The past week has been an emotionally draining one for those closes to Eric Dane, as the actor passed away on February 19, 2026, less than a year after being diagnosed with ALS. Understandably, the days following his death have been filled with public tributes from family, friends and former co-stars from Dane’s 35 years in the entertainment world. Now, fellow Grey’s Anatomy vet Katherine Heigl has broken her silence with her own mournful and moving farewell message.

Heigl, whose career both exploded and imploded due to Grey’s Anatomy, took to Instagram on Sunday, Feb. 22, to share a grief-filled reflection that she’d hesitated to go public with before. As she put it:

Heigl specifically addresses Dane's wife Rebecca Gayheart and their two children, Billie Beatrice Dane (15) and Georgia Geraldine Dane (14), in her post, as the family has certainly had a rough go of it in the last year or so. (Dane and Gayheart separated in 2018, but somewhat rekindled the relationship, though both allegedly engaged in romances outside of the marriage.) A family friend stepped up to launch a GoFundMe campaign following the Last Ship star's death, as a way to offset the numerous medical bills that piled up without Dane being able to take on as much work as he'd have liked.

The capmaign is currently over $300,000, which is amazing, though no amount of money can fill the void left by a loved one. To that end, Katherine Heigl addressed her own personal go-to source of inner peace when faced with such a devastating loss. In her words:

Heigl then shared lines from Frost's poem ahead of a few personal thoughts about Eric Dane himself.

Katherine Heigl's Dr. Izzie Stevens and Eric Dane's Dr. Mark "McSteamy" Sloan walked the same hospital hallways for four seasons and change on Grey's Anatomy, as he popped up late in Season 2 before becoming a series regular in Seasons 3-9. (He returned for a cameo appearance in Season 17.) Meanwhile, Heigl starred in the first six seasons of the Shonda Rhimes drama, though her final season was purposefully cut short after many months of exit rumors, and she more or less convinced Rhimes to release her from her contract.

Though she was the latest medical drama vet to share her grief over Eric Dane's death, Heigl was far from the only one. Many other Grey’s Anatomy stars paid tribute as well, such as Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey, James Pickens, Kim Raver and Kevin McKidd. Shonda Rhimes also shared the love. To date, Ellen Pompeo is arguably the most noteworthy cast member who hasn't gone public with a tribute.

We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to Eric Dane's loved ones during their time of mourning.

Knocked Up is considered one of the best movies of the 2000s, and I watched it multiple times when it first came out, relaying the story of career-minded Allison, who gets pregnant after a one-night stand. When I saw the title on the 2025 Netflix schedule, I decided to throw it on for the first time in well over a decade, and I’m shocked that nearly 20 years after it was first released, one side plot is as hilarious and relevant as ever.

The main story in Knocked Up revolves around Katherine Heigl’s Allison trying to make a relationship work with Ben (Seth Rogen) after they learn they’re going to have a baby. The Judd Apatow movie stars a good portion of the Freaks and Geeks cast as Ben’s stoner housemates, as well as Apatow’s wife and daughters — in other words, A+ casting. Still, the performance that stuck out to me after all this time was Ryan Seacrest playing an exaggerated version of himself.

Allison is an up-and-comer at E! News, and she ends up being the crew member on the other end of Ryan Seacrest’s epic rant about the Hollywood celebrities who waste his time.

Upon being notified that Jessica Simpson is late for her interview, the host makes it clear that he doesn’t have time to wait on her, because he has to be at American Idol. Then he really gets going:

Somebody get this man a cookie!

Jessica Simpson probably doesn’t deserve to be the poster child of the kind of celebrity Ryan Seacrest is complaining about here, but it’s so funny to me how much of the rest of it is still relevant. The man still has 97 jobs, and he’s definitely just as famous (if not more so) than anyone he shares airtime with.

In fact, now he’s the one getting interviewed a lot of the time, and the question he’s being asked is, “Do you sleep?” Wheel of Fortune contestant Jarri Machelle-Melton posed that query to him on the October 1 episode, TV Insider reports, to which Ryan Seacrest responded:

The best comedy has a certain percentage of truth to it, so it’s almost surprising to me that Ryan Seacrest would agree to a bit where he’s shading young Hollywood so hard and saying they “fuck his day up.” (Can you imagine him saying that to his Wheel of Fortune contestants?)

I’m so glad this Knocked Up side plot exists, though, and it was just one part of the Judd Apatow comedy that made it worth the rewatch. The 2007 classic is available to stream now with a Netflix subscription.

The trend of more and more stars leaving Hollywood continues, though many performers remain in the entertainment game despite changing their zip code. Katherine Heigl believed her acting days were mostly behind her after she uprooted and hit the road for Utah, though she's continued joining projects now and again. But now that it's been a full decade away from Hollywood, she's reflecting on the life choice and why the big decision changed her day-to-day so much.

The animal advocate and actress talked with E! News about her living situation in Utah. It’s a topic that Heigl has talked about before, after exiting Grey’s Anatomy and buzzing around Hollywood looking for work. She revealed that she’s found a great slice of life for herself, husband Josh Kelley, and their three kids Naleigh, Adalaide and Joshua, and doesn’t miss the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. Though, admittedly, the 27 Dresses star can't help but muse on the what-ifs before reminding herself. In her words:

It’s great that she’s found some normalcy after revealing that Grey's wasn't healthy for her, let alone how Heigl left GA. Also in the interview, she brought up why she isn’t on the hunt for more projects, and that's because being with her kids is one of her top priorities currently (something she’d previously missed out on). I think both things are more than enough, and that’s not even mentioning her animal advocacy work and dog food company, Badlands Ranch.

Along with her kids and professional passions, her relationship with Kelley has only become stronger. The Ugly Truth star shared nothing but positive things about him and their continuing marriage:

Another wonderful bit that resulted in the outcome for her and the family to move a little farther northeast. The fast-paced nature of living and working in a small but connected community can take a toll on anyone. After all, Heigl's time in the thick of the TV and movie industry was impressive, but the rising star’s reputation came to overshadow her endeavors. Regardless of the cause or causes, it led to the Knocked Up comments, which later elicited Heigl’s personal take on the Apatow film drama.

Now, though, with much of the discourse behind her, except for the supposed Pompeo Heigl rumors swirling, she’s continuing to move ahead. The Grey's reunion at the Emmys, featuring the surprise Izzie Stevens appearance, along with two projects in the works–That’s Amore! and Woodhull–the carved place Heigl found for herself in Utah doesn’t look bad at all.

There have been some truly heartbreaking and shocking deaths on Grey’s Anatomy, whose 21st season is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule. George O’Malley and his “007” reveal is one that sticks out, as well as Derek Shepherd, of course (although I still think the McDreamy death episode was terrible). However, there’s another character fans just can’t get over — Denny Duquette — and it turns out Katherine Heigl and Jeffrey Dean Morgan tried to save him.

Denny Duquette made such an impression on Grey’s Anatomy fans that I’d go so far as to say it’s one of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s best roles. Not even Shonda Rhimes could have predicted how upset fans would still be over that Season 2 storyline, and it’s not just us. Morgan reunited with Katherine Heigl to talk about their time together on Grey’s, and they revealed they’d actually asked Rhimes to let Denny live. Check out a portion of their viral TikTok chat with EW:

It's well-known that Katherine Heigl and Shonda Rhimes butted heads at times on the Grey’s set. However, Heigl felt strongly enough about this that she and Jeffrey Dean Morgan approached the showrunner in an attempt to get her to tweak the Denny storyline. Heigl said:

I guess you don’t get to be as successful as Shonda Rhimes if you cater to every actor’s request, like Katherine Heigl bargaining that they could still bring Denny “close to death.” Jeffrey Dean Morgan added that Rhimes was set in her ways, even when he tried to buy his character another season.

When the day came to film that heartbreaking scene for “Losing My Religion” — one of Grey’s Anatomy’s best episodes — Jeffrey Dean Morgan said he refused to go to set. He recalled:

I can’t imagine how difficult that day was for Katherine Heigl, especially knowing the dark places Heigl took herself in order to show Izzie’s grief for Denny. The two actors involved aren’t the only ones still traumatized, though. Fans spoke out in the comments, writing:

• Denny and Izzie was the end game sorry – sunflower_2046
• Them going to Shonda and asking for Denny to not die is so Izzie and Denny coded though. – jacketpotato24601
• TBH Denny dying hurt worse than Derek 😭 – brittanychapman153
• No one wanted Denny to die… but Owen Hunt is still around!! – nic.marq
• No one will get over Denny Duquette's death 😭😭😭 – klshhhhhhhhhh
• Denny was the worst death. I’ll die on this hill – _arianaharrington

Jeffrey Dean Morgan has said that playing Denny changed his life, as it got him noticed and led to other big roles, and I love that the actor who may be more well-known these days for his roles on Supernatural, The Walking Dead or The Boys, seems to have a soft spot in his heart for Grey’s Anatomy.

The Denny and Izzie love story is without questions one of the best starting points for a Grey’s Anatomy rewatch, with the first 20 seasons of the medical drama being among the best shows to binge on Netflix right now. Meanwhile, all 21 seasons are also available to stream with a Hulu subscription, as new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy continue at 10 p.m. ET Thursdays on ABC.

The notion of a TV show going through cast changes for one reason or another isn’t all that unusual. In some cases, an actor might choose to leave a show in order to pursue other opportunities. And, at other times, a character naturally runs their course and is written out, leading to a star being ushered out of a production gracefully. However, there have been a number of instances in which an actor has dramatically exited a popular show for more salacious reasons. And we’re going to talk about a number of those situations.

Mackenzie Phillips (One Day At A Time)

Mackenzie Phillips dealt with substance and alcohol abuse during her tenure on One Day at a Time. As her problems increased and she allegedly became erratic on set, the actress was fired after the fifth season of the Norman Lear-produced sitcom. After voluntarily receiving treatment, Philips was invited back to the series at the start of Season 7. But, as mentioned in her Biography special she was fired one more time early in Season 9.

Delta Burke (Designing Women)

Designing Women cast member Delta Burke, who played breakout character Suzanne Sugarbaker, left the beloved CBS comedy after its fifth season. At the time, Burke was having issues with series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. While appearing on the Glamorous Trash podcast years later, Burke said she and the EP “tried to kill each other” but “survived.” They eventually patched things up and teamed up again for a short-lived spinoff series, Women of the House.

John Amos (Good Times) 

Fans, like myself, would probably argue that Good Times – one of the greatest sitcoms of all time – changed tremendously after John Amos’ James Evans Sr. was written out following Season 3. That creative decision was the result of Amos being incredibly vocal about his frustrations with the direction of the show and even threatening the writers. As the actor explained during an interview, series EP Norman Lear called him up personally to tell him he’d been fired. 

Rob Lowe (The West Wing)

Before he dazzled on Parks and Recreation and after rising to prominence as a “Brat Pack” member, Rob Lowe starred on The West Wing. The show was originally set to center around his character, Sam Seaborn, though the focus shifted early on. Feeling underutilized as time went on, Lowe left the show after four seasons.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

Roseanne Barr’s eponymous ABC sitcom was revived for a tenth season that aired in 2018, and it saw considerable success. Following its renewal, Barr was fired after posting a tweet about former government official Valerie Janet that was condemned as being racist. Her dismissal led to the cancellation of Roseanne and the conception of a spinoff sequel series The Conners.

Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

Two actresses portrayed Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the first being Janet Hubert. By the NBC sitcom’s third season, she and lead actor Will Smith began to butt heads. Both were also dealing with situations in their personal lives. Ultimately, Hubert left Fresh Prince due to getting an unsatisfactory new contract offer and, years later, she and Smith made amends during the show’s 2020 reunion.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

House of Cards experienced a significant shake-up after Kevin Spacey was accused of being inappropriate towards actor Anthony Rapp while he was still a minor. Netflix eventually cut ties with Spacey and, as a result, he was replaced as the lead of the show by co-star Robin Wright.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

When it comes to an exit from a TV series, few get more dramatic than Charlie Sheen’s departure from Two and a Half Men. During the eighth season of the hit CBS show, he made headlines for partaking in wild parties and even entered rehab. Sheen’s fate was sealed, however, when he made disparaging remarks about series co-creator Chuck Lorre. Men would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher taking over as co-lead.

Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) 

There are a lot of moving parts to Katherine Heigl’s Grey’s Anatomy exit, but it was truly set in motion after the actress kept her name from Emmy consideration in 2008. Heigl did that because she didn’t think the work she’d done for that particular season was Emmy-worthy. In 2009, the Izzie Stevens actress accused series creator Shonda Rhimes and the producers of initiating long work hours for the cast and crew. And, in 2010, amid Season 6 of the drama series, Rhimes released Heigl from her contract early.

Valerie Harper (Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family)

Amid the second season of Valerie, lead actress Valerie Harper became engaged in a salary dispute with both NBC and production company Lorimar. It was after that season that the Emmy winner was fired, and she ultimately sued both of the aforementioned companies for breach of contract. The series aired for four more seasons – and had two more names. But, ultimately, Harper won her case and was awarded $1.4 million and future show profits.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Robert Downey Jr. had experienced a number of personal issues by the time he was cast for Season 4 of Ally McBeal, and they continued throughout his tenure. During that season, he was arrested in November 2000 for drug possession and was taken into custody again under suspicion of being under the influence in Culver City in 2001. With that, Downey was fired from McBeal.

Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

In 2017, amid the MeToo Movement, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of inappropriate behavior by his former assistant. Shortly after, one of Tambor’s Transparent co-stars accused him of misconduct as well. Amazon, which had renewed the Emmy-winning dramedy for a fifth and final season, officially fired Tambor in early 2018. His character, who was the lead, was ultimately killed off in the musical series finale special.

Esther Rolle (Good Times)

Esther Rolle took issue with some of the creative decisions made on Good Times, not unlike her co-star, John Amos – who was fired after Season 3 even though Rolle was more publicly vocal about her disdain. Given her discomfort, Rolle left after the fourth season when her contract expired. She did, however, return as a main cast member for the sixth and final season. 

Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company)

Some TV devotees may not be aware that Suzanne Somers exited Three’s Company after five seasons due to a salary dispute with ABC’s execs. Her attempts to renegotiate a new deal proved to be unsuccessful, and her contract was not renewed. Throughout the remainder of the show's run, Somers' Chrissy Snow would be succeeded by two other characters.

Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill)

Many were likely surprised when Chad Michael Murray was one of two major stars to exit One Tree Hill ahead of its seventh season. At this point, there’s been no clear reason as to why Murray, who played Lucas Scott parted ways with the show. Some contend that he was ready to leave, but Murray was even recorded saying that the network wanted to drop him to save money.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Veteran actress Lori Loughlin was starring on Netflix’s Fuller House when she was indicted as part of the 2019 college admissions scandal. In 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to two months in prison. Given her legal woes, Loughlin’s Aunt Becky was excluded from the sitcom’s final season.

Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy)

It was in October 2006 that Isaiah Washington made headlines after it was reported that during an on-set conflict with Patrick Dempsey, he insulted their fellow Grey’s Anatomy co-star, T.R. Knight, with a homophobic slur. Washington reportedly issued an apology though, by the summer of 2007, his contract with ABC was eliminated after Season 3. Washington did, however, reprise the role for a Season 10 episode.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds fired Thomas Gibson amid production on Season 12. As has been reported, Gibson, who was directing an episode at the time, had a disagreement with the episode’s writer. The scribe was on set at the time and, during an encounter with Gibson, the actor apparently kicked him. Gibson subsequently expressed regret over his actions.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Few TV deaths were more tragic than that of Shannen Doherty’s Prue Halliwell during Charmed’s third season finale. In the years since she departed the show, Doherty has claimed that her on-set tension with co-star Alyssa Milano caused her to be let go. For her part, Milano said she was “sad” that Doherty blamed her for how everything panned out.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

While starring on Netflix’s The Ranch, Danny Masterson was investigated by police due to allegations of assault by multiple women. Masterson was soon fired from the series amid production on Season 3 and, in 2023, he was sentenced to prison.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

After leading Batwoman for just one season, Ruby Rose exited the Arrowverse show in 2020. The actress initially attributed her decision to the “taxing” nature of heading up a TV show as well as an allergic reaction to the latex in her costume. However, Rose later made claims of an abusive workplace against her ex-co-stars, The CW and more. Warner Bros. TV denied the allegations as did Rose’s former scene partners.

Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley)

Laverne & Shirley lost co-lead Cindy Williams early into the show’s eighth and final season. Williams became pregnant early into production and, as she explained to Today, she wouldn’t sign a new contract due to the producers having her work on her due date. So Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio finished out those last episodes without Williams’ Shirley Feeney.

Chevy Chase (Community)

It’s been well documented that Community’s Chevy Chase had creative differences with series creator Dan Harmon over his character, Pierce Hawthorne. While working on Season 4, the veteran funnyman reportedly had an on-set tirade during which he dropped the N-word. Chase departed the show shortly after that.

Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0)

Daniel Dae Kim’s exit from CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot after seven seasons came down to a salary dispute with the network. After the news of his departure was reported, Kim himself (who was one of the procedural’s most recognizable stars) addressed the situation, confirming that he and the network couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal.

Lisa Bonet (A Different World)

Cosby Show spinoff A Different World finished its first season on NBC in early 1988 and, afterward, lead actress Lisa Bonet announced her pregnancy with then-husband Lenny Kravitz. The sitcom’s incoming showrunner, Debbie Allen, wanted to keep Bonet on the show and depict her character, Denise Huxtable, as a single mom. But, as Allen explained years later, series creator Bill Cosby preferred that Bonet be dropped from the show.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

After three seasons on ABC’s Scandal, Columbus Short was removed from the cast of the hit drama series. It was during that time that the actor was dealing with personal issues and was even arrested on a domestic violence charge. Short later explained that he was cut due to his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano established a polarizing social media presence during her two-season stint on The Mandalorian. Among the controversial posts she shared was a message that seemingly compared being a modern-day conservative to being a Jewish person during the Holocaust. Disney and Lucasfilm fired Carano in 2021 ahead of the highly popular Star Wars show’s third season.

Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives)

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan was written out of the show after the show’s fifth season, with her character, Edie Britt, being killed off. Several years later, the actress filed suit against Marc Cherry, the show’s creator and ABC. Sheridan alleged that Cherry assaulted her on the set and that she was fired for reporting it. Cherry provided an account of events and, in time, the harassment claims were thrown and Sheridan was unsuccessful in getting a retrial.

T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy)

In 2009, T.R. Knight – who played Dr. George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy – left the show after the fifth season. Knight said his reason for leaving was due to a “breakdown of communication” with series EP Shonda Rhimes, his own decision to come out as gay and more. This also all came a few years after Knight was allegedly insulted with a homophobic slur by ex-co-star Isaiah Washington. 

Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)

Much has been said about Hilarie Burton’s exit from One Tree Hill after the sixth season. The most common assertion has been that the Peyton Sawyer actress couldn’t agree with the network on a new deal. Interestingly, while Burton recalled filming her final scene for the show, she noted that while shooting another sequence, a producer announced on set that the show was renewed for Season 7. However, both Burton and co-star Chad Michael Muray were surprised as they apparently hadn’t been offered new deals.

Justin Roiland (Rick And Morty)

Rick and Morty actor and co-creator Justin Roiland was fired from the Adult Swim show in 2023 after it was revealed that he was facing a domestic violence charge and other offenses in court. Roiland’s case was eventually thrown out later that year. However, the animator and voice actor was later accused of assault and messaging underage girls.

John Rhys-Davies (Sliders)

The sci-fi cult classic Sliders lost cast member John Rhys-Davies when the actor opted to depart after three seasons amid other cast changes. Sometime later, Rhys-Davies explained that he left due to conflicts with the writers. The veteran actor later explained that by the time he left the show, the scripts had become “incomprehensible gibberish.”

