“Social media changed. Fans have passionate feelings, and I was always fine with that,”Rhimes, who stopping acting as the series' showrunner in 2015, told the publication. “I understand that the characters felt like their friends. They were my imaginary friends too. That’s why I was writing them. And I think people just had very strong feelings about what happened with their friends. But then it became weird.
“I wanted to just be able to walk out my front door and hang out with my kids and not be worried. I would lay awake at night with stress,” she continued. “I had some very helpful friends who’d had similar experiences, who were able to give me a lot of perspective, and who were adamant that if you can’t live normally then you’re not going to be able to live.”Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
"I have a 19-year-old who finds it horrifying that I've written a show that all of her friends have seen multiple times. And so she has never seen it. And I have to say, I think that might be the best compliment ever," she continued.