Katherine Heigl Withdraws From Emmy Consideration
Katherine Heigl is at it again.
Call her what you want - the beautiful and talented star always speaks her mind. This time, the actress is not up for consideration at this year's Emmy Awards.
Heigl herself isn't seeking a nomination.
Her reasoning? Grey's Anatomy didn't provide the material this season for her character to produce an Emmy award-worthy performance.
Heigl, who was honored as Best Supporting Actress in a drama last year, has declined to put her name under consideration for a bid.
"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 decided against competing," Katherine Heigl said in a statement.
"In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials," she added.
Katherine plays Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy, which slipped in the ratings significantly this past season but remained a top 10 show.
An after-hours message left by the Associated Press for Grey's Anatomy creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes was not immediately returned.
Heigl, who shot to box-office success last summer with the comedy Knocked Up, has established herself as one of Hollywood's rare voices of candor.
In a Vanity Fair magazine interview published in January, she called the hit film "a little sexist" and said that it painted women as "shrews, as humorless and uptight."
The male characters, she said, were lovable and goofy.
Heigl also was outspoken when Grey's Anatomy castmates Isaiah Washington and T.R. Knight, who is gay, and who ultimately came out of the closet, clashed last year.
Washington's alleged use of a homophobic slur sparked massive controversy, and Heigl was outspoken in her criticism of the actor.
Nominations for the 60th Emmy Awards will be announced July 17.
What do you think of Katherine's statements? We aren't sure if it's a nice gesture to other actresses or an unfair criticism of Grey's Anatomy - but we do know that we're hoping that Ellen Pompeo, in particular, is up for Best Actress this year!
June 12th, 2008 7:31 AM
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This woman needs to heed her own advice that she gave to Isaiah Washington...and "not speak in public." The more she talks, the less I can tolerate her. Her statement ("In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials,") not only implies that the writing wasn't good enough for her, but that she is so wonderful that she would be nominated in spite of not having "the material" she feels she deserved. Perhaps she would like the name of the show to be changed to "Izzie's Anatomy." I guess in her world everything revolves around Katherine Heigl.
June 12th, 2008 7:34 AM
don't you all think that Sandra Oh should win the Best Supporting Actress this year?
June 12th, 2008 8:00 AM
I think that taking herself out of the consideration for an emmy was a little premature. I think she should have waited to see if she was nominated an then acted. I agree this makes her seem like she is so wonderful that she will automatically be nominated. She has an arrogance about her that I do not care for, that could be why she is one of my least favorites on Grey's Anatomy.
Ellen Pompeo and Sandra Oh had some really amazing and emmy worthy moments this season. I hope that at least one of them receives an emmy nomination because it would be well deserved.
June 12th, 2008 8:04 AM
i agree with nicole she shouldn't speak in public like that .. and that statement made me feel like she is cocky and she thinks that she is so great that if she had put her name she would be immediately nominated even if her storyline was poor ..i wasn't very happy when she won last year cuz i felt chandra wilson deserved it more.. anyway i really hope ellen pompeo and patrick dempsey would be nominated this year .. they both did a great job and sandra oh as well !!
June 12th, 2008 8:10 AM
Oh dear, here she goes again. This lady is rapidly morphing into an insufferable, unbearable person. I appreciate honesty as much as the next person BUT there is a difference between speaking the truth because you want to support a cause or just doing so to delibrately court controversy for your own self serving ends. I am often wary of those people who always use the phrase "I am being honest here" to say hurtful, cruel stuff they really should not have said. All under the guise of "I cannot help but speak out". I mean, why does the world have to know you are not seeking a nomination? Just say "not this year, thank you". If you feel the material is not good enough, speak to the producers, afterall they are the most likely to ensure you and all the other actors are given worthy material to work with, not the media. If you can call the media to announce the material you are given is poor you can certainly summon up the courtsey and good manners to discuss it with your producers first. It may not be clear to others but in my opinion there is something intrinsically manipulative about this new outburst. Is she sending some type of the message to GA team, a form of subtle blackmail perhaps? I do not trust her despite the seming air of unflinching honesty, she is a a player who knows the right media buttons to punch. And one last thing - an good actor does not always need dramatic scenes to put in an award winning performance, if you are a great actor it will always come through. It is patently clear that Heigl now feels she is way to big for GA and now that she publicly criticizes the show it would be best for all concerned if she is quietly let go. I am certain this is really what she wants.
June 12th, 2008 8:11 AM
ellen pompeo should get an emmy nomination this year that woman well deserves to win!!!
June 12th, 2008 8:18 AM
I don't care what the rest of you think about her. she's right! the writing for this show lately has gone SO far down hill that I no longer take pleasure in watching this show, I no longer care what happens to any of the characters. I won't be watching next season at this rate. they've run out of GOOD material. and instead they inflict crap upon me week after week, I used to love Greys. Season three was fantastic! but now it just PLAIN stinks. Her character has gone so far down hill it's not funny anymore. every since denny died Izzie is just not izzie. So good For Kathrine for speaking her mind :)
June 12th, 2008 8:45 AM
You have a point there Angels_Gal, BUT the fact that she seems to be under the delusion that she'd have been nominated anyways hadn't she declined now just shows once again that she herself is her biggest fan.
Personally I didn't understand why she even got the emmy last year when Sandra and Chandra were much better than her, but this now takes the cake.
The woman has to be arrogant beyond the telling of it.
Thinks shes THE superstar because she was in a couple of mediocre romantic comedies.
June 12th, 2008 10:11 AM
When she said she wasn't given the materials, that is like a giant kick in the face to the Shonda Rhimes and all her hard-working writers. I mean I like Izzie, but not every year can be yours. I agree she didn't have much of a storyline this season, but this was a considerably shorter and less eventful season. (Okay, there were some things that were eventful, hello merder!) Season 2 had lots of Izzie at the end. Season 3 had even more Izzie. Season 4? Maby not so much. Who Knows? Season 5 could have some powerful things in store for us?
