Ellen Pompeo’s latest travel tale is less first-class and more… first alert.
The Grey’s Anatomy star revealed she was detained by TSA in March after attempting to board a flight with a bag of Erewhon-brand organic sunflower seeds—yes, really. In a new interview with Travel + Leisure, Pompeo, 55, recalled, “They literally held me for an hour and brought the bomb squad in.”
The culprit? According to security, it was likely a chemical on the ultra-premium seed packaging that triggered alarms. “I asked, ‘Is this a joke?’” Pompeo laughed. It wasn’t. Despite her offer to toss the pricey snack, officials insisted on waiting for bomb squad clearance before letting her go. “I almost missed the flight,” she said.
Travel drama aside, Pompeo remains a dedicated globetrotter. Her must-haves? Mints, baby wipes, and a wipe-down routine inspired by Naomi Campbell. But her most important travel companions are her kids—Stella, Sienna, and Eli—and husband Chris Ivery.
Though she admits to being a nervous flyer, Pompeo finds comfort in holding her children’s hands during takeoff—an anxiety-soothing tactic she calls “probably a little selfish,” but undeniably sweet. One thing’s for sure: she’ll never pack Erewhon seeds again.
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