Ellen Pompeo

Pompeo was born in Everett, Massachusetts on November 10, 1969. Her father was born in Gesualdo, Italy and was of Italian, English, and Irish descent; and her mother of Irish ancestry. She was raised as a Catholic. Her mother died of an accidental painkiller overdose when she was four. Her father remarried soon after; he died on September 1, 2012. In 2006, Pompeo said, "I think having my mother die at such a very young age—when she was 39—[made me] appreciate life so much." She has five older siblings: three sisters and two brothers. She was nicknamed "the pencil", and "stracciatella" (gelato flavor). She worked as a bartender in Miami when she started dating her then boyfriend. They moved to New York City in 1995, where she was approached by a casting director to appear in ads for Citibank and L'Oreal.