“Grey’s Anatomy” stars Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl sat down for a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter’s “Actors on Actors” series. The interview announcement sent shockwaves across the internet, as the pair of actresses were once rumored to have feuded so much that it drove Heigl off the show. Despite the over a decade of rumors about the “Grey’s” cast, Pompeo and Heigl appeared to be happy to walk down memory lane.
The duo of actresses discussed several of the series’ most powerful scenes, including one that served as a cultural reset for Gen Z. Pompeo’s notorious “pick me, choose me, love me” speech sparked a humorous viral TikTok trend last Fall, and also sparked the discourse on what a “pick me girl” really is.
@bremuvaof4 Nah im good #pickme #chooseme #loveme #funny #jokes #kidsoftiktok
@varietymagazine #EllenPompeo and #katherineheigl talk about how #meredithgrey is the original pick me girl. #ActorsOnActors
Pompeo revealed that she initially tried to fight the scene, not wanting to “beg a man on TV.” The pair then spoke about how their children had different reactions to the scene than they were expecting. They went on to recall their creative processes while filming challenging scenes centered on love and loss.
What is a pick me girl?
The internet looked to “Grey’s Anatomy” for answers on a phenomenon that previously did not have a name. In internet culture standards, a pick me girl is defined as  is “a girl who seeks male validation by indirectly or directly insinuating that she is ‘not like the other girls,'” according to Urban Dictionary. Essentially, the “pick me girl” prioritizes male attention by demeaning female interests and lacking female friendships, in an attempt to cater to the straight male gaze.
@julietteweg @Dunkin’ sponsore me????????#elfitup #fyp #xyzbca #foryou #pov #povs
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The “Grey’s” scene was the first of its kind to inspire this terminology that has since played a sizable role in Gen Z’s interpersonal relationships. Pompeo and Heigl recall having no idea the impact on pop culture they would have from the brief scene.
Fans of the actresses and the show were quick to support their analysis on social media.
https://twitter.com/Nip_le/status/1666108125076766722?s=20
no but grey’s will forever be iconic for this scene. a true cultural reset!
— ladidai ???? go to @heyhearusout (@ladidaix) June 6, 2023
The Hollywood Reporter’s latest round of “Actors on Actors” will continue to air here.
