‘It Was Challenging For Me’: Grey’s Anatomy Star Gets Real About Working With Ellen Pompeo On Big Surgery Scene

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Just a heads-up: the following contains minor spoilers for the October 23rd episode of Grey’s Anatomy, titled “Between Two Lungs.” If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch Season 22 on Hulu.

Season 22 of Grey’s Anatomy has already delivered some dramatic medical emergencies, including a severe injury in its 450th episode. While a chest impalement was memorable, Anthony Hill highlights a different episode – “Between Two Lungs” – as particularly special because his character, Winston Ndugu, got to collaborate with Meredith Grey on a challenging surgery. Working with Dr. Grey is a significant moment, and Hill notes that acting alongside Ellen Pompeo herself was equally exciting.

Anthony Hill started on Grey’s Anatomy near the end of Season 16. While he wasn’t the newest doctor, he was still relatively new to the show, and he admitted that working with established actors like Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., and Ellen Pompeo was a bit intimidating. He was particularly excited about the October 23rd episode, which marked the first time his character worked on a case with Meredith and Winston, and he shared his enthusiasm with US Weekly, saying:

I have to say, getting to really work with Ellen Pompeo on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ – not just a quick hello in the halls, but collaborating on an actual medical case – was such a treat. It was especially exciting when our characters had different ideas about the best way to handle things; it made the scenes so much more engaging and interesting to play.

This case centered around a complex lung transplant where both parents were donating a portion of their lungs to help their son.

Winston worried about the surgery because it could permanently impact his entire family, even if everything went well. He also admitted he enjoyed playing the rebel, even if it meant challenging the popular Dr. Meredith Grey. He then stated:

Working on this project was fast-paced and demanding, which I really liked. Plus, acting alongside Ellen was a fantastic experience – it’s something I’ve wanted to do in a medical drama for a long time, and I’m having a great time.

Anthony Hill was thrilled to act alongside both Ellen Pompeo and Scott Speedman, who plays Nick Marsh, Meredith’s love interest and a transplant surgeon. Hill went on to say:

I really enjoy working on this show because I admire the actors and the characters they play. Plus, being involved in a compelling medical drama is incredibly satisfying – it’s what makes the show so great.

More on Grey’s Anatomy

Honestly, when I first saw that episode of Grey’s Anatomy, it completely floored me. And I just read that Shonda Rhimes herself agrees – she thinks that one death, a really big one, went way too far. I have to say, I completely agree with her! It was shocking, yes, but also just… too much, even for that show. It’s good to see she acknowledges that sometimes, even a show known for drama can cross a line, and she was right to recognize that moment.

It sounds like the situation was especially successful because Winston was able to quickly find solutions when problems came up during surgery, ultimately saving the patients. Hopefully, Anthony Hill’s performance impressed Ellen Pompeo and Scott Speedman just as much as Winston earned the admiration of Meredith and Nick.

It remains to be seen what Season 22 holds for Winston, but many viewers are excited for Jesse Williams’ return as Dr. Jackson Avery in the upcoming episode, “Goodbye Horses.” Watch Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, or stream it on Hulu the next day.

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2025-10-27 02:38