Back in 2008, after Katherine Heigl had wrapped her fourth season on Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Izzie Stevens, the actress released a statement. In it, she revealed her decision to not submit herself for Primetime Emmys consideration, because she did not feel she was “given the material” that season to “warrant” a nomination. Fifteen years later, the sentiment remains a controversial comment from Heigl, especially since it's cited as one of the reasons she abruptly left Grey’s during Season 6. Now, Heigl has shared new thoughts regarding whether she truly turned down the nomination amid allegedly turbulent times on the show.

When Katherine Heigl appeared as a guest on the Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty podcast , the host asked the former Grey’s Anatomy lead about refusing the prestigious TV award. Here’s how Heigl responded: 

As the Firefly Lane star explains, she regrets making the statement about the Emmys, given how the comments have still followed her so many years later. Previously, in 2021, the actress weighed in on what exactly happened, saying that she believes she “ambushed” the Grey’s writers with her sentiments and it “wasn’t very nice or fair.” The star further emphasized that she didn't attend to cause harm and "wasn't trying to be a dick":

Katherine Heigl did win an Emmy the year prior for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role on the medical drama. As she remained with the series however, tensions began to rise between herself and the producers. In 2009, Heigl publicly called out the Grey’s producers for having the cast and crew work a 17-hour day, which she called “cruel and mean.”  

It was a year later when series creator Shonda Rhimes agreed to release the star from her Grey’s Anatomy contract 18 months early. At the time, the official reason given was the fact that the Knocked Up alum and her husband, Josh Kelly, had just adopted their first child the year prior and that family obligations were their No. 1 priority. There were a number of other conflicting reports, though. Some noted that the Izzie actress wanted to focus on her film career instead and wasn’t seeing eye-to-eye with Rhimes on the hit show’s content. 

Katherine Heigl did appear in a guest spot on the long-running medical drama back in 2016, though. Also, at this year’s Emmys ceremony, Heigl reunited with her cast members, much to the delight of fans -- many of whom took to social media to share their joy. While it’s hard to forget what could have been regarding Izzie’s story if the star hadn’t left so abruptly, it’s great to see that she is on good terms with her Grey’s collaborators. And, should anyone have further questions about her Emmy statement, I'd imagine that Heigl will continue to double down on setting the record straight if needed.

Grey’s Anatomy was renewed for Season 21 and is set to return to ABC this fall as part of the 2024 TV schedule. While you wait for new episodes to arrive, stream the latest season along with other past episodes using a Hulu subscription.

When USA Network was known for airing scripted series unlike nearly anything else on television, it premiered an irresistibly unique legal drama called Suits, which ran from 2011 to 2019. Created by Aaron Korsh, the series followed the unlikely partnership of Mike Ross — a college dropout on the run from a drug deal gone bad — and a top-ranking New York attorney named Harvey Specter, who accepts him on to his team at Pearson Hardman LLC. Let's review what the talented ensemble has been up to since closing the case below.

Gabriel Macht (Harvey Reginald Specter)

Prior to playing Harvey Specter, Gabriel Macht (the son of actor Stephen Macht, who once had recurring role on Suits) was best known for movies like 2001’s Behind Enemy Lines, Robert De Niro’s The Good Shepherd from 2006, and a comic book movie that deserves a reboot, 2008’s The Spirit, as the titular vigilante. Following the end of Suits, the actor told would appear in a Super Bowl T-Mobile ad with Patrick J. Adams in 2024 and is recurring as Harvey on the new spin-off, Suits L.A., which debuted with some interesting twists on NBC in February.

Patrick J. Adams (Michael James Ross)

Despite debuting in a classic comedy like 2003’s Old School and guest-starring on several hit series like Lost and Friday Night Lights, playing Mike Ross on Suits really saw a career breakthrough for Patrick J. Adams. After leaving the series in Season 7, he led Disney+’s The Right Stuff cast as John Glenn and a 2023 time travel miniseries called Plan B, Amazon Prime’s A League of the Their Own series reboot, and did movies like 2022’s The Swearing Jar and He Went That Way from 2023. That same year, Adams joined a Johann Wolfgang von Goethe adaptation called Young Werther and, the following year, he was cast in an upcoming Netflix/BBC miniseries called Lockerbie.

Meghan Markle (Rachel Elizabeth Zane)

Easily the Suits cast’s most famous face is Meghan Markle, who had many notable small roles (including as a Deal or No Deal briefcase model) before she was cast as paralegal-turned-attorney and, later, Mike’s wife, Rachel Zane. She would also leave her role in Season 7 and retire from acting after she became engaged to Prince Harry, but after the couple stepped down from their working positions in the Royal Family, the Duchess of Sussex started hosting her podcast, Archetypes, and appeared in the Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan. There are also rumors suggesting Markle will show up in Suits L.A., but without confirmation.

Rick Hoffman (Louis Marlowe Litt)

The shady former managing and name partner of Litt Wheeler Williams Bennett, Louis Litt, is played by Rick Hoffman, whose first major small-screen role after the Suits finale was a recurring part on Showtime’s Billions as Dr. Swerdlow. In 2023, he reunited with his Hostel director, Eli Roth, to star in the 2023 slasher, Thanksgiving, and appeared in a Hallmark original time loop movie called Round and Round from the same year. According to THR, Hoffman will next star in an action comedy titled London Calling and a drama called Wildfire.

Sarah Rafferty (Donna Roberta Paulsen)

As Harvey’s assistant-turned-wife, Donna Paulsen, we have Sarah Rafferty, whose first major follow-up to the end of Suits was a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy in 2020 and, that same year, she appeared opposite still-acting former child star Lukas Haas in a thriller called Browse. She went on to have a recurring stint on NBC’s Chicago Med and a starring role on the Netflix original 2023 TV show, My Life with the Walter Boys. As Variety reported in June 2024, Rafferty is teaming up with Adams for Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast, in which the former co-stars will discuss their experiences watching the series for the first time.

Gina Torres (Jessica Lourdes Pearson)

Previously best known for playing Zoë in the Firefly cast, Gina Torres starred on Suits as Jessica Pearson, who led her own short-lived, self-titled spin-off in 2019. In addition to voice acting roles (the most recent being Ms. Moreno on the Disney Channel series Kindergarten: The Musical), the actor would find a starring TV series role again in Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star. She was also in a 2023 Netflix rom-com called The Perfect Find and her upcoming film The Everything Pot premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024.

Amanda Schull (Katrina Amanda Bennett)

Before corporate attorney Katrina Bennett became a main character in Season 8, Amanda Schull recurred in the role on Suits from 2013 to 2018 while starring on SyFy’s 12 Monkeys series. Schull would later appear in Netflix’s action-comedy series The Recruit, reunite with Torres for five episodes on 9-1-1: Lone Star in 2023, and has found success starring in Hallmark movies — including 2024’s Family Practice Mysteries: Coming Home. Next, she will appear in the upcoming Spider-Man TV show, Spider-Noir.

Dulé Hill (Alex Williams)

Also recurring before joining the main ensemble was Alex Williams — played by Emmy nominee Dulé Hill, who was previously known from the West Wing cast and fellow USA hit Psych, which spawned three feature-length continuations he also starred in. Today, Hill plays Bill Williams on ABC’s The Wonder Years reboot and has been cast in an upcoming Hulu miniseries based on the story of Natalia Grace called Good American Family. He is also reuniting with Psych co-star James Roday Rodriguez for a dramedy called American Dog.

Katherine Heigl (Samantha Wheeler)

Essentially brought in as Meghan Markle’s replacement was former Grey’s Anatomy cast member Katherine Heigl as Zane Specter Litt’s newest partner, Samanatha Wheeler. The Emmy-winner later found a starring role on Netflix's hit drama Firefly Lane in 2021 and starred in a psychological thriller called Fear of Rain the same year. Heigl is set to star in a romantic-comedy musical called That’s Amore! and is playing the first female presidential candidate, Victoria Woodhull, in an upcoming miniseries called Woodhull.

In addition to these main Suits cast members, we also wanted to highlight Robert Zane actor Wendell Pierce (who went on to star on Amazon Prime’s Jack Ryan series), Abigail Spencer (who currently stars on NBC’s Extended Family) as Scottie, and Rachael Harris, whose notable credits after playing Sheila Sazs include Hulu’s Goosebumps series and Netflix’s Unfrosted. Could we see any of them reunite with Gabriel Macht in Suits L.A.? For now, the jury is still out.

There are some actors whose entire careers are defined by their most iconic role or by their best performance (which are not always one and the same). There are also some actors who really only have one well-known role or acclaimed performance to their name, while the majority of their career continues to live in obscurity or even ridicule. The following are some notable examples of actors who never really got to shine beyond that movie or TV show that clicked.

Sam Worthington (The Avatar Movies)

Sam Worthington's performance as Jake Sully in 2009's Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water from 2022 is not exactly "acclaimed." However, James Cameron's blockbuster sci-fi franchise is the only thing on the actor's resume that has managed to make a substantial connection with audiences and can be called a rousing success.

Hayden Christensen (Shattered Glass)

Playing Anakin Skywalker in the two latter installments of George Lucas' Star Wars prequel trilogy has earned Hayden Christensen equal amounts of fame and ridicule that has haunted him most of his career. That is because not enough people know about 2003's intense journalism drama Shattered Glass, in which he gives his best performance as real-life fraudulent reporter Stephen Glass.

Tom Arnold (True Lies)

For years, Tom Arnold's claim to fame was his marriage to Roseanne Barr and, when reviewing his filmography, it remains what he is best known for to this day. Yet, he does have the honor of playing Arnold Schwarzenegger's right-hand man in True Lies, a role he almost did not get, if not for the insistence of writer and director James Cameron.

Brandon Routh (Superman Returns)

Brandon Routh was relatively unknown when he was cast as Clark Kent in 2006’s Superman Returns — a role that should have earned immediate entry to the A-list. While he does have an amusing reputation for playing multiple comic book characters — including Todd Ingram in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast — his one-time donning the old red and blues remains the peak of his fame.

Linda Blair (The Exorcist)

One of the top horror movie Scream Queens of all time is undeniably Linda Blair for her Academy Award-nominated role as Regan MacNeil in 1973’s The Exorcist. However, the demonically possessed 12-year-old is still the only character most mainstream audiences associate with the actor.

Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects)

Stephen Baldwin has a scene-stealing turn as Michael McManus in the classic 1995 crime thriller, The Usual Suspects. However, because his remaining credits have never quite lived up to that performance — or the film itself — most would call him an unusual suspect for mainstream success these days.

Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense)

Haley Joel Osment is still a steadily working actor, appearing in notable films like Kevin Smith’s Tusk and hit TV shows like The Boys. Yet, any time he does show up onscreen, we would not be surprised if he still regularly identified as “the kid who saw dead people in 1999’s The Sixth Sense.”

Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls)

You could argue that Lacey Chabert really did come close to making “fetch” happen with her standout role in 2004’s Mean Girls as Gretchen Wieners. While she has made a name for herself elsewhere with voice acting and leading several Hallmark Channel originals, the gossipy plastic is still the singular defining moment of her career.

Steven Seagal (Under Siege)

Even most of the fans who consider Steven Seagal to be one of the top action movie stars of the ‘90s might agree that he really only has one true quality film to his name: Under Siege. Both a critical and commercial success, director Andrew Davis’ Oscar-nominated 1992 thriller stars Seagal as a former Navy SEAL serving as a cook on a battleship taken over by terrorists.

Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee)

Can you name another character played by Paul Hogan who is not the title character from the 1986 fish-out-of-water movie classic, Crocodile Dundee? The eponymous Outback hunter was also the brainchild of the Australian actor, whose career has been almost completely overshadowed by the role.

Roddy Piper (They Live)

To be fair, the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s main claim to fame was professional wrestling, but his subsequent film career was nowhere near close to on par with, say, Dwayne Johnson or John Cena. At least he can say that he was the star of one of John Carpenter’s best movies, They Live, in the memorable role of an impromptu alien hunter, John Nada.

Alicia Silverstone (Clueless)

Had 1997’s Batman & Robin been a hit, Alicia Silverstone could have been one of the best Batgirl actors ever and her career could have flourished from it. Instead, her breakthrough film role as Cher Horowitz in 1995’s Clueless is the single performance she is most acclaimed and recognized for.

Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone)

Macaulay Culkin’s career beyond child stardom has certainly had its highlights, such as his role in Party Monster, his appearance on American Horror Story Season 10, and his podcast, The Bunny Ears Podcast. However, after all these years, it is still difficult to see him as anyone other than the young, mischievous Kevin McCallister from the Home Alone movies.

Rupert Grint (The Harry Potter Movies)

We do not mean to discredit Rupert Grint’s performances in the Snatch TV show, M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant, or anything else he has done outside of the Harry Potter movies. However, the British actor will always be Ron Weasley in our hearts.

Jessica Alba (Sin City)

Anyone who does not love actor and entrepreneur Jessica Alba probably has not seen her performance as exotic dancer Nancy Callahan in 2005’s Sin City, which is the single most acclaimed title in her filmography. She did earn a Golden Globe nomination for a breakthrough role in Dark Angel, but that short-lived sci-fi series is largely forgotten these days.

Robert Englund (A Nightmare On Elm Street)

Playing Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise made Robert Englund a horror movie icon and earned him a long career of countless other spooky roles. Yet, have any of his subsequent credits — horror or otherwise — been nearly as popular as the grotesque, razor-glove-wielding boogeyman? Maybe in his dreams.

Edward Furlong (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

Edward Furlong made a stunning acting debut in the pivotal role of a teenage John Connor in one of the greatest action movies of all time, 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Unfortunately, his career never reached the same level of prowess or popularity again, which can be partially attributed to his history of substance abuse.

Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That)

Actor and model Rachael Leigh Cook has had a steady career all her life. However, none of her credits have quite stood the test of time like the 1999 teen movie favorite, She’s All That, which spawned a Netflix original gender-swapped remake, He’s All That, in which she appeared in a new role.

Anthony Perkins (Psycho)

Anthony Perkins is considered one the biggest Hollywood stars of his time, but only for one role in particular: Norman Bates in one of the greatest horror movies of all time — Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic, Psycho. He would actually reprise the murderous momma’s boy and motel manager twice more in 1983’s Psycho II and Psycho III, the latter of which he also directed three years later.

David Schwimmer (Friends)

Much of the Friends cast managed to outlive their roles on the hit sitcom with versatile projects that helped them avoid being typecast. We cannot quite say the same about David Schwimmer, whose distinct portrayal of Ross Gellar seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

Jaden Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness)

Seven-year-old Jaden Smith made a promising debut as the onscreen son of his real-life father, Will Smith, in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness, but very few of his roles since have made a genuine impression on critics and audiences. That being said, the older he got, his acting roles became less frequent as he focused more on his music career.

Carrie Henn (Aliens)

If you ever wondered what happened to Newt from Aliens, she became one of the many child stars who walked away from Hollywood, but did so quicker than most, as the 1986 sci-fi classic is her only acting credit. So, in this case, we can call Carrie Henn — who went on to become a teacher — an acting “one-hit-wonder” by choice.

Alex Winter (The Bill & Ted Movies)

Alex Winter had such astonishing chemistry with Keanu Reeves as the dim-witted, titular heroes of the Bill & Ted movies. Yet, while Reeves climbed up the A-list, Winter never really found a role as popular as Bill S. Preston, Esq. He would find some success working as director in film and TV, however.

Fran Drescher (The Nanny)

Actor and comedian Fran Drescher earned rousing success when she co-created the hit sitcom The Nanny, in which she also starred as Fran Fine. The boisterous character remains her most famous role to date, as Drescher is better known today for being elected President of SAG-AFTRA in 2021.

Adam West (Batman)

The late Adam West is, undeniably, one of the most legendary live-action Batman actors, having played Bruce Wayne in the classic 1960s TV show, its feature-length spin-off, and two animated films decades later. However, he is really the only one in that club so far who can say that playing Batman is the singular defining role of his career.

Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)

As the title hero of 2004’s Napoleon Dynamite, Jon Heder gave one of the most legendarily bizarre and uniquely funny performances in a comedy movie for its time, if not all time. The success of the indie sleeper hit would garner more roles for the actor, but none that earned nearly the same acclaim or notoriety.

Frankie Muniz (Malcolm In The Middle)

Playing the fourth-wall-breaking title role of Malcolm in the Middle in the early 2000s made Frankie Muniz one of the top child stars of his time, but his subsequent success later in life was decidedly hit or miss. He still acts to this day but has also taken up a career in NASCAR racing.

Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous)

Whatever happened to Patrick Fugit — the actor who launched his career in 2000 by leading the Almost Famous cast as young, aspiring music reporter William Miller? There’s a good chance you have seen him in one of his many credits over the years — such as Gone Girl or 2022’s Babylon — but just failed to recognize him. 

Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)

Katherine Heigl had a relatively successful run in movies, especially as the female lead of 2007’s Knocked Up, which she famously spoke negatively of. Said comments would actually have a negative impact on her career and, thus, her Emmy-winning role on in the Grey’s Anatomy cast as Dr. Izzie Stevens in the mid-2000s is still her most famous and commendable role.

Peter Ostrum (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory)

At the end of 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, poor Charlie Bucket becomes wealthy after the titular chocolatier (Gene Wilder) gives his factory to him. As for the actor who plays the lucky boy, Peter Ostrum, he immediately abandoned his acting career in favor of becoming a veterinarian.

Bo Derek (10)

Bo Derek is an undisputed legend in the modeling industry, but we cannot quite say the same about her acting career. She did have one acclaimed hit to her name, however, in the form of Blake Edwards’ Oscar-nominated, 1979 rom-com, 10, opposite Dudley Moore.

Justin Chatwin (War Of The Worlds)

If you are not sure who Justin Chatwin is, there are two movies we could name that could help you identify him. There is Steven Spielberg’s 2005 adaptation of War of the Worlds, in which he plays Tom Cruise’s onscreen son, and there is also 2009’s universally reviled live-action anime adaptation, Dragonball: Evolution, in which he was grossly miscast as Goku.

For the actors above who are still with us and are still interested in the craft, we hope to see them in another surefire hit soon enough.

As much as we like to see Hollywood as a dream factory, some projects can be total nightmares. Maybe people realize that fact during production, or maybe it’s a big case of hindsight providing 20/20 vision; but eventually there comes a time when an entertainer decides that their own movie is the enemy. For one reason or another, the list we’re about to share with you is a bunch of cases where that sort of takedown was warranted by the talent that had to endure making them in the first place. 

Jamie Lee Curtis - Virus

No matter how many times the 1999 sci-fi horror movie Virus comes up, it seems that Jamie Lee Curtis has a colorful variety of responses that detail just how flat-out horrible the finished product was. And depending on which interview you read, the language can get just as cheeky, so reader discretion is definitely advised. 

Michael Caine - Jaws: The Revenge

If you ever want a lesson in destroying a cinematic turkey with great wit and class, look up Michael Caine’s remarks on Jaws: The Revenge. Simultaneously admitting he’d never watched the film, but loved the personal enrichment that came from it, it’s one of the best moments of Sir Michael’s legendary charm at work.

Charlize Theron - Reindeer Games

How bad is the perennial punchline Reindeer Games? Well, if you ask Charlize Theron like Esquire did back in 2008, the Ben Affleck co-starring film is "a bad, bad, bad movie." So that question's pretty much asked and answered. 

George Clooney - Batman and Robin

George Clooney’s continued Batman regrets will never stop being entertaining. Playing that very DC hero in 1997’s Batman & Robin, the infamously campy Joel Schumacher picture holds a very special place in the ER veteran’s heart; and it’s one of intensely self-deprecating comedy. 

Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up

The story about Katherine Heigl and her apparent lack of love for Knocked Up is one that’s circulated pretty much since Judd Apatow’s 2008 comedy mega-hit landed. However, it seems that years after the star seemed to slam her own movie, Heigl’s 2016 comments on the matter painted a different picture.

Christopher Plummer - The Sound of Music

How an actor like the late great Christopher Plummer could grow to despise a musical like The Sound of Music is still a mystery. Well, it’s puzzling in the sense that his apparent criticism of its sentimental and emotional nature feels a bit rough. Despite his misgivings, the Rodgers and Hammerstein adaptation remains one of Christopher Plummer’s best roles. 

