After 11 seasons of playing Meredith Grey on the ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," actress Ellen Pompeo could be ready to give up acting.
The 44-year-old actress appeared at a BuzzFeed event Wednesday, which was hosted by the lead female actresses in Shonda Rhimes' other dramas, including "Scandal" star Kerry Washington and "How to Get Away with Murder" actress Viola Davis.
"I definitely don't have a strong desire to act after 'Grey's'," Pompeo said. "I definitely feel myself transitioning. I don't find acting terribly empowering. For the place I am in my life, I think my age, once I hit 40, I feel differently. I don't necessarily want to work for other people.
"I mean, never say never, I'm not going to come out and make one of those statements like, 'I'm retiring' and then in February come back. I try to keep an open heart, an open mind, an open soul and spirit to whatever comes my way, and whatever is meant to be for me will be."
The actress talked candidly about having a future in business when asked about her foray into producing with her production company, Calamity Jane. She is set to executive produce an ABC Family series based on the 2013 Rachel Carey novel "Debt".
Pompeo called acting a "wonderful opportunity," however it hasn't satisfied her need for accomplishment.
"Maybe part of my personality is I feel like I have something to prove sometimes," Pompeo added. "And with acting, I don't feel like I have anything to prove anymore - even though I have no awards! I just feel like I'd like to see if I can do something different and be successful at something different."
Her character has survived several near-death experiences in the show, including drowning, a hospital shooting and a horrific plane crash.
The Golden Globe-nominated actress will be returning for season 11 and 12 of the ABC drama. It has been rumored that a 13th season might also be in the works.
"'Grey's' is in 97 countries or something, and we've had this blessing of all these wonderful fans who still love us 10 years later, I feel like I did it and I don't have anything left to prove and I'd like to try to challenge myself," she explained. "I feel like I got the acting thing. I'd like to see if I can be something different and be successful at something different. I feel like I'm very successful at acting. ... For my journey, I feel like, OK, I did the absolute top of what I could do in television and I'd like to try a new sport and see if I'm any good at something else."
"Grey's Anatomy's" 11th season premieres Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
