Katherine Heigl, best known for her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey’s Anatomy, reportedly came close to blocking the release of her candid Actors on Actors interview with former co-star Ellen Pompeo. The 47-year-old actress allegedly feared she had revealed too much about her past controversies during the 2023 sit-down.
During a recent episode of the Viall Files podcast, Variety Editor-at-Large Kate Aurthur shared that Heigl went into “full panic mode” after filming the conversation. Aurthur revealed that Heigl’s manager even considered stopping the footage from being aired. “Her manager freaked out. She was maybe not going to release the footage,” Aurthur said, adding, “I was out there. She was there crying.”
Aurthur reassured Heigl, telling her, “The world has changed. You were right most of the time. People now understand that.” The interview, which also included Heigl’s husband accompanying her, ultimately aired successfully. Aurthur noted that once it went public, her manager admitted she had been right about the footage.
Heigl, who left Grey’s Anatomy in 2010, has often been labeled “difficult” in Hollywood. She had previously criticized the show’s writing and even withdrew her name from Emmy consideration in 2008. In the recent chat with Pompeo, Heigl revisited those challenging years with honesty and reflected on the backlash she received. She also admitted that the criticism left her feeling anxious and questioning her character, wondering if she was perceived as a “bad” person.