Sally Field - The Amazing Spider-Man

Comic book movies aren’t for everyone, and The Amazing Spider-Man’s Sally Field admitted just that when talking about her role as Andrew Garfield’s Aunt May. Field’s reason for taking the role as a favor to her friend, late producer Laura Ziskin, is still sweet. But digging into Sally’s comments about the Marvel role, it would seem that there isn’t enough money in the Multiverse to bring the Academy Award winner back for any hypothetical follow-ups.

Edward Norton - The Italian Job

One of the most infamous stories of modern movie feuds, Edward Norton’s reluctance to play the villain in The Italian Job remake came down to two words: contractual obligations. As Observer covered in the lead-up to the movie’s production, Norton fulfilled his duties; but did so while taking every chance to put the project down. 

Jessica Alba - Fantastic Four

When your director tells you that CGI tears are better than the actual waterworks you’re providing on set, to say things are problematic is a bit of an understatement. That’s the scenario that Jessica Alba faced on Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, which she revealed to Elle Magazine (via Today) as the reason she almost quit acting. 

Bill Murray - Garfield: The Movie

Confusion is something that even a legendary comedian like Bill Murray can admit to falling into from time to time. It just so happens that one of those times saw the legacy cast member of Ghostbusters accidentally assume one of The Coen Bros. wrote Garfield: The Movie. Thankfully for Murray, he only had to make one sequel before the franchise shifted gears to another iteration.

Jennifer Lawrence - Passengers

When Adele tells you to skip a movie like Passengers, that’s a sign you should take to heart. Unfortunately, Jennifer Lawrence ignored this advice, and what resulted was a movie that is as questionable as it is baffling. On the plus side, hearing Ms. Lawrence trash that movie means that the project is technically a valuable source of entertainment.

Channing Tatum - G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

We’ve all kind of known that Channing Tatum despises G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra; and rightfully so. But just how horrible was the man’s opinion of this past franchise starter? Well, not only did he pass on this project seven times, but when G.I. Joe: Retaliation came about, Tatum requested to be killed off in that very sequel. 

Viola Davis - The Help

Despite the contemporary hoopla that saw The Help become an Academy Awards darling at 2012’s Oscars, Viola Davis’ opinion on the movie is far from golden. Indeed, the project has become more and more scrutinized as time goes on, and Davis’ upset with the movie has only developed more nuance over time. 

Ryan Reynolds - Green Lantern

Even if you knew nothing about Ryan Reynolds starring in the much-maligned Green Lantern adaptation, his dislike for the picture is legendary. Especially when part of Deadpool 2’s wild time travel-correcting ending saw the Marvel anti-hero icing his reality-bound actor before even getting to make the film. 

Halle Berry - Catwoman

The downside to Halle Berry being in Catwoman is that she, unfortunately, had to actually make the movie. However, the upside to this painful experience is that Berry’s quips and jabs at her unfortunate DC Comics entry continue to show her impeccable sense of humor. 

Oscar Isaac - X-Men: Apocalypse

While Oscar Isaac doesn’t outright disown his X-Men movie, he does express serious regret for taking on the titular role in X-Men: Apocalypse. Though if you were cast to act up against James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, only to have your abilities hampered by an abundance of prosthetics, you’d probably be pretty steamed too. 

Dame Judi Dench - Cats

Not many actors would consider a Razzie nomination entertaining, or even valid. But then again, Cats' Dame Judi Dench isn't "most actors." Proud to have not seen the film, or read its reviews, the famed performer laughed off her own nomination, and even compared her character's final look to a bunch of foxes engaged in some not-so-family-friendly activity. 

Matt Damon - The Bourne Ultimatum

For as much cultural cache as the Jason Bourne movies still have in the world, it’s kind of astounding that the subpar reaction to some of the sequels doesn’t seem to have dampened that pedigree. That’s an especially good question after Matt Damon’s trashing of The Bourne Ultimatum script somehow didn’t prevent the worst sin that franchise has committed, 2016’s Jason Bourne. 

Megan Fox - Transformers

Megan Fox’s relationship with the Transformers franchise saw her putting the Hasbro toy franchise on blast after the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. More specifically, her comments comparing Michael Bay to Hitler allegedly helped distance her even further from the series that she apparently has no particular love for. 

Matthew Goode - Leap Year

In remarks to The Telegraph about his role in the rom-com Leap Year, Matthew Goode fully admitted that the Amy Adams starring vehicle wasn’t exactly ideal for his tastes. Taking a page out of Michael Caine’s proverbial book on silver linings, Goode did admit that one of the reasons he did enjoy being part of the project was the fact that he could go home easily on the weekends. 

Kate Winslet - Titanic

While the world fell in love with Kate Winslet after her role in Titanic, the actor herself didn’t exactly love watching herself put in, what she feels, was a performance full of errors. Even in a legacy interview with CNN, Winslet criticized everything, even her American accent.  

Mark Wahlberg - Boogie Nights

Boogie Nights was a star making performance for Mark Wahlberg, and to this day it’s a role that’s aged well on his resume. And yet, Wahlberg has asked God to forgive him for making the Paul Thomas Anderson masterpiece, regarding it the biggest mistake of his career. 

Michelle Pfeiffer - Grease 2

Allegedly, Michelle Pfeiffer was cited to have chalked up her experience with Grease 2 as a case of being young and not knowing how to pick a good script. While those stories persist, Pfieffer has apparently started to set the record straight, attributing her supposed Grease sequel bashing to misreported remarks that grew a life of their own.

Sir Alec Guinness - Star Wars

While Sir Alec Guinness’ reaction to watching Star Wars was one of being refreshed, his outlook on taking the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn’t as rosy. Actually making George Lucas’ sci-fi opus was a different story, with Guinness’ on-set feelings seeing the legendary actor less than pleased in the middle of production.

Miriam Margolyes - The Harry Potter Series

Harry Potter fans have been a frequent source of discussion for actor Miriam Margolyes. The performer who brought Madame Sprout to live in the film adaptation of the series not only has no personal connection with the franchise but she’s also shared some thoughts on adult Potter fans that have kicked up more dirt than one of her Herbology classes.

Sylvester Stallone - Stop, Or My Mom Will Shoot!

The widely reported story of how Sylvester Stallone became the action lead in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! is thanks to his feud with action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently, Arnie tricked him into thinking he wanted the movie, which led Stallone to lobby for the part, and win it. His enduring torment can still be heard to this day, and Sly has even suggested the film as a form of interrogation enhancement. Yikes.

Dakota Johnson - Madame Web

Madame Web seems to be an experience that barely anyone enjoyed, even the actors who starred in the movie. Dakota Johnson’s skewering of the finished product, while extremely erudite and empathetic towards herself and the rest of the cast, cuts to the core problems that some feel superhero movies have possessed since day one. 

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Out of all the Harry Potter movies Daniel Radcliffe has fronted, the one that comes in as his least favorite is the sixth entry, The Half Blood Prince. Radcliffe called his own performance “one-note,” especially when compared to his own personal favorite: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Jennifer Aniston - Leprechaun

Jennifer Aniston’s performance in Leprechaun makes her cringe to this day. So much so that in a 2019 interview on The Howard Stern Show, she mentioned that she tried and failed to stop her then-boyfriend Justin Theroux from watching the film; much to her dismay. 

Brad Pitt - The Devil’s Own

“20 pages of dog…” You can fill that phrase in for yourself, but Brad Pitt’s Newsweek interview about 1997’s The Devil’s Own said all that needed to be said about the actor’s feelings for the Harrison Ford co-starring drama. 

Sandra Bullock - Speed 2: Cruise Control

Some experience will stick with you, no matter how hard you try. Sandra Bullock’s no-sequel rule was an echo of such a trauma, thanks to her displeasure with Speed 2: Cruise Control. Admittedly, her concerns about a large cruise ship not being as perceptively speedy as a city bus were part of the equation as well, and can you blame her? 

Robert Pattinson - Twilight

Robert Pattinson’s hate affair with the Twilight Saga is as well-documented as the memes that have committed the franchise’s dialogue to memory. Thankfully, the man didn’t develop an aversion to bats, otherwise The Batman wouldn’t have happened; which is probably one of the best things that actually came out of Twilight when you think about it.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this trip in the trenches with stars who had to tell it like it is. Judging by some of the movies mentioned here, it might be safe to say that for the most part, these reactions were spot on. But if you’re ever wondering why a movie you're fond of might be slammed by an actor or entertainer involved, keep these tales of woe in mind, and try not to take it too personally.

Here’s some simple TV math: the longer a series airs, the less likely its original cast will remain intact, regardless of how beloved the show or actor is. The majority of popular series over the years have gone through at least one major exit, and it’s bad enough when changes are revealed early, and characters’ last episodes are planned out and logical. It's far worse, however, when actors suddenly exit projects without any on-screen closure.

Surprise departures can curb audiences' enjoyment of a show, whether from disrupted cast dynamics or shoddy storytelling. And depending on how controversial the exits are, a key departure can completely derail a show's success. So let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable instances when stars parted ways with projects without closing their characters' stories.

Anna Faris (Mom)

During Mom's hiatus following Season 7, co-star Anna Faris suddenly revealed she was leaving the show, which reportedly shocked the creative team as much as fans. Allison Janney & Co. went forward with the eighth season, occasionally referencing Faris’ character Christy, but it was canceled without any kind of conclusion for the character, though the creators made it clear they didn’t want to kill her off.

Chevy Chase (Community)

Community already suffered the exodus of creator Dan Harmon and more creatives in Season 4, and then Chevy Chase allegedly used a racial slur on the set, leading him to drop out of the NBC comedy through mutual agreement with network execs. His character Pierce appeared multiple times after his official exit, due to episodes airing out of order, as well as that hologram cameo in the Season 5 premiere, but the SNL vet never returned as a regular, and was unceremoniously killed off via dialogue two episodes after the cameo.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

That ‘70s Show vet Danny Masterson reteamed with Ashton Kutcher on Netflix’s sitcom The Ranch, but was fired in December 2017 after multiple assault allegations against him were publicized. Masterson later faced trial, was convicted and sentenced to prison in September 2023, and did not return as Rooster Bennett, who was written as missing and presumed dead via motorcycle accident.

Suzanne Somers (Three's Company)

Three’s Company's early seasons were bolstered by the popularity of Suzanne Somers’ Chrissy Snow, but network execs reportedly refused the actress’ salary increase requests, leading to a unique stalemate agreement. Somers made only contractually obligated appearances in Season 4 episodes' closing tag scenes, which she filmed separately from her co-stars. Somers was fired by the season’s end, with Chrissy said to be caring for her sick mom in Fresno.

Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead)

Corey Hawkins joined The Walking Dead Season 6 as comic book fan-favorite Heath, but Straight Outta Compton's release that same year shot him to Hollywood’s stratosphere. In one of TWD’s most baffling moments, Heath disappeared in Season 7, and was never seen from again. Reportedly, Heath would have returned for the movies, but those plans have been shut down.

Emmy Rossum (Shameless)

The final two years of Shameless' 11-season run were without Emmy Rossum’s Fiona Gallagher. The actress announced her shocking exit in 2018, and Fiona’s final appearance came in the emotional Season 9 finale. Despite fans’ hopes, Rossum opted not to return for cameos in the remaining seasons, and the series finale wrapped without any major Fiona updates.

Mandy Patinkin (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds began its lengthy run with Mandy Patinkin’s Jason Gideon running the BAU, but that changed ahead of the third season when Patinkin left the show entirely over his disgust with the violent storylines. (He called joining the crime drama his “biggest public mistake” in 2012.) Gideon was replaced and killed off-screen seven seasons later, with Ben Savage guest-starring as young Gideon in flashbacks.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

Ahead of Scandal's Season 3 finale, co-star Columbus Short was arrested over a physical altercation at an L.A. restaurant, and eventually confessed he’d developed drinking and drug habits while dealing with a divorce and custody disputes. Short was fired from Scandal in April 2014, and his character Harrison Wright was revealed in Season 4 to have been killed off.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

Former MMA badass Gina Carano landed the role of Star Wars merc Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, but lost the gig in February 2021. Following a series of controversial social media moves, Lucasfilm announced she would no longer be involved in the show. Cara Dune was not recast, and has not returned to the franchise since the Season 2 finale.

Valerie Harper (Valerie)

The Hogan Family began its existence as Valerie, starring the Emmy-winning Valerie Harper as its lead matriarch for two seasons. She was later fired after salary disputes and sued NBC and production company Lorimar. While her initial claims were dismissed, a judge ruled Harper was indeed wrongfully terminated, netting her a financial win. Her character suffered an offscreen death, leading to the series' name changes.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Following a string of 1990s scandals, Robert Downey Jr. landed the role of love interest Larry Paul in Season 4 of Fox’s hit dramedy Ally McBeal, which earned him a Golden Globe. But additional arrests in late 2000 and 2001 led creator David E. Kelley to cut ties with RDJ completely. The fifth season, which would have chronicled Ally and Larry’s post-wedding bliss, had to be completely rewritten.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Though Charmed’s eldest sister Prue Halliwell was the trio's most powerful, the third season finale left Shannen Doherty’s character facing possible death. Though presumptions held that she’d return for Season 4, tensions and more issues surrounding Doherty and Alyssa Milano led to Doherty’s firing via phone call. As such, Prue’s wounds turned out to be fatal, but Doherty did not return for the funeral episode.

Clayne Crawford (Lethal Weapon)

Fox’s iteration of Lethal Weapon paired Rectify vet Clayne Crawford with Damon Wayans. But instead of buddy cop love, reports indicated strife and hostility building between the co-stars, along with complaints about Crawford's directorial work. His exit was reported on the day of the Season 2 finale, which ended on a cliffhanger for his character Riggs, who was unsurprisingly revealed to have succumbed to his wounds. Seann William Scott joined Season 3 as a replacement.

Grace Park (Hawaii Five-0)

After seven seasons portraying Kono Kalakaua for CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot, Grace Park opted to vacate her role alongside Daniel Dae Kim after their attempts to secure pay equality with co-stars Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan were turned down by CBS Television Studios. Kono was revealed to have relocated to Carson City, Nevada, as part of a trafficking task force, with Danny sharing their break-up update in Season 9.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Various Criminal Minds stars exited the drama for different reasons, but Thomas Gibson’s case. stands out. Despite the show still being early into filming Season 12, ABC Studios and CBS Studios revealed the actor’s termination via a joint statement in August 2016, less than a week after Gibson was suspended over an on-set altercation with a writer-producer. A later episode revealed his character Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner entered Witness Protection after discovering serial killer Peter Lewis stalking his son Jack.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

One of the '90s' biggest sitcoms returned to ABC in 2018, with Roseanne bringing comedian Roseanne Barr back as its matriarch. But that return only lasted for a single season, as Barr tweeted a message about former White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett that was considered racist, and two months after its Season 11 renewal, Roseanne was effectively canceled. The network relaunched without Barr as The Conners, which kicked off its run by killing off Roseanne Conner via drug overdose.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

Two and a Half Men thrived on the chemistry between Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, but the show went into hiatus in 2011 due to Sheen’s then-latest rehab stint, at which point the actor began slamming CBS and Chuck Lorre in a variety of high-profile interviews. Season 8 was then shut down mid-production, with Sheen’s firing later capping things off. His public meltdowns continued capturing headlines as Ashton Kutcher helped fill the Charlie void, and unfortunately didn't make good on rumors of his series finale return.

Lisa Edelstein (House)

Across her years as Dr. Lisa Cuddy, House star Lisa Edelstein went from playing contentious boss to adoring lover. Upon Season 7’s end, she and two co-stars were asked to take salary cuts during contract negotiations, with Edelstein being the lone holdout. She announced her exit ahead of Season 8, and Cuddy was later revealed to have quit as Dean of Medicine, with Omar Epps’ Eric Foreman taking on the duties for the final season.

James Garner (Maverick)

For three seasons, James Garner portrayed Maverick's title character Bret Maverick, but the 1960 writers' strike helped bring that run to a sudden close. When Warner Bros. attempted to lay Garner off due to a lack of scripts, he fought back and successfully sued the studio for breach of contract. According to the actor, he personally turned down an offer to return with a raise, saying, “I want out,” and though Bret appeared in an airing-delayed Season 4 ep which was filmed far earlier, Garner did not return, with fill-in stars Roger Moore and Robert Colbert added later.

Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)

Katherine Heigl took a temporary leave from Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6 to shoot a movie and spend time with her adopted daughter, which sparked her to request to be released from her contract 18 months early. Disputes have raged on over how her sudden exit was handled, considering Izzy never experienced an official “farewell” scene. Alex Karev’s final ep specifically noted that he and Izzy were back together and raising twins in Kansas. While Heigl notably reunited with former co-stars at the Emmys, giving fans hope that Izzy could return, she has yet to justify those hopes.

Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs)

Nine months after The Goldbergs co-star George Segal died at 87, lead actor Jeff Garlin vacated the show following multiple HR investigations into allegations of misconduct. The departure was said to be a mutual agreement between the actor and the producers and network, and because it happened in the middle of filming Season 9, the producers used CGI, physical stand-ins, and archival audio to make it appear as if Murray was still around. The writers ditched that idea going into Season 10, though, and revealed Murray's off-camera death.

Freema Agyeman (New Amsterdam)

Freema Agyeman portrayed New Amsterdam's oncology chief Dr. Helen Sharpe for four seasons, and while many expected her back for the fifth and final season, the actress shockingly announced her exit amid the summer hiatus, cheekily pleading for fans to continue Sharpe’s story via fan-fiction. She went on to co-star in the series Dreamland, cementing Sharpe and Dr. Goodwin’s break-up, and though the character did appear on TV in a later Season 5 episode, it was without any overarching updates.

Hartley Sawyer (The Flash)

In 2017, actor Hartley Sawyer landed his stretchiest role yet as The Flash’s Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. Elongated Man. Three years later, in response to his comments about Black Lives Matter, social media users pulled up multiple derogatory and offensive tweets the actor posted between the years of 2009-2014. He publicly apologized for the posts, but a week after waves were made, Warner Bros. TV and The CW fired Sawyer from The Flash, which used an uncredited body double for Season 7’s “Mother” to write Ralph out alongside Sue Dearbon.

Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends)

Jill Marie Jones crushed it as Girlfriends’ ego-driven Toni Childs for six seasons but was the only main cast holdout who exited the dramedy ahead of Season 7 over her contract expiring. Jones' exit was explained through Toni moving to New York City at the end of Season 6, but Jones spoke openly in 2007 about feeling that Toni’s story wasn’t over and that she'd be willing to return if the writers put something together. Alas, the show was canceled in 2008 before that could happen.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Lori Loughlin returned to her Full House role of Rebecca for the Netflix continuation series Fuller House, but her appearances ceased in Season 4 after she was fired by Netflix over her and her husband Mossimo Giannulli’s actions regarding the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. Though the actress was later able to reprise her When Calls the Heart character, Aunt Becky didn't return at all for Season 5.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

Alongside Robin Wright, Kevin Spacey made streaming TV normal with Netflix’s House of Cards. In the weeks ahead of Season 6's production, Spacey faced widely publicized accusations from actor Anthony Rapp, was subsequently fired by Netflix and was removed from executive producer duties. His character Frank Underwood was revealed to have been poisoned and died ahead of the Season 6 premiere.

Leanna Creel (Saved By The Bell)

Leanna Creel’s Tori Scott remains one of pop culture's biggest curiosities, having slid into NBC’s Saved by the Bell for its final season during a run of episodes lacking Tiffani Thiessen’s Kelly and Elizabeth Berkley’s Jessie. The leather-clad character shook things up for Zack & Co. for just ten episodes, and was never heard from again.

