Katherine Heigl skipped her Cristina, notable characters have come and gone. Typically, the sendoffs are meaningful and memorable.
One glaring exception, however, is the exit of Izzie Stevens. Portrayed by Heigl, who remained on the ABC show from its debut in 2005 until 2010, Izzie was involved in some of the drama’s most notable moments. Heigl even won an Emmy in 2007, in the Outstanding ing Actress category, for her performance. Izzie’s importance in the early success of Grey’s Anatomy made it all the more jarring when she departed in the middle of season 6. New remarks by showrunner Krista Vernoff shed some light on the original plan for the character.
During a wide-ranging interview with the Alex Karev (Justin Chambers). Vernoff, who held the role of showrunner from 2007 to 2011, before returning to the position in season 14, says that she was informed that Heigl wasn’t going to film the episode. You can read Vernoff’s full quote below.
“We had planned to have her come back for an episode to really properly tie up Izzie and Alex. And I wrote that episode, and it was beautiful. The day before it was supposed to start prepping or shooting, I can’t , we got a call that Katie wasn’t coming. Just wasn’t coming. Wasn’t going to do it. It became my job to stay up all night for multiple nights and reimagine a script that didn’t include Izzie. And for years and years and years and years and years, the fans scream at us, “How could you?” Well, that’s the behind-the-scenes story. That’s what happened. I’m not saying that to bash Katie. I don’t know what was happening in her life. I don’t know what led to that decision. All I know is that the night before a thing is supposed to start shooting that is entirely centered on one character and the completion of her story arc, I got a phone call that she wasn’t coming to do it. That’s what it is to be a TV writer and producer. So, yeah, do I wish I could go back and do that differently? Sure.”
Sources close to Heigl dispute the claim, telling George as a “ratings ploy.” In another flare-up, Heigl’s opted out of the Emmy race in 2008 because she felt that the material she’d been given was insufficient. Though the comment reportedly angered writers and producers of the medical drama, series creator Shonda Rhimes said she did not feel insulted by Heigl’s viewpoint. Still, with rumors of friction persisting for most of Grey’s Anatomy’s sixth season, Heigl was ultimately released from her contract.
Heigl has not appeared on Grey’s Anatomy since her abrupt exit a decade ago, but fans have received a bit of closure with regards to Izzie. In the season 16 episode “Leave a Light On”, it’s revealed that Izzie and Alex have gotten back together. The couple live on a farm in Kansas, raising their young twins. It’s also mentioned that Izzie works as a surgical oncologist. For now, that off-screen resolution will have to suffice as this latest public spat suggests that Heigl won’t be returning to Grey’s Anatomy anytime soon.
Source: Los Angeles Times, EW
