Even if you’re a seasoned traveler, flying can still be stressful, and actress Ellen Pompeo was recently reminded of how true that is. In an interview with Travel + Leisure, the Grey’s Anatomy star revealed that she was recently detained by the TSA for so long that she almost missed her flight, and in the end, it was over something so ridiculous that it’s hard to believe this really happened.
Considering her career in the entertainment industry, it’s no surprise that Ellen travels regularly, and it sounds like she’s got the process down to a science. But what unfolded during a flight she took in March was something even she couldn’t have anticipated.
“I had a bag of sunflower seeds, like organic sunflower seeds from Erewhon, so they were probably the most expensive sunflower seeds money can buy,” she said. “They literally held me for an hour, and they brought the bomb squad in. And I was like, what is happening? Is this a joke?”
Apparently, there was likely a chemical in the packaging of the seeds that was flagged, but that doesn’t make the situation any less frustrating. She even tried leaving the sunflower seeds behind so she could go ahead and catch her flight, but the TSA needed her to stay until after the investigation was completed.
“I almost missed the flight. It was really like no one would ever believe this!” she said. “I was texting my publicist saying, ‘I might not get on this plane, and you’re never gonna guess why.’”
Fortunately, traveling is usually less eventful for her, and as she told the magazine, she likes to keep a low profile, which means she does everything she can to avoid being recognized by fans, along with staying as comfortable as possible at the same time.
“You want to be comfy. Planes are so disgusting,” she shared with the magazine. “I just usually have a hat on, and I don’t speak. People recognize my voice, so I try not to talk. I try to use sign language with my kids. The minute I open my mouth, everybody turns.”
After more than 20 seasons of Grey’s, it’s no wonder that her voice is what always gives her away!
Here’s hoping Ellen doesn’t experience another run-in with the TSA like this one. Something tells us she won’t be bringing sunflower seeds as her in-flight protein again!