Wayne Rogers (MASH)

Three years after joining CBS' MASH, actor Wayne Rogers grew discouraged by his character Trapper John not reaching his expectations, and unexpectedly opted to quit the hit series ahead of its fourth season. But while fellow exiting co-star McLean Stevenson was able to be written out of the Season 3 finale, Trapper John's absence had to be explained away in the Season 4 premiere without Rogers around.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

Batwoman’s first foray into live-action saw Ruby Rose wearing Kate Kane's cape and cowl, but she left the Arrowverse series shortly after the first season ended. Reports noted she was fired over on-set behavior, with Rose claiming the show’s taxing nature led her to suffer back surgery following an alleged on-set accident. Replaced as a lead by Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder, Kate later returned in a different physical form without Rose’s involvement.

Kate Jackson (Charlie's Angels)

O.G. Charlie’s Angels star Kate Jackson won viewers’ hearts for three years as Sabrina Duncan, which is when she followed former co-star Farrah Fawcett out the door. Jackson spoke warily of the writers’ scripts, and after being denied the opportunity to join Kramer vs. Kramer due to scheduling, she intentionally caused an on-set mess that led to her dismissal ahead of Season 4. Replaced by Shelley Hack’s Tiffany Wells, Sabrina was revealed to have left the agency to become a mother.

Jon Seda (Chicago P.D.)

Jon Seda’s Antonio Dawson jumped from Chicago Fire to P.D. to Justice and back again for seven years. Surprisingly, NBC and Wolf Entertainment chose not to renew Seda’s contract ahead of Chicago P.D.'s seventh season, and he was let go. Later episodes revealed the character fell back into pill addiction following the prior finale's cliffhanger, and he was checked into rehab, eventually moving to Puerto Rico after resigning from the force.

Selma Blair (Anger Management)

Charlie Sheen followed Two and a Half Men with the comedy Anger Management, co-starring Selma Blair for part of its run as his colleague and fling interest Dr. Kate Wales. Conflict between Blair and Sheen bled into the tabloids, and a reported ultimatum from Sheen led producers to fire Blair, with her character suddenly being explained away as having moved to India.

Katherine Heigl’s Grey’s Anatomy reunion with Ellen Pompeo and other members of the original cast at the 75th Emmy Awards shocked longtime fans who remembered that her 2010 exit from the long-running ABC series came under less-than-ideal circumstances. Some people (including myself) hoped the move might even mean that Izzie Stevens could even make a comeback in future episodes. Even after the Heigl-related drama appeared to be put to bed, however, rumors persist that the Meredith Grey actress is still holding a grudge, but I’m just not buying it. 

Rumors Suggest Ellen Pompeo Is Still Mad At Katherine Heigl 

The National Enquirer suggested (via Radar Online) that Ellen Pompeo still holds a grudge against Katherine Heigl for withdrawing her name from contention at the 2008 Emmy Awards and blaming Grey’s Anatomy’s writers for not being “given the material this season to warrant” consideration — a situation that Heigl has since admitted she mishandled.

The tabloid alleges that despite Katherine Heigl’s groveling, Ellen Pompeo continues to refuse any olive branch and has zero interest in burying the hatchet with her former co-star.

Why I Can’t Believe There Is Still Tension Between The Grey’s Anatomy Veterans 

However, I can’t believe that these claims hold any water. I’ve been a Grey’s Anatomy fan since the beginning and have rewatched many of the episodes over the years (from different starting points, depending on the era I’m looking for). I’ve also paid attention to news regarding the cast members and things they’ve said about the medical drama, regardless of whether or not they’re still on it. Several events over the past years seem to indicate that not only was there genuine friendship between the actresses when they held hands on stage at the Emmys this year, but that any tension has long since been resolved.

First of all, in 2022 Ellen Pompeo raved about Katherine Heigl for speaking out in 2009 about the 17-hour days they were made to work in the early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, saying on her podcast Tell Me that it was a “fucking ballsy” move, as Pompeo continued:  

While that incident wasn’t directly related to the 2008 Emmys drama, it doesn’t seem like Ellen Pompeo would go out of her way to laud her former colleague like that if she were still carrying a grudge.

Furthermore, Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl reunited in 2023 to interview each other for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, where they talked about their kids, careers and, of course, the backlash Heigl had faced back in the day. Pompeo again said that the Izzie Stevens actress had been ahead of her time in advocating for herself.

The last reason it’s hard for me to believe that the Grey’s Anatomy EP still holds a grudge against Katherine Heigl is because Ellen Pompeo simply doesn’t seem to be the type to carry around that kind of negativity. The behind-the-scenes issues with Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo have been well-documented, but despite the actors not speaking for years after McDreamy was killed off in 2014, she played a vital role in getting him to return for several episodes in 2020.

In addition to that, Ellen Pompeo also famously butted heads with Denzel Washington when he directed one of Grey’s Anatomy’s best episodes, Season 12’s “The Sound of Silence.” However, in recalling all the times Meredith Grey has almost died on the show, she named that episode as her favorite, saying on her podcast: 

Even in recalling how much tempers flared on set of that high-intensity episode, Ellen Pompeo still recalls working with Denzel Washington as one of the best moments of her Grey’s Anatomy career. To me, that doesn’t sound like someone who would be carrying around the weight of Katherine Heigl’s actions of over a decade ago.

Whether or not that means we’ll see Izzie Stevens on Grey’s Anatomy anytime in the future is unknown, but we do know that Meredith Grey will appear in the premiere of Season 20, when Grey’s Anatomy returns to ABC at 9 p.m. ET Thursday, March 14. In the meantime, you can get caught up by rewatching any of the first 19 seasons with a Netflix subscription. 

Fans were thrilled when Justin Chambers and Katherine Heigl reunited with fellow original Grey’s Anatomy cast members Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. at the 75th Emmy Awards. It was a big moment, especially for Heigl, who famously was involved in some behind-the-scenes drama ahead of her exit in 2010. Time seems to have healed some of the wounds created on set at the ABC medical drama, and I think it’s high time Izzie returned to Grey Sloan; however, there needs to be one caveat. 

Why It’s Time For Katherine Heigl To Come Back To Grey’s Anatomy 

Katherine Heigl was labeled “difficult” after she spoke out about 17-hour days the Grey’s Anatomy actors were made to work in the early seasons. We can now see that the actress was right to advocate for herself and her co-stars, and bringing Izzie back to Grey Sloan would be a deserved redemption for Heigl. Even Ellen Pompeo has said that Heigl was “100% right” to speak out, and that if she had said that today, “she’d be a complete hero.”

As for the 2008 Emmys drama — in which Katherine Heigl withdrew her name from contention, saying she didn’t feel she “was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination” — the actress has since apologized, admitting she ambushed the writers, saying:  

Grey’s Anatomy has brought back so many of its former characters as it enters its 20th season, from Kate Walsh’s Addison Montgomery to fan favorite couple Japril to McDreamy’s surprise appearances from beyond the grave. Certainly fans would love to see some of that original MAGIC, especially with Ellen Pompeo stepping away from her role as a series regular. While Katherine Heigl used to say Izzie’s return might be too much of a distraction, she seemed to be warming to the idea in later years. I would love to see this happen, but only on one condition. 

Grey’s Anatomy Can’t Break Up Alex And Izzie 

The one thing that would ruin any potential Izzie Stevens return would be if something had happened to her and Alex Karev. Grey’s Anatomy’s use of their past relationship to write Justin Chambers’ character off the show all but ensured that they were endgame, because to break them up would be even more of a slap in the face to the viewers. 

Season 16 saw Alex leave his wife Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) and reunite with Izzie, who unbeknownst to him had given birth to his twins. Alex ended his marriage to Jo via letter and never returned to Seattle. Fans were infuriated, and even Katherine Heigl called it “an a-hole move.” Grey’s made their bed with that story, and now they have to lie in it.

Does that mean any Katherine Heigl return would have to include Justin Chambers? Not necessarily, though that would be welcome too! We’ve seen Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) return without April Kepner (Sarah Drew), but we know they’re still together.

I think Katherine Heigl’s reunion with her former co-stars at the Emmys proved all is well with the cast, and I really hope we can see her character again sometime soon. While we wait for Grey’s Anatomy Season 20 to hit the 2024 TV schedule at 9 p.m. ET Thursday, March 14, on ABC, you can relive any of the first 19 seasons with a Netflix subscription. And if you don’t want to start at the beginning, here are the starting points of all your favorite Grey’s Anatomy eras. 

Back in the earlier seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, the behind-the-scenes drama was plentiful — and often as salacious as anything happening on the screen — from Patrick Dempsey’s supposed “terrorizing” behavior that led to McDreamy being killed off to Katherine Heigl’s strained relationship with creator Shonda Rhimes. Time does heal many wounds, though, and 14 years after she left the ABC medical drama, Heigl reunited with her former co-stars on stage at the 75th Emmy Awards. Some viewers seemed surprised to see her hand-in-hand with Ellen Pompeo, and her appearance elicited some strong reactions on social media.

Katherine Heigl took the stage with Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr., with the actress who played Izzie Stevens acknowledging that, “Yes, there have been changes” over the years as Grey’s Anatomy approaches its 20th season. Given the turmoil that surrounded Heigl’s exit from the show, seeing her hand-in-hand with Pompeo had people in their feels, like this fan who wrote on X (Twitter): 

The Emmys were quite the fitting venue for Katherine Heigl to show that fences had been mended with her former castmates, given the role the awards show played in fracturing their relationship. 

After winning an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama in 2007, Heigl withdrew her name from consideration for the following year’s awards, saying, “I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.” At the time the actress also spoke out about working 17-hour days, and she was eventually released early from her contract in 2010. Many watching the 2023 Emmys loved seeing this redemption story, with one viewer saying: 

Others had similar reactions, tweeting: 

• I will forever be a Katherine Heigl defender. I hope 2024 is the year she is in literally everything. – laynesays
• Katherine Heigl is HOMEEEEE – WAYSTIAR
• Watching Katherine Heigl with the Grey’s cast feels so nostalgic – everybdymovedon
• On the floor with Katherine Heigl I love her so much IZZIE COME HOME – fearlustpride
• Katherine Heigl you were WRONGED by Hollywood you are sooooo beloved – TlMBRADFORD

It was a meaningful moment to see five of the original Grey’s Anatomy cast members together, as only Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. remain series regulars. Ellen Pompeo reduced her role on the series in Season 19, after Justin Chambers left in Season 16. Some fans were disappointed that Sandra Oh and T.R. Knight were absent from the reunion, but others saw potential Season 20 plot possibilities, with one fan writing: 

I agree it would be great to see Izzie Stevens (and possibly Justin Chambers’ Alex Karev, too?) back on Grey’s Anatomy, since it appears they’ve left the off-the-screen drama in the past. We’ll have to see just how far this reunion will take them, when Season 20 premieres Thursday, March 14, on ABC. In the meantime, you can relive any of the first 19 seasons with a Netflix subscription. 

Typically, actors will work their hardest to promote a film to the best of their ability... at first, that is. Sometimes, years (or months) after said movie releases, the stars will not hold back on their true feelings. See for yourself by taking a look at some of the, so-called, worst movies starring famous actors who would admit that even they agree with the most brutal critiques.

Ben Affleck (Daredevil)

Most would agree that he is one of the best live-action Batman actors, but Ben Affleck’s first stab at playing a superhero in 2003 was not very well received. The actor himself wasn't pleased either, as he told EW (via E!) that he agrees Daredevil “didn’t work, at all.” However, he later explained that what he appreciates about DD is that his commitment to accurately portraying Matt Murdock’s blindness paid off, at least.

Christian Bale (Newsies)

Newsies — a musical retelling of the 1899 New York newsboy strike — was a flop for Disney in 1992 but gained a cult following that star Christian Bale is not a part of. He told EW that the “wounds” he feels he suffered from starring in it healed over time. We suppose leading some great live-action Batman movies and winning an Oscar for The Fighter helped him as well. 

Halle Berry (Catwoman) 

When Halle Berry accepted her Razzie for Worst Actress of 2004 for Catwoman in person, she was one of the few actors to do so and thanked Warner Bros. for putting her in such a “god-awful movie.” At least the actor — who also has an Oscar for Monster’s Ball and a few well-received comic book movies under her belt (the X-Men movies) — has a sense of humor about starring in a DC movie that even John Rogers, one of its writers, thinks is bad.

Josh Brolin (Jonah Hex)

Future MCU and Deadpool 2 star Josh Brolin made his comic book movie debut in 2010 as the titular character in the DC Comics-inspired Western, Jonah Hex. The actor (and star of one of the best Neo-Westerns and, simply, best movies of the 2000s, No Country for Old Men) later told CBR (via CinemaBlend) that he would remake it if he had the chance, as he was not happy with how it turned out.

Sandra Bullock (Speed 2: Cruise Control)

Speed is considered one of the best action movies of all time, but Speed 2: Cruise Control is not remembered so fondly by most, including star Sandra Bullock. The Oscar winner brought up the 1997 sequel — which is set on a cruise ship — when asked by TooFab about movies she was initially embarrassed by before coming around later. However she never actually changed her tune on this one.

George Clooney (Batman & Robin)

While there are some people who actually do enjoy Batman & Robin, George Clooney — who played Bruce Wayne in the 1997 flop — is not one of them. On The Graham Norton Show, the Oscar winner talked about his propensity to constantly apologize for, as he believed at the time, ruining the Dark Knight’s big screen legacy forever, before Christopher Nolan saved it.

Sean Connery (The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen)

It's a shame to learn that an actor is not proud of their final live-action acting credit and such is the case with the late Sean Connery and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The former James Bond actor recalled in a 2007 interview unearthed by Heat Vision (via THR) how he tried to salvage the 2003 Alan Moore adaptation in the editing room and described director Stephen Norrington as insane.

David Cross (Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked)

According to The Washington Post, David Cross once felt the need to defend his participation in 2007’s Alvin and the Chipmunks, but he wasn't so kind about its 2011 threequel. During an appearance on Conan, the comedian recalled his “miserable” experience making Chipwrecked and recommended that the audience that was present not see the family film.

Viola Davis (The Help)

Even though her performance as 1960s Mississippi maid Abilene expanded her notoriety and earned her an Oscar nomination, Viola Davis regrets starring in 2011’s The Help. As she told Vanity Fair, “there’s a part of me that feels like I betrayed myself, and my people, because I was in a movie that wasn’t ready to [tell the whole truth]” and was “created in the filter and the cesspool of systemic racism.” 

Colin Farrell (Miami Vice)

When Michael Mann brought Miami Vice to the big screen in 2006, the action flick did not get the best reviews, based on its Rotten Tomatoes score of 47%. Lead actor Colin Farrell wasn’t too hot on it either, revealing to Total Film (via Far Out) that he “didn’t like it so much,” adding he felt it was “style over substance." Additionally, he even accepts some of the responsibility for that.

Crispin Glover (Back To The Future)

How could anyone dislike one of the best time travel movies ever made, 1985's Back to the Future? Well, George McFly actor Crispin Glover told AV Club that he felt the ending — which saw Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly return to an alternate present in which his family is rich — sent a misguided message, which is why he opted not to appear in the sequels.

Alec Guinness (Star Wars)

The Force was not strong with the Star Wars movies’ original Obi-Wan Kenobi actor, Alec Guinness, apparently. In 1975, the Oscar winner wrote a letter to his friend, Anne Kaufman — which was quoted in his biography and republished by Business Insider in 2013 — describing George Lucas’ script as “fairy-tale rubbish.”

Katherine Heigl (Knocked Up)

In 2008, Knocked Up cast member Katherine Heigl told Vanity Fair that it was “hard for [her] to love the movie,” as she believed it portrayed women in an unfavorable light. While the 2007 comedy is still remembered as one of the best Judd Apatow movies, the former Grey’s Anatomy cast member’s honest comments about sexism would have a negative impact on her career, unfortunately.

Bob Hoskins (Super Mario Bros.)

In 2011, the late Bob Hoskins was asked by The Guardian about his worst job, biggest disappointment, and element he would edit out from his past? His answer to each question was the infamous video game movie adaptation, Super Mario Bros., from 1993.

Jennifer Lawrence (Passengers)

Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence revealed to The New York Times that Adele actually recommended she should say “no” to 2016’s Passengers — in which she and Chris Pratt's characters wake up from a commercial interplanetary journey way too early. Lawrence then said she wished she hadn't ignored the advice from the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter.

Lindsay Lohan (I Know Who Killed Me)

According to a 2013 report by The Daily Mail, Lindsay Lohan was once tweeted at by a fan who told her she had watched I Know Who Killed Me twice the night before. The Parent Trap star replied by saying this fan had watched the 2007 psychological thriller “two times too many.”

Bill Murray (Garfield)

When Bill Murray said he regretted making Garfield during his iconic Zombieland cameo, that was not just a joke. In fact, it was during an interview with GQ that Murray said the only reason he agreed to voice the 2004 live-action movie’s titular cat was because he thought one of the Coen Brothers was writing it, only to learn too late that the scribe was Joel Cohen.

Paul Newman (The Silver Chalice)

According to the Irish Film Institute, Paul Newman’s choice for the “worst motion picture produced during the 1950s” was his screen acting debut: The Silver Chalice. Despite his feelings about it, the late, legendary actor actually received a “Most Promising Newcomer” Golden Globe nomination for playing the Holy Grail’s sculptor in the 1954 drama.

Robert Pattinson (Twilight)

There's no denying that playing Edward Cullen in the Twilight movies made Robert Pattinson the star he is now, but that doesn't change the fact that he's not big on the films. His 2011 interview with Vanity Fair, in which he says “representing something you don’t particularly like” is “weird” in reference to the teen vampire romance stories, is just one of many times the Batman actor has admitted to this.

Christopher Plummer (The Sound Of Music)

When asked about his most challenging role during a roundtable interview with THR, Christopher Plummer’s answer was Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music. His reasoning was nothing akin to Julie Andrews’ rough time shooting the iconic hill sequence, but was that he found the beloved 1965 musical itself to be “so awful and sentimental and gooey.”

Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern)

Has an actor ever been more shamelessly and frequently vocal about their disdain for their own work than Ryan Reynolds with Green Lantern? Most recently, Reynolds shared his horrified reaction to the 2009 DC flick at London’s Just for Laughs festival in 2023 (according to The Independent). But his most public and unapologetic expression of disappointment can be seen in both Deadpool movies.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Red Sonja)

While recognized as a cult favorite today, Red Sonja — which is being rebooted — is certainly not a film Arnold Schwarzenegger would call one of his best movies. In fact, the former California governor is quoted in Far Out as saying that he used to punish his children by forcing them to watch the 1985 comic book adaptation, which stars Brigette Nielsen as the titular warrior.

Sylvester Stallone (Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot) 

Apparently, Sylvester Stallone has Arnold Schwarzenegger to blame for his decision to star in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, which the Rocky star later told Ain’t It Cool News was “one of the worst movies in the entire solar system.” According to SlashFilm, the Terminator star revealed he tricked his then-rival, Stallone, into signing on for the panned 1992 comedy by feigning interest in the script.

Channing Tatum (G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra)

Radio host Howard Stern once named G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra as guest Channing Tatum’s star-making moment. In turn, Tatum bluntly admitted he hates the 2009 cinematic adaptation of the action figure line, claiming he was “pushed into” making it by Paramount. That explains why he requested to be killed off in the 2013 sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

Charlize Theron (Reindeer Games)

Academy Award winner Charlize Theron did not hold back when telling Esquire that she believes 2000’s Reindeer Games is a “bad, bad, bad movie.” However, she does not regret starring in the Ben Affleck-led Christmas action flick, as it a gave her the chance to work with director John Frankenheimer.

Mark Wahlberg (The Happening)

On a ranked list of M. Night Shyamalan movies, most people might put The Happening at a pretty low spot, including one of its stars. During a press conference for The Fighter, Mark Wahlberg admitted that he does not like The Happening either in an expletive-filled tirade. This came after he revealed that Amy Adams was up for Zooey Deschanel’s part in the unintentionally hilarious 2009 disaster thriller.

