New Zealand TV Guide - July 7 to 13 issue

TV GUIDE
by Jenny Cooney Carrillo.

TV GUIDE: How did you feel when it was suggested that Meredith almost drowned because she didn't want to save herself?

EP: One episode I could be completely happy and the next episode I'm trying to commit suicide. Of course it was a surprise and then I just had to figure out how Meredith got to that place and hope the audience would stay with me. I think what was frustrating was after that near-death experience when she had this revelation that Derek was a great guy and she wanted to live for him, then she comes back and everything goes back to normal. It didn't seem to have taken me anywhere significantly, which is why I think the whole three-part ferry episode was just a distraction from what was going on with Isaiah and everything behind the scenes on our show at the time.

TV GUIDE: Do you think she and Derek will stay together?

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EP: I have no idea what will happen. I'm extremely sick of talking about Meredith and Derek - although I'd rather talk about them than have no job!(laughs). If you break up with people that much, you will never have someone. The reality is that nobody is perfect and relationships are a lot of work. You get out of them what you put in. So you have to have faith in people and it's not a great human characteristic to just walk away from someone who does one thing that bothers you. I don't understand how they can be so attracted to each other yet they keep walking away from each other. I would love to sit here and justify Meredith's actions but none of it makes any sense to me.

TV GUIDE:Was it as tumultuous year as it looked from the outside for all of you? (Isaiah had a highly publicized run-in with T.R. Knight, who plays George O'Malley, about him being Gay)

EP: In anybody's workplace, whether it's a bank or a grocery store, there will be problems and people won't get along. But in our job it's exacerbated because we spend 17 or 18 hours a day working with each other. So we're bound to get on each other's nerves. Our lives are completely public so it heightens the situation. But it's really just a part of life.

TV GUIDE: What do you think of Meredith's friendship with Cristina?

EP: I love Sandra. She takes her craft very seriously but we have a great time together. I think it's interesting that Meredith can accept flaws in her friends but can't accept any flaws in Derek. I don't understand why their friendship isn't stronger because she clearly understands the elements of friendship when you look at how close she and Cristina have become.

TV GUIDE: Do you think Meredith and Derek will get married?

EP: We've had enough weddings for a while with George and Callie and our season finale. I don't think marriage will fix things for Derek and Meredith but if we do it, we'll have to save the wedding for the next finale because every year we end up in big, puffy dresses!

TV GUIDE: How is your own relationship with record producer Chris Ivery different to that of Meredith & Derek?

EP: Chris is incredibly patient and he is an amazing support system for me. Maybe that's why I am so confused by Meredith & Derek because I seem to have such a somewhat healthy relationship. That's not to say everyday is rosy but you wake up in a relationship sometimes knowing some days are going to be great, some days are going to be terrible and you are just going to be there for each other anyway. We have a lot in common because we grew up in the same town and have the same sense of humour and a very strong bond.

TV GUIDE: Are you planning to marry soon, perhaps this summer?

EP: We were planning to get married in Italy but decided to wait, because we are travelling to five countries so I can promote the show. It seemed like too much work to try to squeeze another country in, as well as trying to plan a wedding in the midst of all that.

TV GUIDE: What do you think of the new spin-off show featuring your co-star Kate Walsh?

EP: I'm really happy for Kate and I think it's really what she wanted. She's hilarious and I think it's going to be great. I think it's going to be more comedic than Greys because I know Kate has strong comedic skills so they would be crazy not to write to her strengths.

Source: TV Guide NZ, transcript by merderforever