On January 17, 2018, it was announced by ABC that Ellen Pompeo's contract had been renewed through season 16. Not only does the contract renewal secure Pompeo's return as Meredith Grey, but it also makes her a producer of "Grey's Anatomy" and a co-executive producer of the spin-off series. The deal will make Pompeo the highest-paid actress currently on a dramatic TV series, with her making $575,000 per episode and over $20 million yearly. On May 10, 2019, Pompeo extended her contract through the seventeenth season after ABC renewed the show for seasons 16 and 17.