Despite ongoing reports that she wanted out of her Grey's Anatomy contract and that she was being killed off the show, Katherine Heigl said she wants to stay on the medical drama if her character, Izzie, survives brain surgery.
"I was assuming that [Izzie would die] at one point, and all I got were a lot of shrugged shoulders and shakes of the head, so I don't know if that's a yes or a no," she told the Associated Press Friday at a party celebrating the show's 100th episode.
"No one will tell me and I don't know how this is going to go."
Katherine Heigl noted that the decision rests solely with the show and series creator Shonda Rhimes, who is known to value plot secrecy.
"I don't know if I live or die," Heigl said. "I don't know how Izzie fares."
Dr. Izzie Stevens has metastatic melanoma - skin cancer - that spread to her brain, giving her only a five percent chance of survival, a story the show has built up for months courtesy of her visions of her late fiance, Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).
On Thursday's episode, "Elevator Love Letter," she survived brain surgery.
Still, Heigl said, "I'm there" if Izzie remains part of Grey's Anatomy, for which she has starred since it debuted on ABC in March 2005. She called the set "one of my favorite places to be" and said her colleagues are also some of her best friends.
Rhimes, who is also an executive producer, declined to comment on what will happen to Heigl's character, but she did reveal a clue about the 100th episode, airing May 7.
"The only thing I'll tell you about the 100th is that it takes place on Meredith [Ellen Pompeo] and Derek's [Patrick Dempsey] wedding day," Rhimes said.
"That's big ... and that's all I'm going to say."
Well, guess we're no longer in the dark about that.
Katherine Heigl, who some thought was wanting to be released from the show to focus on her movie career (Knocked Up, 27 Dresses), said she's comfortable balancing film and TV work by taking on big-screen projects during the summer hiatus.
"I'm more than happy to make that compromise," Heigl said. "As my agent likes to say, 'High-class problems.' I don't know if I want to continue for five years working 12 months a year, but I can take at least another year or two."
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101 Comments
March 29th, 2009 9:06 AM
i think it is a little early for the MerDer wedding. they would be engaged for like what? a month or so... and only known each other a year and a half...hmmmm any way I seriously want for them to be together but the wedding is too soon for my taste. maybe Shonda is playing with the press. or the action for ep. 100 will be placed some time in the future...(that could be interesting...a little DH....but interesting) I HOPE that Izzie lives...and all the main characters are on for at least another 2 seasons.....)
LOVE G's A...
March 29th, 2009 9:14 AM
Shonda must have had a reason to give such a big spoiler. She's always so secret about what will happen on Grey's. Could have been the efect of the champagne of the 100th episode celebration (some people talk too much with liquor :P) But sounds a bit fishy to me...
About Izzie, lets see what happens. Seems that it's all on the writers hands now. Another thing about her is that JDM was on the set when they celebrated the 100th episode (see the cake pic), so maybe we'll see more Denny :S
March 29th, 2009 9:46 AM
I like Izzie but KH is a spoiled brat. Does she not know how many people are out of work? She does not know if she can work 12 months? Spare me! As for the wedding, Shonda said Wedding Day. Christina had one too and it did not pan out. Let's hope Mer Der fare better!
March 29th, 2009 9:58 AM
Well, before the season 4 finale Shonda did give away that MerDer would get together for good.. So she's not that secrative. And it's actually quite smart to reveal this, because they'll probably get a big boost in ratings if people know beforehand that MerDer will get married in that episode. I think there's a lot of people who would tune in just to see their wedding. And since it's the 100th episode, they'll probably make something big of it. And it's probably not that smart to let down so many fans by creating this hype, and then leave us to figure out they were lying.
I do think it's their wedding. Because how can you have a wedding day if you don't get married on that day? If you get married your wedding day is on that same day. You can't say your wedding day is on another day than the day when you actually get married. It would be totally weird if that's not the case.
However, on the podcast, Shonda said there will be MORE than one wedding dress. What does that mean? Are there more than one couple getting married? Or maybe the bride just tries on different dresses to see which one she wants.. Well, Shonda has played mind games with us before, so deep down I actually don't know what to believe.
March 29th, 2009 10:12 AM
So she says can't work 12 months a year? Because it's too hard? Really? Does she even know how many people who work that much because they can't afford the living otherwise? And how many people who actually would be LUCKY to work that much, since all the businesses are cutting down? How many people who would be lucky to have a job at all? She's not little self-absobed that woman.
March 29th, 2009 10:14 AM
sorry- self-absoRbed
March 29th, 2009 10:22 AM
Johanna, I also listened to the podcast and that part was intriguing. They're speaking specifically about next episode "Sweet Surrender" but you don't know if they're talking about several wedding dresses being tried or if is more that one girl trying a wedding dress. With Shonda you never know...
Damn! Three more weeks to find out!
March 29th, 2009 10:33 AM
did anyone notice that she said it takes place on their wedding day, she never said they will actually tie the knot. just because it's someones wedding day doesn't mean they will go through with it.
March 29th, 2009 11:22 AM
McObsession - but if they don't go through with it, then it won't be their wedding day, right? because they don't get married
March 29th, 2009 12:14 PM
this seems really soon but i hope its true!