Katherine Heigl let those nasty Grey’s Anatomy rumors stew for more than 11 years, and now she has decided to address them finally.
However, it seems that her decision to talk about what indeed led her to exit the hit series has created even more chatter, and Patrick Dempsey‘s name is mentioned.
When Shonda Rhimes, the series creator, showrunner, and writer, decided to let Katherine Heigl go in 2010, not many people were surprised.
Heigl, who took on the role of Dr. Izzie Stephens on the medical drama, caused some major drama off-camera. Her performance on the ABC show led to her winning an Emmy in season two.
Quickly after, she clashed with the series’ creative team, which prompted her to say that she would not submit herself for an award during the third season because she deemed the writers failed with her storyline.
In 2007, Heigl refused to renegotiate her contract without a pay raise and demanded that Isaiah Washington get fired, and she got her way.
It was claimed that she departed Grey’s Anatomy because of her ungratefulness to the gig.
Other reports said that she was pushed out because of the many controversies that she contributed to. The 42-year-old star did an interview with author Lynette Rice for her new book, How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy, where she explained that her decision to leave was based on the fact that she became a mother.
In an excerpt that was published in The Daily Telegraph, she confessed that after adopting Nancy Leigh, now 12, with her husband, Josh Kelley, her perspective on life changed.
The Firefly Lane star said: “I started a family, and it changed everything. It changed my desire to work full-time. I went on family leave…and just got to be a mom, and it changed my whole perspective…that was really the turning point.”
The Knocked Up actress went on to reveal that she spoke with Shonda Rhimes about her desire to focus on her daughter and went on to dispel these rumors: “So before I was due back, I spoke again to Shonda about wanting to leave. Then I waited at home until I was given the formal okay that I was off the show. The rumors that I refused to return were totally untrue.”
The 27 Dresses actress said that she regrets not defending herself against the chatter that ruined her reputation as a person and actress.
She stated: “The ‘ungrateful’ thing bothers me the most. And that is my fault. I allowed myself to be perceived that way. So much about living life, to me, is about humility and gratitude. And I’ve tried very hard to have those qualities and be that person, and I’m just so disappointed in myself that I allowed it to slip.”
Lynette Rice spoke to other sources, who did not paint a rosy portrait of Katherine Heigl’s character.
According to the book, a former ABC Studios executive said that that then-ABC network president Steve McPherson and Rhimes “were so fed up with it all, they just said, “Get her out.'”
Another insider added: “There were two sides to that story. Katie was just beaten up for having an opinion, for being successful, for not kissing the ring. She became much bigger than Patrick Dempsey, but she didn’t have a penis.”
Heigl is trying to rebound.
