Katherine Heigl, widely recognized for her role on 'Grey's Anatomy' and numerous early 2000s romantic comedies, has long been a force to be reckoned with. The actress is known for setting boundaries at work, taking a stand, and refusing to stay silent—qualities that have often led to her being branded as 'rude' or 'unworkable' in the industry. In a past interview, Heigl gracefully addressed the rumors of her being a 'diva' and dismissed the criticism with poise.
When Katherine Heigl Addressed Rumors of Her Being Rude
In 2014, during an appearance on 'The Meredith Vieira Show,' Heigl opened up about why people frequently label her as rude or a diva for standing up for her beliefs. She explained that she knows she is a kind person, but the negative comments stem from others' inability to accept that she has established boundaries in the acting industry and respects herself enough to know what she wants. When asked about an online comment regarding the matter, Heigl confidently replied, 'I'm going to be really honest right now: I'm not a rude person. I'm not an unkind or mean person. I would never go out of my way or consciously try to hurt anyone's feelings or make them feel bad or uncomfortable, or not be professional and do my job.'
Katherine Heigl Stated That She Will Stay True to Herself
Later in the interview, Heigl acknowledged that she understands where the accusations come from, but emphasized they are completely untrue and will not deter her from standing up for herself. She added, 'I will continue to stand up for myself, and I'm never going to stop standing up for my right to be heard, my right to be treated respectfully and professionally in return, my right to draw boundaries.' She further shared, 'I am a strong woman, and I'm not going to apologize for that—not on behalf of my daughters, and not on behalf of all you sitting in the audience. We should all have the right to the basic human right to say, 'Hey, no, I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable with that, I don't like that, this is not okay for me.''
How Did Katherine Heigl's Diva Image Start?
The controversy began around 2007 and 2008 when Heigl raised concerns about pay disparity on 'Grey's Anatomy,' publicly calling out showrunners for not paying her as much as her co-stars. In 2009, she appeared on the 'Late Show' with David Letterman and discussed her first day back on set after returning for another season. She criticized the long work hours, stating, 'Our first day back was Wednesday, and it was—I'm going to keep saying this because I hope it embarrasses them—a 17-hour day, which I think is cruel and mean.' This comment was later defended by Ellen Pompeo in 2022. In a conversation with Variety, Pompeo said, 'I remember Heigl said something on a talk show about the insane hours we were working, and she was 100 percent right. And had she said that today, she'd be a complete hero. But she was ahead of her time, made a statement about our crazy hours, and of course, 'let's slam a woman and call her ungrateful.'' Over the years, Heigl has continued to speak out about her experiences in the industry, often facing backlash.
Katherine Heigl's Later Takes on the Matter
The comments she made have followed her throughout her career, affecting many projects. In an interview with The Washington Post, Heigl said she never expected such a strong response. She added, 'I may have said a couple of things you didn't like, but then that escalated to 'she's ungrateful,' then that escalated to 'she's difficult,' and that escalated to 'she's unprofessional.' What is your definition of difficult? Somebody with an opinion that you don't like? You can be the most awful, difficult, horrible person on the planet, but if you're making them money, they're going to keep hiring you.'
On the Work Front
Heigl was last seen on screen in 2023 in the show 'Firefly Lane' as Tululah Rose Hart. Prior to that, she starred in the film 'Fear of Rain,' released in 2021.
