Ellen Pompeo revealed she was recently detained by the TSA over an "expensive" snack that forced airport security to call in the bomb squad.
The Grey's Anatomy actress, 55, recalled being held for an hour ahead of a flight in March because of the "fancy" snack she was attempting to bring on board.
Travel troubles
"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 told Travel + Leisure.
"They literally held me for an hour, and they brought the bomb squad in," she added. "And I was like, what is happening? Is this a joke?"
© Getty ImagesEllen admitted she offered to throw away the seeds she purchased from the upscale Los Angeles grocery store chain, but was told by officials she needed to remain in custody while the bomb squad investigated the unopened bag.
She continued: "They said it was most likely a chemical on the packaging of these super expensive, fancy, organic, clean sunflower seeds. My protein on the plane!
"I almost missed the flight. It was really like no one would ever believe this! I was texting my publicist saying, 'I might not get on this plane, and you're never gonna guess why.'"
© Getty ImagesWhile Ellen is already anxious about flying, she said the ordeal hasn't put her off travelling, which she prefers to do with her three children Stella, 15, Sienna, 10, and Eli, eight, whom she shares with husband Chris Ivery.
"I love any kind of trip as long as my kids are with me," she explained. "I get a little bit anxious when I travel for work without my kids, but when we're all together, we try to do it all and give them a good mix [of types of trips].
© Getty Images"I like to hold my kids' hands when I take off, which is probably a little selfish, and they're probably feeling my anxiety, which probably isn't the best thing to do," she added.
"It's a privilege to be able to travel with these kids and bring them places, so I try to just have a lot of gratitude for that and show them as much as I can."
Ellen met her husband in a grocery store in 2003, and they were friends before taking their relationship to the next level.
© Variety via Getty Images"We were friends for six months," Chris told People in 2006. "Then one night, she just looked different to me."
He proposed to Ellen on her 37th birthday, and they tied the knot in 2007 in a small and private gathering at New York City Hall.
© AFP via Getty ImagesAlthough the pair prefers to keep their private life out of the spotlight, Chris shared the secret to their successful relationship in a 2019 interview with Us Weekly.
"What's the secret? We've been doing it for a long time. I think the secret is taking the time that we need."
He added: "It's just sort of supporting each other. And, obviously, with three kids, it's ample. Her on set, me downtown, it's a lot. But she's my biggest fan. I'm her biggest fan."
