Ellen Pompeo’s love story with music producer Chris Ivery began in an unexpected place—a grocery store in Los Angeles. Their chance encounter happened in 2003, setting the stage for a romance that would flourish over the years.
During a 2022 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Pompeo shared insights into their initial interactions. Accompanied by a mutual friend, the future Grey’s Anatomy star exchanged a brief hello with Ivery. Following this, he began calling her frequently, but she was hesitant to reciprocate. “You’re rude. You won’t call me back,” he eventually confronted her. Pompeo candidly replied, “Well, because I’m not trying to go on a date with you.” He quipped back, “Who’s trying to go on a date with you? I don’t even know you,” which paved the way for an intriguing dynamic between the two.
Pompeo humorously recounted that their relationship started off with a “fight.” She elaborated, “That’s kind of always the way to my heart, is like, piss me off and I’m all yours.” This fiery beginning laid the foundation for a deep connection that would see them tie the knot in 2007.
The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Stella, in 2009, followed by another daughter, Sienna, in 2014, and son Christopher in 2016. Reflecting on their journey, Pompeo described their experience as “two kids who made it out and then landed in Hollywood and jumped on this ride.” In a 2025 interview on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, she expressed disbelief at the success they had achieved, stating, “We just couldn’t believe that something was actually happening—that it was great, that I had this great job and we were getting to travel all over the world.”
