Katherine Heigl recently addressed the long-standing rumor that she turned down an Emmy nomination in 2008 for her role in Grey’s Anatomy.
The actress, who won an Emmy for playing Izzie Stevens on the hit medical drama in 2007, cleared the air during her recent appearance on Shannen Doherty’s show. Let’s be clear podcast.
“I don’t know anyone but you who has ever turned down an Emmy nomination,” Doherty said, to which Heigl added, “Well, I didn’t, and everyone keeps saying that. I didn’t turn it down.”
“You have to show up,” she continued. “You have to present your work and then they deliberate and then decide if they want to give you a nomination. I just didn’t present my work that year.”
“I would take that nomination if I got it. I wouldn’t mind. But I knew there wasn’t anything that really warranted it that year and I was trying to be honorable, I guess. I was trying to have some integrity. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk.”
Katherine Heigl recently addressed the long-standing rumor that she turned down an Emmy nomination in 2008 for her role in Grey’s Anatomy; (photo from January)
The actress, who won an Emmy for playing Izzie Stevens on the hit medical drama in 2007, cleared the air during her recent appearance on Shannen Doherty’s Let’s Be Clear podcast.
News of Heigl’s decision to withdraw from Emmy consideration sparked controversy, especially since she had won Best Supporting Actress the previous year.
In a 2008 statement, Heigl explained: “I did not feel I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the Academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” the star told Doherty on the podcast. “I should have said, ‘Oh, I forgot (to send my work),’ because it created a whirlwind that was unnecessary, and it really was.”
“I wanted to make a little sarcastic comment about my material that year, but I didn’t feel like doing that either. I didn’t think I had anything that was even worthy of being considered for a nomination. I just wasn’t proud of my work.”
She continued: “I would never be so bold or arrogant as to turn down a nomination.”
Last year, she opened up about being labeled “difficult” following that controversy, among others, during an interview with Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo for Variety actors on actors segment.
Heigl left in 2010 amid rumors of on-set disputes and a reputation for being a “difficult” person to work with.
Speaking about the exit, Heigl said: “I was very naive. I got up on my soapbox and I had some things to say, and I felt really passionate about it all.”
“I don’t know anyone but you who has ever turned down an Emmy nomination,” Doherty said, to which Heigl added: “Well, I didn’t, and everyone keeps saying the same thing. I didn’t turn it down” (pictured, 2007).
“I knew there was nothing that really warranted one that year, and I guess I was trying to be honorable. I was trying to have some integrity. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have said, ‘Oh, I forgot (to submit my work),’ because it created such an unnecessary mess, and it really did.”
News of Heigl’s decision to withdraw from Emmy consideration sparked controversy, especially since she had won Best Supporting Actress the previous year.
She continued: “I felt very strongly. I felt so strongly that I also took a megaphone to my stand. There was no part of me that imagined a bad reaction.
‘I felt really justified in how I felt about it and for my own reasons. I’ve spent most of my life (I think most women have) trying to please other people.
“It’s really disconcerting when you feel like you’ve upset everyone. I didn’t mean to do it, but I had some things to say and I didn’t think I was going to get such a strong reaction.
‘I was in my mid-20s. It took me until my mid- to late 30s to tune out all the noise again and think, ‘Who are you? Are you a bad person? Are you ungrateful? Are you unprofessional? Are you difficult?’
Because I was confused! I thought maybe I was. I literally believed that version and I felt so embarrassed for a long time, and then I had to say, “Wait. Who am I listening to? I’m not even listening to myself. I know who I am.”
Katherine also described how the “confidence” she gained from starring on the hit show led her to become “outspoken.”
‘Then came Grey’ and success came. I think that gave me a confidence that was a false sense of confidence. It was rooted in something that couldn’t and maybe wouldn’t always last for me.
“So I started talking a lot, because I had a lot to say and there were certain boundaries and things I didn’t like to cross. I didn’t know how to fight against that.”
In January, Katherine reunited with her former Grey’s Anatomy co-star Ellen Pompeo and the cast of the hit show at the 2024 Emmys, 14 years after she left the show (pictured: Chandra Wilson, Justin Chambers, Pompeo, Heigl and James Pickens Jr.).
After a decade-long absence, Heigl returned to the Emmys in January.
She reunited with her former Grey’s Anatomy castmates, including Pompeo, Justin Chambers, James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson.
The reunited cast delighted audiences by revealing the nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Beyond their roles as hosts, they celebrated the important legacy of Grey’s Anatomy, which just reached its historic 20th season.