Sam Worthington (Clash Of The Titans)

Despite the fact that 2010's Clash of the Titans remake is one of his bigger hits outside of the Avatar movies, Sam Worthington is not a fan. He revealed to IndieWire that he put the blame on his “bland performance” as Perseus and promised to make up for it with the 2012 sequel, Wrath of the Titans.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Shallow Hal)

When Gwyneth Paltrow tested her friend and assistant Kevin Keating’s knowledge of her for a video on Netflix’s X account, he (almost) correctly names her least favorite performance of hers as Rosemary in Shallow Hal. The Academy Award winner and MCU star then describes the Farrelly Brothers’ 2001 fantasy rom-com, which also stars Jack Black, as a “disaster.”

Nicole Kidman (Australia)

Nicole Kidman revealed in an interview with a Sydney radio station (via Daily Mail) that she rarely watches her own movies but did attend the premiere of Australia, which reunited her with Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann. However, she found herself squirming in her seat over her performance in the 2009 romantic period drama, which paired her with Hugh Jackman.

Alec Baldwin (Rock Of Ages)

His fondness for director Adam Shankman and admiration for the all-star cast, including Tom Cruise and Catherine Zeta-Jones, convinced Alec Baldwin to star in Rock of Ages. However, as he revealed in a 2013 interview with American Magazine Media Conference in New York (via The Wrap), the 2012 movie based on a Broadway hit featuring ’80s rock tunes was a “complete disaster” in his eyes.

Brad Pitt (The Devil’s Own)

An action movie starring Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt sounds like a surefire success by those details alone but, as Pitt would share with Newsweek, The Devil’s Own is not all it's cracked up to be. Apparently, the 1997 thriller was a disaster from behind the scenes with the cast and crew being forced to make up the story as they went along after the previous “great script” was “tossed for various reasons.” In addition, Pitt and Ford couldn't get on the same page.

James Franco (Your Highness)

When James Franco jokes about not wanting to do a homemade sequel to 2011’s Your Highness in This is the End, he wasn't exactly kidding. The actor told GQ in 2013 that he thinks the medieval stoner comedy from director David Gordon Green “sucks."

Whether or not you agree with these celebrities’ opinion of their own films, you cannot deny that it takes guts for an actor to admit when one of their own films missed the mark in their eyes.

A number of celebrities have packed it up and moved their lives out of Los Angeles, especially in the past few years since the pandemic. Emily Blunt and John Krasinski split time between London and New York, as they found that Hollywood can be “suffocating,” and Modern Family actress Ariel Winter moved to Virginia to escape the paparazzi. Finding peace outside of California is a secret Grey’s Anatomy alum Katherine Heigl discovered long ago, and she opened up about why her family moved to Utah after years of hustling in Hollywood.

Katherine Heigl moved to Utah in 2010, after behind-the-scenes issues led to Izzie's departure from Grey’s Anatomy. She’s still continued to act, however, most recently starring in the book-to-screen adaptation of Firefly Lane (available with a Netflix subscription), and she recently opened up on TODAY about what inspired the big move. Heigl said:  

It turns out the beach isn’t everybody’s idea of a get-away, and Katherine Heigl has always been more at peace in the mountains. The 27 Dresses actress said Utah was a part-time destination for them at first, and it was actually her husband, singer-songwriter Josh Kelley, who took the step to make it their home. She explained: 

I can imagine that was a move that must have been very good for Katherine Heigl’s peace of mind, especially with their three children, Naleigh, Adalaide and Joshua. The actress had spoken about leaving Hollywood before, saying she didn’t know how to raise kids in L.A., and being in Utah gave her a better handle on what activities they’re involved in and who they’re hanging around.

She’s also spoken about what she went through while working on Grey’s Anatomy and how she was operating “at a level of intensity that was not healthy for me," so it sounds like her escape from L.A. was a move well worth making.

You can see Katherine Heigl on Firefly Lane or old seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, which are both available to stream on Netflix. Or, if you want to relive any specific era of the ABC medical drama, here are some good Grey’s Anatomy starting points. 

It’s been over 17 years since Denny Duquette’s heart beat for the last time, nearly two decades since Izzie Stevens had to be carried away from the man she thought she was going to marry. Somehow, as Grey’s Anatomy approaches its 20th season, that performance by Katherine Heigl alongside Jeffrey Dean Morgan — two actors who have long since moved on from the ABC medical drama — remains one of the most affecting of the series. There’s a reason for that, as Heigl recalled tapping into a painful place for that performance, and she admitted what she wishes she’d done differently.

In the Season 2 finale “Losing My Religion,” Denny Duquette received a heart transplant (thanks to Izzie illegally cutting his LVAD wire) but died hours later, when a blood clot caused him to have a stroke. Meredith, Cristina, Alex and George found Izzie afterward, lying next to Denny’s body, refusing to move until Alex insisted that wasn’t Denny anymore and carried her away sobbing. Katherine Heigl recalled the scene for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, telling Ellen Pompeo: 

Izzie’s grief was palpable during that scene, and knowing that the actress drew upon the emotions of losing her brother when she was just 7 years old adds a whole new level of heartbreak. Katherine Heigl admitted that she wished she hadn’t recalled those horrible feelings, as she told her former co-star: 

Katherine Heigl wrote about her brother Jason on Instagram back in 2021, recalling his death in 1986 at age 15. Jason was in a car accident that left him in the ICU for a week before he was taken off of life support, the actress said.

It must have been unspeakably hard to allow that grief to come to the surface for that famous scene, but Ellen Pompeo pointed out that it was that performance and show of emotion that made Grey’s Anatomy as iconic as it is, and it’s true. There’s a reason we still talk about Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s guest spot on that show, a reason the actor said playing Denny Duquette changed his life. That performance is what makes “Losing My Religion” one of Grey’s Anatomy’s best episodes.

However, Ellen Pompeo has made similar admissions, recalling the scene in Season 6’s “Sanctuary/Death and all of His Friends” when Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) was shot. She said she and Sandra Oh had to “scream and cry and go crazy 30 fucking times,” and that wasn’t something she’d be willing to do again.

All 19 seasons of the medical drama are available to stream with a Netflix subscription, and if you don’t want to start from the beginning, there are plenty of jumping-off points for your Grey’s Anatomy rewatch, including the Denny Duquette era. We don’t yet know when Season 20 will premiere, but keep your eye on the 2023 TV schedule for that and all of the other shows that are starting in the meantime. 

Grey’s Anatomy has been beloved by TV fans for the better part of two decades, and when you think back to the MAGIC days of Meredith, Alex, George, Izzie and Cristina, it’s hard to believe how many traumas, romances, medical miracles and natural disasters we’ve witnessed. It’s tempting to want to go back and rewatch all of Grey’s Anatomy’s heart-pumping drama — especially with all 19 seasons readily available to stream with a Netflix subscription — but with 420 episodes so far, that’s a pretty massive undertaking. We’re here to help by giving you the best starting points from all of the best eras of the Shonda Rhimes drama.

Now, if those early days of Meredith and McDreamy, 007, and Cristina’s bad-assery are what you’re craving, by all means, hit play on Season 1’s “A Hard Day’s Night” and ride that wave through nearly two decades of episodes. However, if you’re more interested in a specific period of time — or a specific character — allow me to suggest these other episodes as good places to jump in. (I tried to keep the SPOILERS to a minimum, but reader beware if you’re new to the series.) 

The Denny Duquette Era (Season 2, Episode 13)  

We’re 19 seasons into this medical drama, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s appearance in Season 2 quite possibly still stands as the best guest-starring role the show has ever seen. Morgan played Denny Duquette, a heart patient with charisma to spare, who had an immediate and undeniable mutual attraction with Katherine Heigl’s Izzie Stevens. If you want to relive the rollercoaster of their complicated relationship, start with “Begin the Begin” in the second season. 

Meredith And Derek Get Together For Good (Season 5, Episode 19)  

Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey and Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd kicked off the series with a bang — literally — engaging in a one-night stand just hours before he was revealed to be an attending surgeon at her new job. However, it was quite a while before this on-off couple was finally fully "on." The way Derek treated Meredith in some of those earlier episodes was far from McDreamy, so if you want to skip the "Oh yeah, I'm still married," of it all and get straight to prime MerDer territory, fire the series up at Season 5’s “Elevator Love Letter.” 

The Mercy West Era (Season 6, Episode 5) 

The first time Grey’s Anatomy added a new batch of doctors came in Season 6, when Seattle Grace merged with Mercy West Medical Center amid a tough economic climate. Season 6’s “Invasion” introduced fans to Jackson Avery, April Kepner, Reed Adamson, Charles Percy, and while I won’t spoil the fates of Nora Zehetner and Robert Baker’s characters (IYKYK), fans of a certain would-be couple undoubtedly would want to start watching here, or skip a couple of seasons forward to … 

Japril: The Beginning (Season 8, Episode 21)  

When they were introduced in Season 6, nobody knew that Jackson (Jesse Williams) and April (Sarah Drew) would go on to become one of the most adored couples in Grey’s Anatomy history. The ups and downs of their relationship — from the most romantic wedding interruption ever to the devastating death of their baby (which actually sent Drew into early labor) — have fans so invested, we’re still begging for more. Relive the show's best love story by starting with the night of Jackson and April’s first hot hookup — Season 8’s “Moment of Truth.” 

Welcome New Interns: Meet Jo Wilson And Her Rookie Class (Season 9, Episode 1) 

Every few seasons the drama rains down a new class of characters, with a few often sticking around for the long term. Season 9 saw the hospital’s veterans still reeling from the fallout of the plane crash, but amidst the chaos, the premiere introduced new doctors Jo Wilson, Stephanie Edwards, Shane Ross, Leah Murphy and Heather Brooks. If you want to relive the origin story of Camilla Luddington’s character, or refresh yourself on what exactly came to be of the rest of these interns, start with “Going, Going, Gone” in the ninth season. 

Maggie And Amelia Replace Cristina (And Lexie) As Meredith’s Twisted Sisters (Season 10, Episode 23) 

Meredith finding support in her sisters — biological or otherwise — was huge for the character, so I don’t think it was any coincidence that Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) made her entrance as the love child of Meredith’s mother and Richard Webber, just one episode before Sandra Oh’s final appearance as Meredith’s “person,” Cristina Yang. Meredith also lost her sister, Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), in Season 8, but with Caterina Scorsone becoming a series regular as Amelia Shepherd in Season 11, Meredith was back to having two sisters. Jump in at Season 10’s “Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right” to watch the new twisted sisters’ relationship start to grow. 

The B-Team Era: Meet Levi ‘Glasses’ Schmitt And Friends (Season 14, Episode 4)  

Another group of interns was introduced in Season 14, including Jake Borelli’s Levi Schmitt (known back then as “Glasses”) and Jaicy Elliot’s Taryn Helm. The six new characters also starred in a six-episode web spinoff called Grey’s Anatomy: B-Team, which featured cameos from the drama’s main cast. Relive this era starting with Season 14’s “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.” 

If you’re a big Jake Borelli fan, though, go ahead and start watching at the Season 14 premiere. “Glasses” was initially supposed to be a small guest role, but they chose to keep him around as part of the incoming class. Good decision, since he remains a fan favorite today! 

The Crossover Era: Station 19 Premieres (Season 14, Episode 13)  

Later in Season 14, the Seattle universe expanded when Ben Warren (Jason George) changed careers, thus introducing fans to the firefighters of Station 19. Season 14’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me” served as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff, introducing Jaina Lee Ortiz as Andy Herrera. To this day, the cast members often show up on each other’s shows, particularly when there’s romance (or tragedy, of course) involved.  

The Reboot Era: Meredith Prepares To Leave As We Meet McDreamy’s Nephew (Season 19, Episode 1) 

As we’ve seen, it’s not uncommon for Grey’s to drop a handful of interns into the hospital every so often, but Season 19 was the first time since the MAGIC days that five new characters became the focus. Ellen Pompeo’s impending exit as a series regular necessitated a reboot of sorts, and we quickly found ourselves getting swept up in the will they/won’t they of McDreamy’s nephew, Lucas Adams (Niko Terho), and Simone Griffith (Alexis Floyd), as well as the stories of Mika Yasuda (Midori Francis), Benson “Blue” Kwan (Harry Shum Jr.) and Jules Millin (Adelaide Kane). 

If you need a refresher on this newest era of our beloved show, pop on Season 19’s “Everything Has Changed.”

Nobody knows how many more eras Grey’s Anatomy will have before it closes the book, but the show has definitely proven capable of adapting its stories and characters to keep fans invested. Hopefully this list sets you on the right path for your rewatching adventure. Be sure to keep your eye on the 2023 TV schedule to see when this and all of your other favorite shows will premiere. 

Grey’s Anatomy has covered a lot of ground in its 19 seasons on ABC, and Shonda Rhimes never seemed afraid to push the boundaries of what was shown on network television. The cast — particularly in the earlier seasons — often found themselves in some risqué scenarios, and that overarching sex-positive atmosphere has presented something of an awkward situation for the actors, who now have teenage children. Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl recently reunited, and during their conversation they got real about scenes — and one in particular — that they didn’t want to watch with their daughters.

The steamy hookups have always been an important aspect of Grey’s Anatomy, which is part of the reason Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo said they were surprised how many young fans watch the show. The Meredith Grey portrayer said she let her 13-year-old daughter Stella start watching after everyone else in her sixth-grade class had already seen it. Heigl, however, said she hasn’t introduced her own 13-year-old daughter Naleigh to the series yet, due in part to actions taken by her character Izzie Stevens in Season 5. They said (per Variety): 

• Heigl: There would be scenes that I would be so embarrassed to be sitting next to her watching. I’d be like, ‘Can we fast forward this moment?’
• Pompeo: Yeah. This is sex with the ghost.
• Heigl: Yeah, that. The oral sex with the ghost while somebody else was watching in the room. I don’t know how I’d explain that.

They are, as any longtime Grey’s Anatomy fan knows, referring to the Season 5 storyline, in which Izzie had a brain tumor that caused her to have some pretty graphic hallucinations of her former fiancé, Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), whose Season 2 passing was one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most shocking deaths. 

Ellen Pompeo had actually expressed very similar thoughts last year on her podcast Tell Me. In discussing why she hadn’t let her child watch yet, she said: 

It wasn’t just Izzie’s lusty fantasies that Ellen Pompeo was concerned about, and it wasn’t Meredith’s wilder nights either. The actress has also spoken about being “horrified” by her character’s “Pick me. Choose me. Love me,” monologue — which is such a bummer, given how iconic that scene is. It turns out that she didn’t have to worry, because Stella was apparently just as appalled to see her mother begging a man to love her as Pompeo was to film it.

Grey’s Anatomy is currently on hiatus, and with the ongoing WGA writer’s strike, fans may have to wait way longer than usual before Season 20 hits the 2023 TV schedule. In the meantime, though, you can relive all the ghost sex Grey’s has to offer, with the first 18 seasons available to stream with a Netflix subscription (Season 19 will be added June 17 and is currently available with a Hulu subscription.) 

It’s kind of wild to think about how long Grey’s Anatomy has been on TV. The medical drama premiered as a midseason replacement in 2005 and has since become an integral part of our Thursday nights. Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. will star in their 20th season when the series returns, but even for those like Katherine Heigl, who left the show in 2010, there have been some pretty blunt reminders about how many years have passed since her character Izzie Stevens came into existence. In fact, the actress recalled a hilarious run-in she had with a young fan that left her feeling pretty old.

Katherine Heigl reunited with her former Grey’s Anatomy co-star Ellen Pompeo recently for an “Actors on Actors” interview for Variety, where they talked about how popular the show still is, even with fans who hadn’t been born yet when the ABC drama first aired. Heigl spoke of a particularly memorable exchange she once had with a younger viewer, telling Pompeo: 

Wow, that was not where I thought that conversation was going, and I’m sure the same can be said for Katherine Heigl. The actress said this fan interaction happened around 2017, so a good seven years after we last saw Izzie Stevens roaming the hospital’s hallways. It’s likely that Heigl looked a touch older than the young fan was accustomed to, but old enough to be Izzie’s mom?! I can only imagine what the Firefly Lane star was thinking.

Katherine Heigl only appeared on Grey’s Anatomy for six seasons, before creator Shonda Rhimes released her from her contract early amid some friction between the two. Ellen Pompeo, meanwhile, stepped away as a series regular just this past season. In fact, she stayed with the show long enough to see a new class of interns come in as a reboot of sorts in Season 19, reigniting the excitement of long-time fans. 

With the introduction of five new doctors — and the exit of show’s namesake surgeon — longtime cast members like Kate Walsh served as the elder statesman of the series, alongside OG stars Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. In addition to Ellen Pompeo, Season 19 also saw Kelly McCreary leave the show after nine seasons, and showrunner Krista Vernoff also stepped away.

Despite all that, it doesn’t seem like Grey’s Anatomy is going anywhere anytime soon. Several longtime cast members have addressed their futures on the show, with recent contract negotiations even possibly spoiling the big Season 19 finale cliffhanger.

It’s not out of the question that the medical drama will last long enough to feature the child of a previous character — Niko Terho already plays Lucas, the nephew of the late Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd — but unfortunately for Katherine Heigl, a fan called that one way too soon.

We don’t know when Grey’s Anatomy will be back for Season 20, but in the meantime, Season 19 is available to stream with a Hulu subscription. The first 18 seasons can be streamed with a Netflix subscription, with Season 19 being added on Saturday, June 17. Keep your eye on our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming up soon. 

When Grey’s Anatomy returns to television, it will be in its 20th season. Many shows don’t come anywhere near that kind of run, but it’s likely that the ones that do have at least a little history of trouble behind the scenes, but to say such a thing for Grey’s might just be an understatement. While things have mostly seemed to be smooth sailing for quite some time, the show’s early days were hit with a number of backstage issues, some of which, famously, included former star Katherine Heigl. Now, she and Ellen Pompeo are set to reunite many years after the ‘cruel’ brouhaha she set off.

Why Are Katherine Heigl And Ellen Pompeo Reuniting?

If you’ve spent the past couple of decades paying attention to either celebrity news or that about any number of popular TV shows, then you probably know something about the less than peaceful way that the star (who has the Firefly Lane finale out now) left the series. Heigl got into a public feud with a co-star and seemed to shade Grey’s writers when withdrawing herself from the Emmys in 2008, along with other things, and was released from her contract by 2010. But, according to Variety, she and Pompeo (who led ABC’s magahit medical drama until her Season 19 farewell episode) will reunite on screen for the outlet’s annual Actors on Actors interview series.

These interviews simply feature two actors chatting with each other about their careers, and while the pairings don’t usually see two people who’ve worked together speak with one another, Season 18 will showcase the reunion between the two former Grey’s Anatomy stars, and others who are part of the early Emmy race this year.

Heigl left the show in Season 6, while, as noted, Pompeo famously stayed for the long haul. It seems that the two haven’t really spoken since her departure, but that doesn’t mean that they’ve had completely different opinions about everything to do with the series since, as both have solid reasons for hating the Izzie/George romance, and Pompeo recently supported something Heigl said in the lead-up to being released from the drama.

What Was The Grey’s Anatomy ‘Cruel’ Working Conditions Brouhaha?

The first few seasons of Grey’s should have been filled with nonstop joy for the cast, crew, and creatives who helped bring it to fans weekly, but Heigl’s problems with the inner workings of the hit started to become public just a couple of years after it debuted. In 2009, the year after she left the Emmy race, she appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman and said that their first day back on set “was a 17-hour day, which I think is cruel and mean” and noted that she was “going to keep saying this because I hope it embarrasses them.”

This comment, along with the incidents that came before, led to Heigl being pegged as ungrateful and difficult, but it was in April 2022, during an episode of her Tell Me podcast, that Pompeo stuck up for the star’s comments on the hours they used to work. She said that Heigl had been “100 percent right” and would “be a complete hero” had she said that now, adding that “she was fucking ballsy for saying it” way back when.

I can only imagine that fans will be eager to see what the two stars discuss when they get together, and all when be revealed when the episodes begin airing on Variety’s YouTube channel on June 6.

