A former child model and supporting actress in teen-oriented projects like the WB series “Roswell,” Katherine Heigl was elevated to star status in the mid-2000s with her Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning turn as Dr. Izzie Stevens on “Grey’s Anatomy” and in Judd Apatow’s hit comedy “Knocked Up.” Labeled the next “It Girl” by Vanity Fair, Heigl’s momentum appeared to be derailed by an interview with the magazine labeled the Apatow film as sexist and her role as “humorless and uptight.” Such opinions appeared to brand her as “difficult” – a kiss of death term for actresses in a male-dominated industry. Reflecting on the response to the Washington Post (via BBC News) in 2021, Heigl said, “I may have said a couple of things you didn’t like, but then that escalated to ‘she’s ungrateful,’ then that escalated to ‘she’s difficult,’ and that escalated to ‘she’s unprofessional.'”
Heigl also voiced her disapproval of storylines for her “Grey’s Anatomy” character, prompting speculation that she would leave the series. The rumors came to pass at the midpoint of Season 6, when she failed to show up for filming; series creator Shonda Rhimes released her from her contract, which allowed Heigl to focus on her film career.
Unfortunately, a string of hits that included “The Ugly Truth” and “Killers” gave way to a wave of flops such as “One for the Money” and “The Big Wedding.” The negative press that painted Heigl as “difficult” only made matters worse, and by the 2010s, films like “Home Sweet Hell” and “Unforgettable” were only earning limited theatrical or video-on-demand releases. Attempts to return to network roles on “State of Affairs” and “Doubt” both vanished without a trace, though a two-season stint on “Suits” and her Netflix series “Firefly Lane” fared slightly better.
For more latest TV News Click Here