Katherine Heigl's infamous exit from Grey's Anatomy led to a whole lot of drama off-screen. There were bold statements made, tensions with show creators, and a sullied reputation that almost ruined her career. More than a decade after her departure, the controversy is still being talked about.
In a radio show, Heigl opened up about why she decided to leave the hit ABC drama and why she also stopped watching almost immediately after she left.
Scroll down to see what she had to say.
"I was breaking. It was breaking me. And I was young, I didn't know how to get through it," Heigl tells SiriusXM host Bevy Smith.
The actress explained that the level of intensity she was operating on at the time was too much for her to handle and she just "fled in panic."
She also admitted that she feels some regret and reflects that if she had given herself a break, maybe they would have made it work. "I look back at it and sometimes I go, 'God, I wish I had just calmed down a moment. Taken a breath, thought it through, had some conversations about this possibility."
In a 2010 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Heigl cited motherhood as the reason for her exit. According to her, she spoke with showrunner Shonda Rhimes about leaving and was given formal permission that she was off the show. “I just felt like I couldn’t sacrifice my relationship with my child,” she explained.
The controversial exit led to a slew of negative labels. Heigl was branded "ungrateful" and "difficult to work with" for years to come. Rumors of a falling out with Rhimes also became clear, as the famous producer has been vocal about her dislike of the actress.
According to writer Krista Vernoff, Izzie was supposed to come back to resolve her story arc. The script was ready and they were already prepping but Heigl was a no-show.
"The day before it was supposed to start prepping or shooting, I can’t remember, we got a call that Katie wasn’t coming. Just wasn’t coming," Vernoff told LA Times.
When asked in the radio interview if she still watches the show. Heigl laughed and said she stopped watching around the same time she left (in season 6). She explained that she was feeling massive FOMO from seeing her buddies on-screen and not being part of the experience anymore. So, she tuned out and moved on with her life.
"I have to move on with my life. I made that choice. So, be a big girl. Let it go."
