‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Katherine Heigl Opens Up About Tumultuous Exit 13 Years Later

Throughout its whopping 19-season run (and counting), medical drama series Grey’s Anatomy saw many landmark characters exit – some due to creative decisions, some due to behind-the-scenes feuds. One of the most shocking exits from the series was from main cast member Katherine Heigl, who played fan-favorite Isobel Stevens in the early seasons of the series. Her exit took place halfway through Season 6, and it happened after she made it publicly known that she wasn’t happy with the way the production was being conducted. The Emmy winner’s abrupt exit also harmed her character’s arc, since in the story she simply disappears and it’s not referenced for a long while.

13 years after her exit, Variety sat Heigl down with long-running star Ellen Pompeo (who recently exited the series herself) and they talked to each other about the experience of working in Grey’s Anatomy. Heigl spoke out about her tumultuous exit to her former co-star saying, “I was so naive. I got on my soapbox and I had some things to say, and I felt really passionate about this stuff. I felt really strongly. I felt so strongly that I also got a megaphone out on my soapbox.” Heigl continued, explaining that at the time she didn’t anticipate any kind of negative reaction to the things she had to say. “I felt really justified in how I felt about it and where I was coming from,” she told Pompeo.

Heigl went on to explain how that time in her life affected her, saying:

“I’ve spent most of my life — I think most women do — being in that people-pleasing mode. It’s really disconcerting when you feel like you have really displeased everybody. It was not my intention to do so, 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 late 20s. It took me until probably my mid- to late-30s to really get back to tuning out all of the noise and going, ‘But who are you? Are you this 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 felt such shame for such a long time, and then had to go, ‘Wait. Who am I listening to? I’m not even listening to myself. I know who I am.’”

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Anxiety Played A Big Part in Heigl’s Decision to Leave Grey’s Anatomy

We can’t deny that the TV industry has significantly changed in the years following Heigl’s departure from Grey’s Anatomy. Back in 2010, a toxic work environment, abuse of any kind, and listening to a woman’s voice were hardly topics that were at the forefront of any discussions, which in turn led Heigl to get a bad reputation for “being difficult.” Heigl also adds that anxiety played a huge part in the pressure she felt and the urgency to get out, saying “I was up here in my head, in my gut, in my mind, in my life. I was just vibrating at way too high of a level of anxiety.”

She went on to explain:

“For me, it’s all a bit of a blur, and it took me years to learn how to deal with that, to master it. I can’t even say that I’ve mastered it, but to even know to work on it, that anxiety and fear — and stress is stress. And if you leave stress too long, unmanaged and unaddressed, it can be debilitating.”

Back in the Grey’s era, Heigl was deemed a breakout star, which prompted studios to book her in feature films and juggle her TV and movie jobs. This certainly played a part in raising her anxiety levels and drove her away from the TV world for a good few years. Recently, she made a TV comeback by starring in shows like Suits, Doubt, and Firefly Lane – which ended its run last April.

Grey’s Anatomy is currently on hiatus, but the series has been renewed for Season 20. You can watch the conversation between Pompeo and Heigl down below.