Ellen Pompeo says 'Grey's Anatomy' set was so 'toxic' she almost quit the show: 'We had serious culture issues'

Ellen Pompeo is one of the most beloved and highest paid TV actresses on screen today, but her career wasn't always smooth sailing.

The "Grey's Anatomy" star opened up about her early days working the hit ABC series created by Shonda Rhimes and the difficulties she faced.

In Variety’s "Actors on Actors" interview series, the 49-year-old told "Empire" star Taraji P. Henson that she almost left the show.

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“There were many moments. It’s funny: I never wanted off the bus in the year that I could get off. The first 10 years we had serious culture issues, very bad behavior, really toxic work environment,” Pompeo revealed. “But once I started having kids, it became no longer about me. I need to provide for my family.”

The SAG-award winner has been part of "Grey's" since its debut in 2005 and welcomed daughters Sienna, 9, Stella, 4, and son Eli, 2, with husband Chris Ivery while working on the show.

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“At 40 years old, where am I ever going to get this kind of money? I need to take care of my kids. But after Season 10, we had some big shifts in front of the camera, behind the camera,” she added. “It became my goal to have an experience there that I could be happy and proud about because we had so much turmoil for 10 years."

"My mission became, this can’t be fantastic to the public and a disaster behind the scenes. Shonda Rhimes and I decided to rewrite the ending of this story. That’s what’s kept me," Pompeo admitted.

More turbulence came in Season 11 when Patrick Dempsey exited the show and “the studio and network believed the show could not go on without the male lead," according to Pompeo, but she wanted to prove that it could.

Pompeo also spoke about learning about pay parity issues. She didn't realize Dempsey was being paid "almost double what I was in the beginning" until Season 3 when renegotiations were happening. "He had a television quote. I had never done TV,” she explained. When she asked about her salary, writers would tell her, “He’s done 13 pilots."

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Pompeo signed a new contract in January 2018 and according to The Hollywood Reporter renegotiated a $20 million salary per season through Season 17.

"Grey’s Anatomy" Season 16 will debut in fall 2019 on ABC.