Although both John Travolta and Katherine Heigl have both been active in Hollywood for a long time, their paths have never crossed professionally, but that will soon change. The two actors have signed on to a romantic comedy that will soon start being shopped around. Even better, this upcoming movie could end up reuniting Travolta with another member of the Pulp Fiction cast.

Travolta and Heigl are coming together for That’s Amore!, which is being put together by Palisades Park Pictures and will go on sale at the Cannes Film Festival next week. Per the official film synopsis provided by Variety, Travolta is playing Nick Venere, who’s described as “a modern day Marty,” in that “he’s never been married and his best dating years are well behind him. He’s never heard the words ‘I love you’ and figures he never will. Then in comes Heigl’s Patty Amore, who is “shy and introverted” and “filled with various tics and nervous habits.” Those things, along with the combination of her father’s overprotectiveness and “a secret from her past” have resulted in her not dating anymore.

So clearly there are a lot of issues between the two of them, but when Nick and Patty literally bump into each other, the sparks will immediately fly. However, since this is a rom-com, their dating will be complicated by their families getting involved, which will obviously produce hilarity. Green Book’s Nick Vallelonga is directing That’s Amore!, and additionally, it was reported that Christopher Walken is in talks to join the flick. If I had to guess, he’s presumably up for the role of Patty’s father. Along with him and Travolta both starring in Pulp Fiction (although they didn’t share any screen time), they also worked together on 2007’s Hairspray.

In addition to the aforementioned talent, the crew working on That’s Amore! Includes includes cinematographer Dante Spinotti, production designer Gianni Quaranta, editor Steven Rosenblum and costume designer Besty Heimann, as well as David Polemeni, Tamara Birkemoe and Mark Damon all executive producing. Filming is expected to begin this August. We’re a long ways off from even speculating about if this will go down as one of the best romantic comedies of all-time, but it will be interested to see how John Travolta and Katherine Heigl do leading a movie together. Travolta also has American Metal set to come out later this year and Cash Out at a yet-to-be-revealed date. This will be Heigl’s first movie since 2021’s Fear of Rain, but she did recently star in the drama series Firefly Lane, which can be viewed with a Netflix subscription.

Time will tell which studio will end up distributing That’s Amore! and when it will be released, but for now, get the lay of this year’s cinematic land by looking over the 2023 new movie releases. 

Firefly Lane brought Katherine Heigl back as a TV leading lady when it hit the Netflix schedule back in 2021. A few months later the series was renewed for a split second season, the second half of which premiered late last month. While the streamer has already been clear the show will not return for Season 3, could a sequel be on the horizon? 

Hear me out. Firefly Lane isn’t just a great Netflix original to binge, it’s a project based on a book by popular author Kristin Hannah. If you’ve already caught the series in full you should know the TV show ended at a spot that explains why Season 3 perhaps wouldn’t have made the most sense even if Netflix had wanted more episodes. 

Truthfully, there's no reason to think the show should have ended had the story played out differently. At the time of this writing Firefly Lane Season 2 - Part II is the #1 series right now for anyone with a Netflix subscription, beating out fellow sophomore series Sweet Tooth for the top slot. People are clearly excited about diving in to the series, and I think a follow-up could be a good way to do it. 

How Firefly Lane Season 2 Ends

Spoilers in the next paragraph only! Don’t say we didn’t warn ya. But skip this section if you aren't finished yet.

There is a huge twist at the end of Firefly Lane. If you’ve watched Episode 16, aka “This Must Be The Place,” you already know that Kate’s health struggles were detailed in full. In 2006, she found out that her cancer had spread to her brain. She decided to write a book before her passing. Some time later, she and Tully were catching up when she ultimately passed away, but while her death was expected and while she spent her final afternoon taking in the view at her wonderful home, her death was still a tough moment for those left behind.

A funeral followed, and Kate left her best pal a letter, a joint, some music and the book of their stories. There’s a sticky note with the joint that read “smoke me.” Tully headed outside and danced to the songs her friend left her as the series wrapped up. 

That’s how the TV show ended, but in the fictional world author Kristin Hannah didn’t stop the story there. 

There’s a Blueprint For A Return To The Firefly Lane World 

Some fans might not know that a sequel to the book was written. That follow-up, Fly Away, follows the women left behind after Kate’s passing. Tully is in a down period, having dealt with grief after her friend’s death and passed on career opportunities in the process. Drugs and alcohol seem to be her support system, as she’s kept out of Ryan family’s lives. 

Meanwhile, Marah is dealing with her own struggles and Tully’s mom reenters the picture. The sequel was published in 2013, about five years after the first book hit shelves. Copies are reasonably priced on Amazon at this point if it’s something you’d like to check out.

To be clear, Netflix has yet to greenlight Fly Away; however, if the streamer would like more from that world, this would be the ideal next step. Given the popularity of the original series and given Katherine Heigl only currently has a miniseries (Woodhull, a miniseries also based on a book) lined up (though it has seemed she might warm up to the idea of a Grey's Anatomy return), I have hope this could be a path forward for everyone if the details can be worked out.

However, we will definitely just have to wait and see. Part II just dropped this past weekend and it typically takes Netflix a few months to figure out if they want more from a series. I’ll be keeping my sleuthing hat on and CinemaBlend will keep you updated either way. 

Firefly Lane returned to Netflix late last year, finally answering some of our questions regarding the end of Season 1 — namely, what event could have been so tragic that it formed a wedge in the seemingly unbreakable friendship between Kate (Sarah Chalke) and Tully (Katherine Heigl). However, no sooner was that question answered than we were dealt another shocking twist to end Part 1 of Firefly Lane Season 2 (available to stream with a Netflix subscription). Luckily we have Kristin Hannah’s books to try to glean some clues about what to expect when Part 2 returns in June.

Let’s take a look at what the books Firefly Lane and Fly Away might tell us about what happens next for the Firefly Lane Girls, including Kate’s fate and what that 10-year time jump in the teaser trailer might mean. 

What Happens After Kate Finds Out She Has Breast Cancer? 

As is to be expected anytime a book is adapted for the screen, there were some pretty big differences between the Firefly Lane series and Kristin Hannah’s novel. However, with the reveal of Kate’s breast cancer, it looked like the series might be lining back up with the source material. The BFFs fall out of each other’s lives in the book, and when Kate gets her diagnosis, Tully is away on assignment, unable to be reached. By the time she returns, Kate and Johnny have exhausted all of their options for treatment, but the two women are able to reconcile before Kate dies. 

It’s likely that reconciliation will be the primary focus of Part 2, but whether the series decides to follow the source material in killing off one of the main characters is a question that not even Hannah knows the answer to, as the author told The Wrap: 

As if the cliffhanger regarding Kate’s fate wasn’t enough, Netflix provided a teaser trailer for Part 2 that made a pretty eyebrow-raising insinuation about Tully and Kate’s ex-husband-turned-fiancé, Johnny. 

Do Johnny And Tully End Up Together? 

Some of us may have still been trying to regain our composure at the end of Episode 9 — after watching Kate sob as she banged on the door to Tully’s empty apartment, shouting for her best friend as the credits started to roll — when Netflix offered a 60-second “There’s More to Come” teaser for Season 2, Part 2. Johnny (Ben Lawson) was shown “10 years later” at a wedding, talking to Kate’s brother Sean (Jason McKinnon) about wishing the bride would get there. We then see Tully in a dressing room, wearing a white dress and proclaiming that it’s not like they can start without her. 

Johnny and Tully do not get together after Kate’s death in either one of Kristin Hannah’s books, though Kate does give them her blessing to find comfort in each other. Without much help from the source material, we can only guess what the teaser means. I just don’t think Tully marries Johnny after Kate dies, and if Kate does survive, I don’t think she waits 10 years to remarry Johnny. My money is on this being Marah’s wedding, and Tully wearing white is a fake-out. Because wouldn’t it be just like Tully to wear white to someone else’s wedding?

What The Book’s Sequel Might Tell Us About Part 2 

As far as Tully is concerned, she spends the majority of Fly Away in a coma after a car crash. That’s not likely to happen in the series, since it seems to have been the inspiration for her huge wreck that was at the crux of the action in Season 2, Part 1. However, Marah’s storyline in the sequel might play a role. 

In Fly Away, following her mom’s death, Marah (Yael Yurman) becomes depressed and starts cutting. She meets a boy at therapy and they strike up a toxic relationship, eventually running away together and getting involved in drugs. It will be interesting to see if any of this plays into Part 2 when Firefly Lane returns this summer.

Fly Away also delved into Tully’s mother’s tragic backstory, as Cloud (Beau Garrett) has gotten sober and agrees to care for Tully while she’s in a coma. A part of this has also already played out, as a sober Cloud helped Tully through her miscarriage in Season 1, but it’s possible other aspects of her backstory could be further explored. 

Other Differences That Might Come Into Play 

Sean was only a minor character in the first book and barely mentioned in the second. However, his role was expanded a great deal for the Netflix show, exploring his formative years as a gay man who didn’t come out to his family until adulthood. Hopefully, Part 2 will feature more of him and his boyfriend, William, who we met at the end of Part 1, and it’s likely his close friendship with Tully will come into play as Kate’s illness plays out.

Much of Season 2, Part 1 took place surrounding Kate’s father’s funeral. However, Bud survived both books, so any story involving Kate’s mother being a widow will be new territory. It could be especially interesting to see how she copes with Kate’s cancer so soon after her husband’s death. 

Tully’s nemesis-turned-lover-turned-friend, Danny Diaz (Ignacio Serricchio), was a new character to Season 2, and to the series overall, as he did not exist in the books. His character added a lot, giving Tully someone who truly understood her, and whether their relationship becomes romantic again or not, I’m excited to see more of him and how he helps Tully through whatever happens with Kate.

After that cliffhanger ending that revealed Kate’s breast cancer — and that teaser that jumps 10 years into the future — it’s almost cruel for Netflix to make us wait so many months before Kate and Tully’s journey can continue. At least Hannah’s books provide a tiny peek into what might lie ahead for the Firefly Lane Girls. The final seven episodes of Firefly Lane, Season 2 will be released Thursday, June 8. In the meantime, check out our 2023 TV schedule, as well as other series coming to Netflix in 2023. 

Katherine Heigl joined Grey’s Anatomy at the ground level in 2005, as Izzie Stevens, one of the five initial interns at the Seattle hospital. While the show is still a hit on ABC, the actress’ relationship with it soured fairly early on. The drama between Heigl and creator Shonda Rhimes has been well-documented, and it resulted in her being released early from her contract in Season 6. Over a decade has passed, and the Firefly Lane star recently opened up about why Grey’s Anatomy was “not healthy” for her, and why she felt she had to leave.

Katherine Heigl had been vocal about her issues on set — which she called “a filter problem” — including long work hours, contract negotiations and her character’s material. The actress spoke to Sirius XM’s Bevy Smith about what transpired back in 2010, and said while she can see how Grey’s Anatomy was having a negative impact on her life, she sometimes wonders if there was a compromise that could have been found. In her words:

It seems like time has provided Katherine Heigl with some perspective on the situation, but she admits she didn’t know the best way to handle it at the time. (And who knows if anything would have worked anyway.) She continued: 

Katherine Heigl isn’t the only Grey’s Anatomy veteran who’s spoken out about the tough working conditions on the series’ earlier seasons. Ellen Pompeo, who will say goodbye to the show when it returns to ABC on February 23, said on her podcast Tell Me that Heigl was “100 percent right” to speak out about the 17-hour workdays, and if she’d said those things today, she’d be “a complete hero.” However, back then, she gained a reputation for being ungrateful.

Sandra Oh, who played Cristina Yang for 10 seasons, has also described her time on Grey’s Anatomy as “traumatic,” mostly due to how popular the series became so quickly. The stress over her sudden loss of anonymity caused her to get “very very sick,” and she has said she realized that she needed to prioritize her health.

It seems like things have improved on the set of Grey’s Anatomy since then, and Katherine Heigl has other projects to focus on now. The second season of Firefly Lane is now available for streaming with a Netflix subscription, as are the first 18 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Season 19 of the medical drama will resume at 9 p.m. ET Thursday, February 23, 2023, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what else is coming in the new year. 

Following various reports of sexual misconduct in the workplace coming to light in the past few years, including in Hollywood, intimacy coordinators have become more routinely found on the sets of movies and television shows, including Firefly Lane. With Season 2 of the Netflix series among the streamer’s latest releases, Katherine Heigl has recently spoken about her own first encounter with an intimacy coordinator.

The reaction to intimacy coordinators has yielded mixed results as they’ve been utilized on more sets in recent years. Here is Heigl's take: 

Heigl, who also had a memorable stint on Grey’s Anatomy, has been a working actress for the past 30 years, since she was a teenager. In an interview with Business Insider, she shared more about her experience with intimacy coordinators, continuing with these words: 

As Heigl said, having an intimacy coordinator on set took some getting used to, but ultimately she thinks it’s a “blessing” to have someone on set to work with the actors, and make sure everyone is comfortable and being treated fairly. Since actors play characters who are often in intimate circumstances, including showing nudity or simulating affection and sex, the lines could be blurred between business and pleasure at times. These coordinators help make sure everything stays professional. 

Sean Bean was an actor who went viral for saying intimacy coordinators can “spoil the spontaneity” of sex scenes on set, causing a lot of backlash from many in Hollywood. Emma Thompson was one example of an actor who shared how “important” having an intimacy coordinator on the set, especially for her recent film, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, where she had both nudity and sex scenes. 

Lauren Graham recently shared that she felt bad for the intimacy coordinator on the set of her family-friendly Mighty Ducks series since all that needed coordinating was a harmless kiss between her and Josh Duhamel. However, she also echoed the statements of Heigl’s about how great it is to see the industry being more respectful to delicate situations compared to how it was handled even five and ten years ago. 

In the interview, Heigl also spoke to a “delicacy” in Hollywood nowadays that she didn’t sense when she first started in the industry. In 2022, she feels it's easier for her to speak for herself and advocate for better work conditions. 

Heigl’s latest project, Firefly Lane has returned for its second season after last year’s cliffhanger ending at the end of Season 1. The series is based on the book of the same name, and it “swept” Heigl off her feet after not knowing what story she wanted to tell next in her career. You can stream the series centered on two best friends with a Netflix subscription. 

In the early years of Grey’s Anatomy — which made its premiere as a midseason replacement in 2005 — the drama behind the scenes was often as titillating, if not more so, than what was happening when the cameras were rolling. From Isaiah Washington’s eventual firing to Derek Shepherd getting killed off because of Patrick Dempsey’s alleged “terrorizing” behavior on set, there are a lot interesting stories behind Grey’s Anatomy’s major cast members’ exits. 

Among the most public of the turbulent relationships, though, was the one between Katherine Heigl, who played Izzie Stevens, and creator Shonda Rhimes. Let’s take a look at the timeline of what went down with the actress that led her to leaving the show.

2007: Katherine Heigl Refuses To Renegotiate Her Contract, Gets Into Public Feud With Isaiah Washington 

The first signs of trouble between Katherine Heigl and the forces behind Grey’s Anatomy came pretty early into the drama’s run. In 2007 the actress reportedly became upset when Shonda Rhimes and the powers that be gave salary bumps to Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Isaiah Washington, and Sandra Oh, Lynette Rice reported in her book, How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy. Because of this, Heigl apparently refused to negotiate her contract, saying:

That same year, Heigl was also involved in a public feud with co-star Isaiah Washington, who had used a homophobic slur in reference to fellow Grey’s Anatomy actor T.R. Knight. Despite issuing an apology, Washington joked about the incident a few months later, prompting Heigl to say in an interview that he "needs to just not speak in public, period." Washington was subsequently fired from the show, and Rice reports that Heigl was then given her pay increase. 

2008: Katherine Heigl Withdraws Her Name From Emmy Consideration 

Despite the beginnings of behind-the-scenes issues, Katherine Heigl won the 2007 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. However, when the next year’s awards came around, she withdrew her name from consideration, and when she was asked why she was missing from the ballot, Heigl said (via the New York Times): 

This was seen as a huge slap in the face to the show, and years after the incident, Heigl admitted she mishandled the situation and “ambushed” the Grey’s Anatomy writers with her Emmy withdrawal. The actress explained in RIce's book: 

Despite her intentions, or how she feels about the incident now, Katherine Heigl gained a reputation for being “ungrateful” that followed her for years, even after leaving Grey’s Anatomy. 

2009: The Actress Publicly Shames Producers For ‘Cruel And Mean’ Working Hours 

The reputation Katherine Heigl had developed was only exacerbated when she went on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2009 and mentioned the long hours the actors had been made to work. Heigl said (via TODAY): 

At the time, Heigl was criticized for, again, having a bad attitude, however, perspective on that incident has also changed over time. Ellen Pompeo, who is exiting Grey’s Anatomy in Season 19, has also spoken about the brutal filming schedule and long hours, and she addressed the Heigl brouhaha on her podcast Tell Me in April 2022, saying:  

While people may be able to see now that she was justified in speaking out, the damage that had been done between her and creator Shonda Rhimes was seemingly beyond repair. 

2010: Shonda Rhimes Releases Katherine Heigl From Her Contract 18 Months Early 

After years of friction between the Izzie Stevens actress and the Grey’s Anatomy crew, creator Shonda Rhimes agreed to release Katherine Heigl from her contract 18 months early. Heigl and her husband, Josh Kelly, had just adopted their first child a year earlier, and family obligation was the official reason given for her exit, according to How to Save a Life. However, conflicting reports in the book suggest there may have been additional motivations, including her wanting to focus on her film career and her failure to see eye to eye with Rhimes. 

2012: Shonda Rhimes Shoots Down The Possibility Of Izzie’s Return 

Former Grey’s Anatomy executive producer Mark Wilding has said Izzie Stevens wasn't killed off of the show because they thought there was the possibility Heigl might return after filming 27 Dresses. However, current showrunner Krista Vernoff had said major changes were made to her story to accommodate her unexpected exit, and Shonda Rhimes didn’t seem intent on doing that again to write her back into the show. When asked about Heigl’s apparent interest in returning to the series, Rhimes told TV Guide during a 2012 interview:

When Grey’s Anatomy did write Izzie back into the story in Season 16, it was to explain Justin Chambers’ exit. His character, Alex Karev, informed his colleagues that he’d moved to Kansas to reunite with Izzie and the twins he’d never known about. While brief flashes of Alex’s family were shown in “Leave a Light On,” Katherine Heigl was not brought back to portray Izzie. 

2014: Shonda Rhimes References Katherine Heigl When Describing ‘Nasty People’ 

Time did not appear to heal the wounds that were formed between Katherine Heigl and Shonda Rhimes. Years after the actress’ exit, the famed producer name-dropped the Firefly Lane star when describing the relationships between the actors on the ABC drama Scandal. Rhimes told THR she had a “no assholes” policy, and things ran smoothly on the Kerry Washington-led series because: 

About a month later, Heigl responded to Shonda Rhimes’ interview, saying it “sucks” that the Grey’s creator was left with such a “crappy impression” of the actress, but she had nothing negative to say in return. 

The two women may not be actively firing shots at each other any longer, but I’m not holding my breath on the chance that Katherine Heigl will be joining the cast of any of Rhimes’ upcoming projects. Speaking of the streamer, if you want to rewatch Heigl’s time on Grey’s Anatomy, the first 18 seasons are available with a Netflix subscription.  

It’s hard to imagine Grey’s Anatomy’s Izzie Stevens being played by anyone other than Katherine Heigl. Though before the actress scored her Emmy-winning role, Lost alum Yunjin Kim was actually in contention for the part, before she even landed her spot within the cast of the long-running plane crash drama. Now, she’s opening up about the experience of landing the major auditions.

