "Station 19," which is a spinoff of "Grey's Anatomy."
In 2007, Pompeo's performance as Meredith earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best performance by a female actress in a television series - drama.
She recently starred in the Hulu limited series "Good American Family."
During Tuesday's Walk of Fame ceremony, Pompeo was celebrated by Rhimes and Debbie Allen, who plays Dr. Catherine Fox on "Grey's Anatomy" and also serves as an executive producer and director.
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Speaking during the ceremony, Rhimes recalled a lunch she had with Pompeo not long after Pompeo was cast in "Grey's Anatomy." Rhimes said she remembered going home after their meeting, where she wrote about Pompeo in her journal, "This girl is a spitfire. She will lay you out with the truth, up, down and sideways."
"I was absolutely thrilled and a little bit terrified," she added. "Because it's rare to meet somebody like her. Very few people are who they present themselves to be. But Ellen is exactly who she says she is."
Rhimes then turned to Pompeo and said, "You're one of a kind."
She went on to say that Pompeo "is Meredith Grey" because "she is so good at playing her role."
In a separate speech, Allen said of Pompeo, "I don't know anyone who comes to the set and makes sure everyone has what they need and orders vegan food, even though they want meat."
"She always has ideas about her character," she continued. "She comes from a place of real truth."
Also in attendance were actors Christina Hendricks and Dash Mihok and Pompeo's husband, Chris Ivery.
