Ellen Pompeo, star of ABC’s medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, has recently been crowned TV’s highest paid actress.
Based on her latest negotiations, Pompeo will be earning more than $20 million a year. This includes “$575,000 per episode, a seven-figure signing bonus, and two full backend equity points on the series, estimated to bring in another $6 or $7 million,” reports The Hollywood Reporter. She will also receive a producing fee plus backend on a new Grey’s Anatomy spinoff, among several other concurrent ventures.
Read: Hershey’s CEO on Professional Growth and Women in Business
So how did a girl from a blue-collar, mob-ridden Boston suburb get to this point?
Not only does she have TV powerhouse and Grey’s creator Shonda Rhimes on her side, but also she learned one key to salary negotiation early on: ask for what you think you’re worth.
Read: Time’s Up: What Makes Hollywood’s New Anti-Harassment Initiative So Revolutionary
Pompeo told The Hollywood Reporter that men go into negotiations “hard and ask for the world.” Women must do the same, eschewing the perspective of not being deserving or not asking for fear of upsetting others. Rather than worry about being perceived as greedy, women must assess what they believe their worth to be, and ask for it. No one will give it to you if you don’t ask for it.