Yunjin Kim, who portrayed Sun-Hwa Kwon for the entirety of Lost’s six-season run, opened up about her journey to EW, and it sounds like the whole thing was a whirlwind. During the chat, the actress also quickly shot down the notion that she was meant to audition for another famous Grey's Anatomy character. Here's what she said:

While I can’t imagine Grey’s Anatomy without some of the insane storylines involving Izzie, as Katherine Heigl gives it her all, I can't help but wonder just how different the show would have been if Yunjin Kim would've ended up getting the role. Then again, you also have to consider how different Lost would be without her.

As fate would have it, she auditioned for the medical drama while she was also auditioning for the in-development Lost. She also discussed how the Sun character was written after her audition, as she originally was up for the role of Kate Austen. And top it off, she auditioned for the show's creator, J.J. Abrams, who liked her enough to create the new role for her in the first place.

Soon after, Kim got a call from her agent, who told her that the new part was going to be written just for her. She apparently had a 40-minute phone call with Abrams and, although all seemed to be set, there was still the matter of Grey's Anatomy:

In hindsight, it's actually a good thing Yunjin Kim didn’t go to the Grey’s Anatomy callback, because I think we can agree that it definitely worked out well for both her and Katherine Heigl. And let's be honest, it's kind of hard to pass on a role that's literally written for you and gives you the chance to work in Hawaii. And on top of all that, Kim's performance was well received and continues to be one of the reasons that the science fiction-infused series is still beloved years after its (controversial) series finale.

Lost is available to stream on Hulu.

There are many difficulties involved in creating a TV show, and one of those that fans can probably recognize, even without first-hand experience, is how to write off a popular character, especially if they’ve been around for several seasons. Grey’s Anatomy has been through this many times in its nearly 18 full seasons on ABC, with one clear choice being for characters like George, Derek, and Lexie to (not so simply) shuffle off of this mortal coil. Now, some of the writers are talking about why they didn’t kill off Katherine Heigl’s Izzie Stevens when she had to leave the show.

Even if you haven’t been watching Grey’s Anatomy for the entirety of its run, you will likely know that there were several behind the scenes controversies that led to actors' departures, including a big one involving Katherine Heigl. The actress originated the role of Izzie in the first season, but after withdrawing from the Emmy race in 2008 with a public diss for the writers, Season 6 saw her drift in and out Seattle Grace-Mercy West Hospital, until she left for good about half-way through the season...very much alive. 

So, why didn’t they just kill Izzie? Mark Wilding, who was executive producer of Grey’s Anatomy from 2007-2012, told Lynette Rice for How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy (via Insider), that there seemed to be “hope” in the writers minds that Heigl would be willing (and able) to return to the series at some point in the future, but also said:

You bet it never happened. Fans didn’t get a whole lot of closure (to begin with, anyway) when it came to the romance between Izzie and Alex Karev when Heigl was originally written off of the show. Izzie had survived cancer and many ups and downs with her husband-turned-ex-husband, but eventually left town for good when he refused to get back together with her. 

Then, in Season 16, when the writers suddenly needed to find a fast and believable way to write off original star Justin Chambers (who’d played Alex for the entire series), they decided to have him leave his current wife to go be with Izzie, who had been raising their twins in Kansas without his knowledge. Fans were very much not on board with that move, but it did finally give those who’d hoped to see the two back together some sort of resolution, even though it didn’t come when they, or the writers, had wanted.

Jenna Bans, another former writer on Grey’s who was there during Heigl-gate, has a slightly different view on why Izzie was left among the living, and said: 

Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if the truth of the matter is somewhere in between these two answers, but it’s possible we may never know the full answer to why Izzie wasn’t simply killed off when Katherine Heigl left. Either way, it does mean that she might return, if the Stevens stars manage to align. And, with Heigl noting that she’d now be open to it? Even better.

Katherine Heigl’s tumultuous relationship with Grey’s Anatomy is back in the news, as a new book sheds light on the actress’ 2010 exit from the ABC medical drama, as well as her now-infamous Emmy withdrawal, where Heigl called out the show’s writers for the material her character was given. Along with bombshell accusations about Patrick Dempsey’s on-set behavior and Justin Chambers’ feelings about his controversial exit, the unauthorized book claims that Heigl has since taken ownership of her feud with the writers, admitting that she “ambushed” them with her comments.

An early excerpt from How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy by Lynette Rice, which was obtained by The Daily Telegraph, revisits the 2008 Emmy race — a year after Katherine Heigl won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — when Heigl withdrew her name from consideration, saying at the time, “I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.” The action was taken as a clear shot at the writers and, in the new book, Heigl explained her thought process, admitting that she didn’t handle the situation correctly:

Katherine Heigl explained her reasoning at the time as not wanting to take away an opportunity from another deserving actress, but the environment had already been growing toxic between Heigl and her co-workers. In 2007, Heigl announced she wouldn’t be renegotiating her contract after other co-stars received bigger pay raises. And she had a public falling out with Isaiah Washington after he used a gay slur in reference to Heigl’s friend T.R. Knight, which ultimately led to Washington’s exit from the show.

Whatever the reasons, and regardless of who was right or wrong in any of the situations, Katherine Heigl gained a reputation as being “an ungrateful diva,” Lynette Rice writes in her new book. What happened between Shonda Rhimes and Heigl that led Izzie Stevens to leave Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6 isn't clearly revealed in the excerpt, as How to Save a Life tells contradictory stories from the assorted cast and crew. But the reputation Heigl garnered was hard for her to come to terms with:

How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy by Lynette Rice is available now, and Grey’s Anatomy is set to return for Season 18 with a dramatic crossover event on Thursday, September 30, beginning at 8 p.m. ET with Station 19 and Grey’s Anatomy following at 9 p.m. on ABC. Check out our 2021 Fall TV Schedule to stay up to date with all of the upcoming premieres.

The friendship between Izzie Stevens and George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy was a thing of beauty. It probably had something to do with the fact that Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight were BFFs in real life. But because TV writers seemingly hate platonic boy/girl relationships, Izzie and George became romantically involved in Seasons 3 and 4. The ill-advised plotline was made even more cringe-worthy because George was married to Callie at the time. Rest assured, Grey’s fans, it wasn’t just you who hated that whole affair. A new BTS book has revealed Heigl, Knight and even Ellen Pompeo all had different — and very valid — reasons for disliking Izzie and George’s courtship.

The unauthorized book, How To Save A Life: The Inside Story Of Grey’s Anatomy by Lynette Rice, purports to tell the behind-the-scenes stories tied to the high-profile exits of a number of the series’ stars. The book's early promos immediately delivered some bombshell revelations about Patrick Dempsey “terrorizing” the Grey’s set, and the book also digs into Katherine Heigl’s much-publicized departure. An excerpt from the book, as obtained by The Daily Telegraph, reveals the moment Heigl realized Izzie and George’s relationship was doomed.

Seriously? What kind of couple name is “Gizzie”? Is that with a hard “G” like "Gah, that name sucks," or “G” like George? You know what, if it does sound like "Jizzy," I don’t want to know. Suffice it to say not all couples need such shipper names. We can’t all be “Marina.”

It wasn’t just Katherine Heigl, either. Ellen Pompeo, who's still going strong as the series lead ahead of Season 18, said she disliked the “Gizzie” pairing for a wholly different reason.

George O’Malley himself weighed in with a very to-the-point reason for disagreeing with the relationship, with T.R. Knight saying beyond all else, it went against George’s character to cheat on his wife, Callie Torres (or, as I prefer, Callie O’Malley).

It’s true that actors can’t just play perfect versions of their characters, and one has to ride the wave of the character's arc, even when it rudely ends in a surprising death. But at least I feel more justified in my dislike of the whole “Gizzie” situation now that I know it was also unpopular to the actors themselves.

How To Save A Life: The Inside Story Of Grey’s Anatomy will be available to purchase on Tuesday, September 21, and don't forget to follow up a reading with Grey’s Anatomy Season 18, which premieres at 9 p.m. ET, Thursday, September 30, on ABC. Be sure to check out our 2021 Fall TV Schedule so you don’t miss any of your shows' upcoming premieres.

Take one look at the poster for 2007’s hit comedy, Knocked Up, which features a young Seth Rogen, and you will see the face of a man who has just begun to put in so much of the work which has made him the comedy legend he is today. Seth Rogen has been working nonstop ever since the release of Knocked Up, which also featured an all-star cast including Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Jonah Hill, as well as many other notable names.

It’s actually kind of crazy to believe the power of Judd Apatow’s second directorial effort, as it kind of changed the entire landscape of American comedies for a while. Predating 2009’s, The Hangover, Knocked Up nailed the immature dudes who are slowly, painfully learning to mature, and the women who, unfortunately, have to deal with them. Katherine Heigl famously (infamously?) once made comments about how she viewed the film as possibly being sexist toward women, and in 2021, it feels like there’s a bit more credence to her claims. But, if anything, Knocked Up is a great time capsule of the late aughts. So, here is what those fresh and young faces are currently doing.

Seth Rogen (Ben Stone)

As mentioned in the intro, I mean, jeez, what hasn’t Seth Rogen had a hand in over the years? Actor, producer, writer, director...Seth Rogen pretty much does it all in the industry. On the directorial side, he’s co-directed This Is the End, which starred quite a few people who were also in Knocked Up. He also co-directed the super controversial The Interview, which put us in an iffy place with North Korea back in 2014, and most recently, a short film in 2017 called Bananas Town, all with his frequent partner, Evan Goldberg. He also produced most of those films, and helped write all of them.

On the acting side, he’s been in seemingly everything since Knocked Up. Some of the most notable films include, Pineapple Express, Zak and Miri Make a Porno, Funny People, voicing Mantis in the Kung-Fu Panda series, voicing a hot dog in Sausage Party, the first assistant director, Sandy Schklair in The Disaster Artist (which is likely the last time we’ll ever see him work with James Franco), voicing Pumbaa in the live-action Lion King, and, most recently, as a Jewish immigrant in the comedy drama, An American Pickle. Next up, he’ll play the “favorite uncle” in a semi-autobiographical Steven Spielberg film. He’ll also have a hand at rebooting my beloved Ninja Turtles. So, yes, he’s been a very busy man.

Katherine Heigl (Alison Scott)

As mentioned earlier, the former Grey’s Anatomy star has had a lot of ups and downs since her comments about Knocked Up being “sexist.” Film-wise, she’s been keeping relatively busy. She starred in 27 Dresses, The Ugly Truth, and One For the Money, to some success, but she's mostly shifted her focus to TV since then. She received a Razzie nomination for her role in Home Sweet Hell as Mona Champagne back in 2015, and her most recent role was as Michelle Burroughs in a psychological thriller titled Fear of Rain.

TV has been a bit better for the actress, as she’s had leading roles in State of Affairs, Doubt, Suits, and most recently, the Netflix show Firefly Lane, where she plays a daytime talk show host named Tully Hart. It's since been renewed for a second season, which will air in 2022. She is also slated to play women’s suffrage leader, Victoria Woodhull, in a miniseries aptly titled, Woodhull.

Paul Rudd (Pete)

Paul Rudd, who would later star in a Knocked Up spin-off, This Is 40, alongside Leslie Mann, has also been keeping super busy since Knocked Up. On the television side, the former Mike Hannigan of Friends fame was on Veronica Mars, voiced three different roles on The Simpsons, had a recurring role on Parks and Recreation as Bobby Newport, and will also be a voice on the upcoming What If…? Disney+ series.

Film-wise, he’s been in lots of stuff, too, most notably Role Models, I Love You, Man alongside Knocked Up star, Jason Segel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, and probably, most famously, as Scott Lang, a.k.a., Ant-Man in the MCU. Next up, the actor will be Mr. Grooberson in Ghostbusters: Afterlife and then as Ant-Man again in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. So, phew. Still very hard at work.

Jonah Hill (Jonah)

Jonah Hill has had a really interesting career since Knocked Up, most notably being nominated twice for Academy Awards for his supporting roles in Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street. Most interestingly, though, might be the fact that you really can’t pin this man down in any specific role anymore. He’s also directed the highly underappreciated movie, Mid90s, which, as a '90s kid, really spoke to me as a viewer.

TV wise, Jonah Hill did the animated Fox Show, Allen Gregory, as well as roles on The Simpsons, Reno 911! And Curb Your Enthusiasm. Film-wise, he’s been ubiquitous, as he’s been in films like Superbad, Cyrus, the voice of Snotlout Jorgenson in the How to Train Your Dragon series alongside Knocked Up star, Jay Baruchel, both 21 Jump Street movies, as well as War Dogs and many others. His next project will be the dark comedy Don’t Look Up, which will be coming to Netflix. Whatever Jonah Hill does, I’m there. He’s a great actor!

Leslie Mann (Debbie)

Judd Apatow’s real-life wife (as nearly everybody knows, and those are their two children in Knocked Up), Leslie Mann, like everybody else, has been keeping busy. On the TV side, she did seven episodes on Jonah Hill’s animated series, Allen Gregory. She also did a voice role on The Simpsons, and was a narrator on Makers: Women Who Make America. Those last two were back in 2014.

On the film side, she’s done much more recent work. She was in Drillbit Taylor, the animated franchise, Rio 1 and its sequel, Vacation as Rusty’s sister, Audrey Griswold-Crandall, and, most recently, as the voice of Hope Betterman in The Croods: A New Age. Her next project will have her working with her husband again for his next movie, The Bubble. Looking forward to it.

Jay Baruchel (Jay)

Jay Baruchel, who made his TV debut on Are You Afraid of the Dark? and also had a role on the immensely underappreciated sitcom, Undeclared (I’m sorry, I know these came before Knocked Up, but I feel like I’ll never get to talk about those shows if I don’t mention them now!) hasn’t been seen as frequently as some of the other films’ stars, but he’s had a fascinating career as well.

He’s probably most known as the voice of Huccup in the How to Train Your Dragon series. But, he’s also been in Tropic Thunder, She’s Out of My League, Goon (he directed the sequel, Goon: Last of the Enforcers), This is the End, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and the 2019 slasher, Random Actors of Violence, which he also produced and directed. He also wrote the book, Born Into It: A Fan’s Life, where he writes about his fandom of the Montreal Canadiens. His last project was the starring role on the TV show, The Moodys, which was just recently cancelled. We’ll be keeping a look out for whatever he has next in store for us.

Jason Segel (Jason)

Jason Segel, like quite a few stars in Knocked Up, got his start on the cult comedy, Freaks and Geeks, and he’s been going pretty strong ever since. He’s probably most known for his role in the How I Met Your Mother cast as Marshall Eriksen, but I’m sure you’ve seen him around in several other things as well, most notably (here it comes again) Undeclared, but more recently, the AMC show, Dispatches from Elsewhere.

Film-wise, he was in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You, Man, The Muppets, Sex Tape (I never thought I would type the words “The Muppets” and “Sex Tape” so close together, but there you have it), and 2019’s Our Friend. His next theatrical project is the movie, The Sky Is Everywhere, which is based off of a novel of the same name. So, yeah. Muppets Sex Tape. That's now a thing in my head.

Charlyne Yi (Jodi)

Charlyne Yi is always popping up in pretty much everything I watch. Following Knocked Up, she was in Cloverfield, Semi-Pro, the EXCELLENT Paper Heart, in a voice role for the Netflix animated movie, Next Gen (which my son loves, by the way), Trolls: World Tour, which my kids both loved and hated, and was most recently a voice in The Mitchells vs. the Machines, which we haven’t watched yet, but will.

She’s also done a lot of TV work, like Steven Universe, Twin Peaks, when it was brought back, Lucifer, Good Girls, and the HBO Max original series, Tig n’ Seek in a voice role. We’ll be keeping track on how anything else the actress has in store for us next develops.

In the end, Knocked Up was the little comedy that could. The film, perhaps unsurprisingly, has left a lasting legacy, and it still ranks up there as one of the best comedies of the earlier 2000s. But, if you’re looking for more recent films, like say, this year, then make sure to check out our list of 2021 movies. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find the next Knocked Up on that list.

It’s no small thing for a new show to get greenlit for a second season. Many pilots and one-season wonders get the chop, and a second season pick-up could mean the difference between a hit and a cancellation. That must be why Firefly Lane stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke have been so excited on Instagram - Netflix just renewed the time-hopping drama for Season 2.

Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke, who respectively play daytime talk show host Tully Hart and recent divorcee Kate Mularkey, took to Instagram in celebration. The pair hosted a virtual question-and-answer session with fans to shed some light on what to expect in Season 2. Check it out below:

Sarah Chalke revealed that the upcoming season of Firefly Lane will include some family-related drama between Tully and Kate (and, apparently, it has nothing to do with Johnny), but couldn’t say much more. Katherine Heigl’s excitement was clear, though: she and Sarah Chalke made a virtual toast to the second season with pink bubbly and red wine. They both can’t wait to celebrate in person, although we don’t know when the actresses will begin filming the next batch of episodes. The video ends with Sarah Chalke promising that Firefly Lane Season 2 will be worth the wait, and that all of the fans’ questions would be answered in time.

The duo’s enthusiasm for Firefly Lane is well documented on Instagram, with each actress posting behind-the-scenes photos and frequently interacting with the other’s posts.

I particularly like this one, which shows Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke in their finest retro regalia.

The outfits make sense, considering that the storyline of Firefly Lane (adapted from the novel by Kristin Hannah) follows childhood best friends Tully Hart and Kate Mularkey from their first encounter as teens in the 1970s up until present day. Actresses Ali Skovbye and London Roberston portray the duo as teens, but Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke take over for most of their lives. That means some pretty choice nostalgic outfits and bright neon eyeshadow.

It’s not all disco and free love, though: as Tully and Kate age, they also grow apart. Tully grows up to be a successful daytime talk show host, while Kate has become a stay-at-home mom who’s also going through a divorce. The series jumps back and forth in the timeline, showing viewers the key moments that ended up shaping the lives of both women, and how they deal with the consequences of their past decisions.

While we don’t know when Firefly Lane Season 2 will premiere, we do know that you can catch up on the first season on Netflix. Have you already seen it? CinemaBlend has the scoop on what movies are coming to Netflix this June, as well as some new releases.

So far, season 17 of Grey’s Anatomy has brought back two fan-favorite characters and, with the season returning next week, more could be on the way. While there are a slew of early Grey's actors fans would probably love to see return, only one has recently said they'd be interested (and no, it's not Katherine Heigl). Instead, it's Kate Walsh, who played Dr. Addison Montgomery throughout Season 1 and as a series regular in Seasons 2 and 3 of Grey’s Anatomy before starring in all six seasons of the spinoff Private Practice. Recently, the actress shared her thoughts on how her character could even come back to Grey Sloan Memorial.

Kate Walsh spoke to People about the possibility of returning to the long-running medical drama, saying she would absolutely reprise her role as Dr. Addison Montgomery. Walsh mentioned if they could get it done, she’d be happy to come back, suggesting Addison could through the use of technology Walsh said:

Kate Walsh went on to reflect about her time on Grey’s Anatomy and the show itself, saying she knew it was going to be a great show before it even aired. Seven years after doing the show, it changed her life. No, literally, in the same interview, she said "it changed my life." Possibly appearing again is sort of the opposite perspective a few of her Grey's Anatomy co-stars have had over the years, though more recently her former co-star Katherine Heigl has warmed up to the idea of maybe one day, some day, returning. This is after years of being pretty negative on the prospect.

As for Dr. Addison Montgomery, this isn’t the first time Kate Walsh has spoken out about her thoughts on if she would ever return to Grey’s Anatomy. In 2019, Walsh mentioned that if it were the right time with the right storyline, she would return. She said she always considered Grey’s her home, saying it’s a big important piece of her life and that she would absolutely return if it made sense for everybody involved.

Kate Walsh made her first appearance as Dr. Addison Montgomery in Season 1’s “Something To Talk About." The episode shocked fans with the reveal that Dr. Derek Sheppard (Patrick Dempsey) was married, even though he and then-intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) were going out. She became a series regular towards the beginning of Season 2 until the end of Season 3, before she went on to star in Private Practice. Walsh returned to the series in the Season 8 episode “If/Then,” which took place in an alternate universe in Meredith’s dream.

