People online and all over the world are cheering on actress, producer and now activist Ellen Pompeo after she called out a crew in the middle of an interview for not being diverse enough.
The interview was conducted by Porter magazine, alongside Gabrielle Union, Emma Roberts and Gina Rodriquez for the Women in Television issue.
(MORE: 'Grey's Anatomy' star Ellen Pompeo's secrets to success: Be a problem solver)ellen pompeo SNAPPED pic.twitter.com/CUjIchreUW
— izabelle (@meredithsgrwy) November 16, 2018
And while she said there were a lot of women in the room, the "Grey's Anatomy" star was disappointed with the lack of color behind the lens.
"This day has been incredible, and there’s a ton of women in the room, but, I don’t see enough color. And I didn’t see enough color when I walked in the room today," she opens.
She then tells the camera that she had a recent meeting with a director for another endorsement and that when she walks in, she would like to see the crew represent the world she lives in and sees everyday.
(MORE: 'Grey's Anatomy' star Ellen Pompeo: What worries me about my children's health)"As Caucasian people, it's our job. It’s our task, it’s our responsibility to make sure we speak up in every single room we walk into. It’s our job because we created the problem,” she added.
As Caucasian people, it's our job. It’s our task, it’s our responsibility to make sure we speak up in every single room we walk into. It’s our job because we created the problem.
Online, people of all color are applauding such a statement coming from someone who could have finished the interview and just gone home without saying anything at all.
One fan wrote, "I love Ellen Pompeo so much. She normalizes the idea of diversity for other white people who don’t understand it. Instead of acting like she should be praised for it, she recognizes that it is NORMAL to want and have diversity and representation."
I love Ellen Pompeo so much. She normalizes the idea of diversity for other white people who don’t understand it. Instead of acting like she should be praised for it, she recognizes that it is NORMAL to want and have diversity and representation. https://t.co/hMVEa1D5Qg
— sai (@Saisailu97) November 20, 2018
Another called out the fact that this is how white allies should act and help those of different races to hopefully level the playing field for all people.
when i say ellen pompeo, y’all say the definition of ally pic.twitter.com/kxESqyRdBO
— aisha™ (@aularentsvinyl) November 20, 2018
Even Dictionary.com made a joke about Pompeo's viral moment.
"Ally. A person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose," the site wrote. "E.g. Ellen Pompeo."
Ally. A person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose.
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) November 20, 2018
E.g. Ellen Pompeo https://t.co/3m3FO1ibb6 https://t.co/mncdSd8sVm
Here are others who also spoke up.
https://t.co/uycIP8GfAC @EllenPompeo thanks for saying what we notice for years ????????
— Belinda ward (@ward_reckly456) November 20, 2018
It's so important that each industry reflects the diverse world that we live in, actress Ellen Pompeo, emphatically speaks to this need in a poignant clip. #DiversityandInclusion https://t.co/j6d61XzvyZ
— @DaniMonroe (@DaniMonroeCDO) November 20, 2018
When @EllenPompeo said “white people created this problem” pic.twitter.com/YpcBRUvR2r
— Prentice Penny (@The_A_Prentice) November 20, 2018
Gabrielle Union herself tweeted to comedian Jenny Yang that she should watch the "entire" interview.
Please take the time to watch the entire video. Whooooooooaaaanelly. https://t.co/Ar1JQFqNf6
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) November 20, 2018
"Whooooooooaaaanelly," she wrote!