YAY as of today, thursday, June, 12, there are 105 Days left untill the premire of Season 5. Done Ranting. :)
June 12th, 2008 10:11 AM
ok. sure she can say the show didnt give her any 'good' material. fine. ill giver her that. her character didnt have much great moments this season. but, she had SOME moments, and, frankly, she didnt act very well in those moments. a good actress would be able to make the worst moments some of the best moments. she cant blame the show for what SHE did.
June 12th, 2008 10:13 AM
simply because she won last year, probably had about a 90% chance of being nominated again this year, it is simply how it is. I don't think she is being out of line for stepping up and expressing her thoughts. I see it as the reality of her part being diminished in relation to the ensemble and recognizing how the emmy's work.
June 12th, 2008 10:16 AM
GIVE ELLEN POMPEO AN EMMY!!!! SHE DESERVES IT!!!!!!
June 12th, 2008 11:53 AM
she sounds very arrogant here, I think. what she says here is insulting to shonda and the other writers, and she should take it up with them. I actually liked the turn season four took, because it reminded me of season one and "good old days". To me, season three was depressing and gave Heigl all the great storylines, while other actors, like Pompeo, were left behind. I'm thrilled to hear that Ellen got nominated, although it was very disappointing that Sandra did not. She deserved to at least be nominated after her great speech about Burke and not being proud of him. Besides, Ellen and Sandra's characters are way more difficult to portray than Katherine's, but that's my opinion.. I must say I'm starting to not like this actress though.
June 12th, 2008 12:26 PM
This is just another reason for me to dislike Heigl. There is a difference between telling the truth and being rude. She's being rude. Everything she has said could have been conveyed with grace. Which she clearly lacks. Blasting the annoucer on the emmy's not once but twice? And usually you can distinguish a character from the actor but Izzie Stevens has become whiny, manipulative, and selfish which Heigl is revealing herself to be. Yeah season 4 kind of sucked, but there was a little thing called a writer's strike that lasted forever! Most good shows had a split season. Veiwers usually don't like things like that. And I must say it, Burke. It's Burke and Christina that we are missing. They were a staple just as much as merder. Washington is an ass. but he admitted it and sought counseling. please bring him back. And find a way to turn Izzie back into that fiesty independent woman fighting her way through medical school. Cause right now. I wish she would just go away.
June 12th, 2008 12:29 PM
Oh yeah, I agree! Sandra, Ellen, and Chandra definitely deserve an emmy.
June 12th, 2008 1:18 PM
Dude, that's way uncool. Just dis your boss and the writing staff publicly...I don't care what the writers put out, it is the job of the actor to act it out to the best of their ability. Hell, I'd love to make the money she makes. She's selfish. I honestly wish her contract would expire and she just would roll on out....
June 12th, 2008 2:03 PM
I agree ELLEN POMPEO and SANDRA HO will nominate!
June 12th, 2008 2:14 PM
It's very apparent that fame as given her a big head. Iasiah should have never been brought up period. It been said she wants out of her GA contract and they won't let her. It's starting to look like she is caring less and less about the show by her words. I wouldn't want to give someone good material with that kind of attitude.
June 12th, 2008 2:18 PM
FINALLY! She realizes that she couldn't be nominated because she didn't deserve to be nominated in the first place. I don't know why Ellen Pompeo or Chandra Wilson get overlooked.
June 12th, 2008 2:25 PM
This makes her seem rather arrogant. She comes off incredibley rude no matter how nice she tries to make it sound. In my opinion if she was nominated this year for Grey's Anatomy I honestly think she wouldn't deserve the nomination this year. There was no need for her comments to be so harsh . If your pulling out then pull out don't parade around that your material wasn't provided as best is it could have been. This year was a tough year due to the strike so that contributes alot. I believe Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson really deserve to be nominated.
June 12th, 2008 2:47 PM
The writers are the ones that made her so famous in the first place! She shouldn't be talking bad about them just because her character wasn't in the spotlight as much as before.
June 12th, 2008 3:50 PM
as much as this sounds like a total slap in the face towards shonda, the other writers, and the producers of the show, I have to stand up for katherine and say that that is probably not how she meant it all! however, if she did mean it that way then all i have to say is that while we did not see her character as much as she may have liked this season, her performances were still worthy enough in those scenes for her to deserve this emmy nomination! whatever way she meant it like her enough as an actress and love her performances on the show enough to forgive her for these statements!
as always...
Grey's Rules!!! SERIOUSLY!!! :)
June 12th, 2008 4:15 PM
This is probably her idea of getting publicity, so next year people will care about her. LOL!
Hey, at least she gave room for Sara Ramirez to get considered. Although, I doubt she will because she isn't the others. :( But she definitely deserves one.
June 12th, 2008 4:37 PM
While I think it's refreshing that an actor speaks out somewhat against the industry (and let's face it- the writing this season wasn't exactly perfect), I think Heigl is getting a little too comfortable on her high horse. Don't get me wrong, she's a fantastic actress, but I think she needs to swallow her pride every once and a while and accept a nomination. I love the elements Izzie adds to the show, but it seems like Heigl's gotten just a bit too comfortable with her spot on the show. It's almost as if she's trying to make people think she's "above" Grey's Anatomy, or, on a larger scale, "above" the Emmys. If there's one thing that turns me off from any celebrity, it's that kind of hubris. I too agree that she needs to heed her own advice and keep those kinds of feelings in her own mind.
June 12th, 2008 6:21 PM
um wow. cocky much?