Grey’s Anatomy has already brought back Derek Sheppard and George O’Malley (TR Knight) this season, as part of Meredith’s COVID-induced dreams. There is evidently going to be another surprise guest appearance later on this season, but there’s no word on who it could be. Would you want to see Kate Walsh return as Dr. Addison Montgomery? Grey's Anatomy's 17th season returns Thursday, March 11 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

Spoilers below for Firefly Lane, both the Netflix series and the book by Kristin Hannah.

While viewers of the Netflix series Firefly Lane have been swept up in the coming-of-age tale of two best friends, the outgoing Tully Hart (Katherine Heigl) and hilariously introverted Kate Mularkey (Sarah Chalke), the TV show takes huge leaps away from the Kristin Hannah book it’s based on. Firefly Lane the book is told chronologically, following Kate and Tully’s friendship over three decades, taking them from teenagers into adulthood, while the Netflix series jumps back and forth, highlighting the fashion and pop culture of the decades. However, that’s far from the biggest difference. With book-to-screen adaptations, plot changes and new characters are to be expected, so here are six major differences the writers of Firefly Lane Season 1 made when bringing the book to Netflix.

Kate And Johnny Don't Get Divorced In The Book

Firefly Lane the book often left Kate and readers alike questioning whether Johnny Hart settled for her and was really in love with Tully. And while Tully and Johnny’s relationship sometimes strikes the same chord in the Netflix series, it’s of little consequence, as Kate and Johnny (Ben Lawson) are already separated when the series begins. We’re never fully given a reason for the breakup; Johnny mentions to Tully that Kate had an emotional affair, but it’s unclear if that was the reason Johnny left or it happened because of issues the couple were already having.

This change in the narrative puts in motion a number of different story lines for Kate’s character in the series. Firstly, she and Johnny only have one child, Marah (Yael Yurman), where in the book she and Johnny also shared twin boys. Secondly, Kate has to get a job. The book told of Kate living the “at-home” life, and though she struggled to be satisfied, it was the life she wanted and chose. The series shows Kate as assistant (to the) editor, working for a nightmarish millennial named Kimber (Jenna Rosenow), who on Kate’s first day asks her to fulfill such tasks as expressing her dog’s glands.

Also, because Kate is, for all intents and purposes, a single woman, we see her wonderfully awkward conquests toward finding new love. There’s the aforementioned affair with Travis (Brandon Jay McLaren), who is quite lovable as Kate’s “PTA crush,” as well as photographer Gideon Vega (Andres Joseph), whom Kate meets at her new job. It’s also revealed that in Kate and Tully’s young adult days at the TV station, Kate had a semi-serious relationship with cameraman Mutt, which did not happen in the book.

Sean Becomes A Major Character With A Big Secret

Kate’s little brother Sean was only a minor character in the book. He was mentioned as being present, often with a girlfriend, at Christmas or other family gatherings. But in the TV series, Sean Mularkey (Jason McKinnon) is Kate's older brother, and plays a bigger role in Kate and Tully’s lives, after teenage Tully (Ali Skovbye) finds out Sean is gay when she sees him kissing his friend Robbie. Tully keeps Sean’s secret, even from Kate, forming a bond between the two that Kate envies as they grow older. The series shows a small part of Sean’s journey growing up in the closet, joining the Navy, getting married and having kids, and ultimately coming out.

Tully Doesn't Get Pregnant And Married In The Book

The series offers many of the same romantic connections for Tully as the book, Chad Wiley and Johnny Ryan included. But young EMT Max (Jon-Michael Ecker) was not a part of the book. Max meets Tully in a bar and becomes a recurring hook-up. When Tully finds out she’s pregnant, she at first turns down Max’s proposal. Then, in a leap that her book character never would have made, Tully comes to the realization that she does want to marry Max and have a family, and she proposes to him in front of his crew at the fire station. They elope in a small ceremony officiated by Johnny. But the marriage crumbles quickly after Tully’s miscarriage, and just as in the book, Tully remains single and childless, though less by choice than in the book.

No Redemption For Cloud In The Book

The Netflix series may have pulled a bit of this story from Fly Away, Kristin Hannah’s sequel to Firefly Lane, in which Tully’s mother’s background is more fully developed. The series shows Tully confronting Cloud (an excellent portrayal in all timelines by Beau Garrett ), who is working in a diner, after an expose reveals Tully’s mother is not dead, as Tully tells people. Cloud says she has gotten sober, then is present as Tully recovers from her miscarriage. She even makes an appearance at Christmas with the Mularkeys. In the book, there was no redemption for Cloud. As many times as Tully tracked her down or tried to get her into rehab, Cloud asked for money, or straight-up stole from Tully, then abandoned her again.

Kate And Tully's Falling Out Is Explained In The Book

Perhaps the biggest question at the end of the Netflix series Firefly Lane is “What happened to Kate and Tully’s friendship?” In the Season 1 finale, "Auld Lang Syne," we see Kate and Tully come face to face outside Kate's dad's funeral — a scene teased throughout the season — and Kate tells Tully, “When I said I could never forgive you for what you did, what do you think that meant?” But the series gives no explanation as to what transpired between the friends. In the book, the falling out was a product of Tully meddling in Kate's turbulent relationship with daughter, Marah.

Early episodes of the series touch on Tully’s close relationship with Kate and Johnny’s daughter Marah as being an issue for Kate. Tully signs a permission slip for Marah to get on birth control, causing a rift between Tully and Kate that lasts about a day. Though that specific situation never happened in the book, there were many other examples of Tully spoiling Marah and acting like the “cooler mom,” unwittingly driving Kate and Marah further apart.

This relationship led to a huge event in the book that drove the Firefly Lane Girls apart. Tully brought Kate and Marah on her show “The Girlfriend Hour,” for a live episode to speak to a family therapist about the issues they’d been having. Kate was so hopeful that she would finally find a way to connect with Marah, only to be ambushed live on air by Tully. Tully had lied to Kate about the topic of the show, which was actually “overprotective mothers and the teenage daughters who hate them.” As Kate expressed confusion, the therapist told her that her parenting style was crushing her daughter’s spirit. Kate then lashed out, asking the audience why they would want advice from someone who never knew love or family, before storming off stage. The two didn’t speak again until Kate was on her deathbed. Which brings us to …

Kate Dies In The End

The biggest side-step from the book was the omission of the book’s major tear-jerker ending. Kate was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, and by the time she was able to reconnect with Tully, Kate and Johnny had exhausted all options for treatment. The last chapters of the book showed the Firefly Lane Girls reconnecting, reminiscing and lamenting that life isn’t about whether you’re a career woman or an at-home mom, but it’s about the people you surround yourself with and the memories made. Tully gave Kate a journal for Kate to fill with stories about her life that Tully would give Kate’s children when they got older.

There’s no official word on when or if there will be a second season of Firefly Lane. The series seemed to leave room for more though, with major parts of Kate and Tully’s story left untold. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest streaming news, and in the meantime, check out our 2021 Netflix TV Series premiere schedule, or find something to watch on Netflix during Black History Month.

Spoilers below for Firefly Lane, both the Netflix series and the book by Kristin Hannah.

The Netflix series Firefly Lane takes a pretty big step away from the book that it’s based on, particularly where major plot lines are concerned. But as the characters seemingly end up in similar places in the book and TV show, there are clues we can take from the book to possibly answer some of the questions from the Firefly Lane Season 1 ending. What happened to Kate and Tully’s friendship that made Kate say she’ll never forgive Tully for what she did? Is this the last we’ve seen of Johnny Ryan? Here’s what happened to each of the main characters at the end of Season 1 and what the book might reveal about some of these cliffhangers.

What Happens At The End Of Firefly Lane, Season 1?

The Netflix series Firefly Lane tells the story of Kate Mularkey (Sarah Chalke) and Tully Hart (Katherine Heigl) over the span of three decades, starting in the 1970s, and most of the plots are wrapped up in the 2000s timeline. Tully quits her show The Girlfriend Hour after the sleazy Wilson King (Martin Donovan) takes over production, and she asks Kate to be the producer in a new show she’s going to develop. Tully’s mother Cloud (Beau Garrett) is also seemingly back in the picture, as she is shown arriving for Christmas with Tully and the Mularkeys. Sean finally reveals to his family that he is gay. Johnny, who left for Baghdad to cover the war, and his team get hit by an IED, leaving his fate unknown.

But Kate and Tully’s story continues in a timeline that’s seemingly a couple of years later. The Firefly Lane Girls come face to face at a funeral, where we find out something has happened to drive Kate and Tully apart.

The Book Possibly Explains Kate And Tully's Falling Out

Throughout Firefly Lane Season 1, we see Kate and daughter Marah outside a church, preparing to go into a funeral. At first we’re made to think they might be at Tully’s funeral, as the funeral scenes are edited around instances of Tully fainting and Kate and Marah saying things like, “I miss her. I know you don’t like talking about her,” and “Tully would have known how to do this, but I don’t know how to say goodbye.” By the end of season, however, we know it is Kate’s dad, Bud Mularkey (Paul McGillion), who has died. On the way into the funeral home, Kate and Marah encounter Tully, and Kate steers Marah past her into the church. Kate later confronts Tully outside the church, telling her no one wants her there and she’ll never forgive her for what she did.

What The Book Tells Us

Kate and Tully stop speaking to each other in the Kristin Hannah book Firefly Lane after Tully ambushes Kate on her show The Girlfriend Hour. Tully asks Kate and Marah to come on the show to talk to a family therapist about the issues they’ve been having. But Kate quickly learns the topic of the show is actually about “overprotective mothers and the teenage daughters who hate them.” Live on the air, Kate fires back at Tully for not knowing anything about the hard choices a mother has to make. She tells the audience Tully has never known love or family. “Your own mother didn’t love you, and you’d sell your soul for fame,” Kate tells Tully before storming off stage. In the book, the two don't speak again for years, and it's likely this could be the unforgivable deed Kate is referring to.

Does Johnny Ryan Die In Iraq?

In the Netflix series, Kate’s estranged husband Johnny Ryan (Ben Lawson) is leaving to cover the war in Iraq in 2003. In a montage at the end of the season, we see Johnny and his team trigger an IED, sending them all flying in the explosion. An unconscious Johnny is shown as the camera zooms out, leaving us wondering: Is Johnny dead?

What The Book Tells Us About Johnny's Fate

In the book, Johnny Ryan goes to Baghdad to cover a war, but it’s Operation Desert Storm in the early ‘90s. After weeks of Kate worrying and waiting by the fax machine for an update, she receives a phone call telling her there was a bombing in which Johnny was critically injured. Kate and Tully rush to the hospital in Germany to be by Johnny’s side, though Tully has ulterior motives and is using the situation to further her journalism career. Tully sneaks a cameraman into an unconscious Johnny’s room and broadcasts a live update on his condition, expressly violating Kate’s wishes. Because the series hasn’t stayed completely true to the book’s events, it’s possible this situation could be what drives Kate and Tully apart. But at least there is hope that Johnny will return from Iraq, as he ultimately does survive the bombing in the book.

Cloud Is Part Of Tully's Life

Tully’s mother Cloud makes fleeting appearances in Tully’s adult life, most notably providing quiet support in the wake of Tully’s miscarriage and failed marriage. Though she characteristically flees Tully’s apartment, saying she needs space, she is last shown arriving to the Mularkeys’ house for Christmas, leaving hope that she and Tully are taking small steps toward a better relationship.

What The Book Tells Us About Cloud

Cloud does not get clean nor show any kind of support for Tully in the book, despite multiple attempts by Tully over the years to help her mother or earn her approval. The series may have dipped into the Firefly Lane sequel, Fly Away, for a bit of Cloud’s story line here, as Cloud does get clean and return to help Tully after a medical emergency in that book.

Sean Comes Out To His Wife

Throughout Firefly Lane Season 1, we see Sean Mularkey (played as a teen by Quinn Lord and as an adult by Jason McKinnon) struggle with his sexuality and the feeling he needs to hide that he is gay. When he and his girlfriend get pregnant unexpectedly, he marries her, telling Tully this is the only way he can have the family and children he wants. Over time, he comes out to Kate, and then at the end of the season, we learn he has come out to his wife. When she kicks him out of the house, he asks if he can stay with Kate for a while.

What The Book Tells Us About Sean

This story line was developed solely for the series. Sean doesn't play a major role in the book; he is only mentioned as having girlfriends over the years and being present at family functions. So while the book can’t give us any clues as to what will happen with Sean, his coming out to his family and living with Kate might mean they can finally have the brother-sister relationship Sean formerly only shared with Tully, who had known he was gay since they were teenagers. If there is a Season 2, perhaps we’ll see a new love interest for Sean?

Whether or not there will be a Season 2 of Firefly Lane remains to be seen, but I'm hopeful Netflix will renew the series to answer some of these questions. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest streaming news, and in the meantime, check out our 2021 Netflix TV Series premiere schedule, or find something to watch on Netflix during Black History Month.

Not all characters get the ending their actors intended, and many actors are never consulted about the fate years after they’ve left the show. And Katherine Heigl, who once played Izzie Stevens on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy had some choice words when she found out what became of her character. Although she left the show over a decade ago, Izzie was brought up once again in season 16 after one of the show's major characters left Seattle.

The actress left the series after the first six seasons and had oftentimes been viewed as difficult to work with. In terms of the show, Izzie had left Seattle after Alex (Justin Chambers) refused to resume their marriage. Katherine Heigl recently spoke to ET about Alex’s choice to leave Grey Sloan Memorial in Season 16 and return to Izzie, whom had given birth to Alex’s twins. She was not a fan of how the two former lovebirds reunited -- much like many fans -- and, even though she didn't say much about it, what she said was on point. Heigl said:

Katherine Heigl hadn't even watched the episode in question but knew Alex was already with someone. The news that Alex had left Jo (Camilla Luddington) for Izzie was a shock to fans everywhere. When it was announced that Justin Chambers would be leaving the series, not many fans seemed to have considered the ending the writers planned for Alex would be an ending that most would not like. In the end, Alex wrote letters for his friends at Grey Sloan and only then was it found out that Alex went back to Izzie.

Alex and Izzie had a tumultuous relationship throughout the show’s first six seasons. While it started off as pure hate for one another, the two interns slowly got closer over time. When Izzie was diagnosed with cancer, the two got married but then grew further apart, leading Izzie to leave the Seattle hospital. As the seasons went by and Jo was introduced, Alex finally found the one person he could spend the rest of his life with, until it was time for him to leave for his real true love.

Alex’s ending was definitely one fans were not happy with, and Katherine Heigl has certainly made it clear she's on the same page as everyone else. The fact that Alex left Jo with no warning, left Meredith and Bailey, and departed Grey Sloan after everything he and his colleagues had been through was something not many expected. And although Heigl has showed no interest in returning to the long-running medical drama, she seems like she may be warming up to the idea, so fans will have to remain optimistic on whether Alex returning to Izzie was for the best.

Grey's Anatomy Season 17 returns to ABC on March 11 at 9 p.m. ET.

Katherine Heigl has seen success in both film and television productions, but gained a reputation in Hollywood for being a difficult personality to work with around 2010, when she exited Grey’s Anatomy. Heigl has seen backlash for voicing her opinion on multiple occasions. After she starred in Knocked Up, she called the film out for sexism, which did not resonate well with fans of Seth Rogan and the film at the time. She’s also had pushback over a few Grey’s Anatomy-related controversies including her slight against the Emmys in 2008 and her comments about 17-hour work days. Now, over a decade later, Katherine Heigl speaks more strongly about how she is viewed in Hollywood and she’s pretty over it.

While Katherine Heigl wasn’t exactly blacklisted back in 2007 - 2010, she most likely missed out on some roles and became regarded as an uptight, difficult woman. Here’s what Heigl has to say to The Washington Post about how the world has viewed her for so long:

Now that it’s 2021, it may be difficult to look back and see why Katherine Heigl was shunned so much for voicing strong opinions as we see people in Hollywood using their voices thoroughly. In fact, plenty of male actors have been deemed difficult and even aggressive or problematic on set and still have a wide fan base and huge careers. Remember Christian Bale’s Terminator freak out? It may be that Heigl was too outspoken for her time, and that Hollywood and the rest of the world is now more ready for a strong female voice.

Before all the drama with Katherine Heigl and the rest of Hollywood happened, Heigl appeared to be at the peak of her career. She was making popular films and was one of the stars of Grey’s Anatomy, one of the top shows in TV at the time and even now. After her abrupt departure from the show, she didn’t get as much work as her once-promising career would suggest she should. The movies she did star in didn’t seem to gain the popularity of her past films, maybe due fans having a new outlook on the actress as being stuck up.

Her strong and clear opinions on matters may have been what led her to be on the receiving end of backlash, but any strong personality can be taken down with enough negativity. Katherine Heigl talked about how the damage to her career and perceived personality affected her mental health. In her own words:

Having a good portion of the world thinking you’re awful would do a number on just about anyone’s mental health. Although apparently some people are still mad at her, Katherine Heigl seems to be bouncing back. She’s speaking up for herself, and she has promising brand new series coming out soon.

You can catch Katherine Heigl in her new series, Firefly Lane, on Netflix February 3. It sounds like Heigl could even return to Grey's Anatomy, fingers crossed! If she does, CinemaBlend will surely keep you in the loop.

I don't know if you remember this or not, but Katherine Heigl kinda had a rough time toward the end of the Grey's Anatomy portion of her career. Of course, I'm kidding when I ask if you remember, because literally everyone who pays attention to television and was doing so back before the turn of the 2010s knew that Heigl's breakup with Grey's was one fraught with behind the scenes difficulty. The actress has been asked plenty of times since then if she'd consider returning, and now it sounds like Heigl might be warming up to the idea of heading back to her old stomping grounds.

Katherine Heigl immediately became one of Grey's Anatomy's many breakout stars after the soapy medical drama debuted in the spring of 2005. Fans got to watch as Heigl's Izzie Stevens went through some very serious ups and downs, including a marriage and divorce from her fellow surgical intern, Alex Karev, and a battle with cancer that nearly took her life. However, it didn't take long for issues off screen to catch up to Heigl's run as Izzie, and the actress left about half way through Season 6. Heigl was recently asked by E! whether or not she'd consider returning to Grey's, and had this to say:

Oooooh. OK. Look, I realize that this answer might not seem like a big deal, but Katherine Heigl has never been even this mildly open to the possibility of revisiting the halls of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital before. It was almost two years ago, in fact, that Heigl said she felt any fans who had hoped to see Izzie again had likely long since gotten over that desire, and admitted that if she did show up on Grey's Anatomy it would probably be "distracting" for them.

Now, however, Heigl at least seems to be ready to consider the idea of going back. But, of course, she'd have to be asked to do that, and considering how much drama surrounded her early departure from Grey's (she asked to be released from her contract a whole 18 months early) there is a very slim chance that such a thing will happen. Though, as Heigl noted in her interview, I can bet that the producers on Grey's are probably also thinking "never say never," especially after what went down in Season 16.

It was just last season on Grey's Anatomy that the sudden departure of another of the original actors, Justin Chambers, led to a shocking character development for fans. Chambers' Alex is the one who'd been married to Izzie, and after he got back in touch with her to help out Meredith, Izzie revealed (off camera, of course) that she used the embryos they froze while married to have their twins. To release Chambers from Grey's, the writers chose to have Alex abandon his relatively new wife, Jo, and go live in the country with Izzie and their twins.

Fans were not pleased with the development, but now that I think about it, I do wonder if that plotline is the reason why Katherine Heigl now sounds a lot more open to maybe heading back to the show which made her famous, should she ever be asked to do so. Can you imagine how much good drama there'd be to play with if Izzie (or Izzie and Alex) took a visit to Seattle at some point in a coming season while Jo is still around? I bet Heigl wouldn't mind getting a chance to work through something like that with the characters.

Obviously, there's no word right now on whether or not Izzie (and Katherine Heigl) could actually show up on the series again, but we'll certainly be here with the details if this ever becomes a reality. For now, you can keep up with Season 17 of Grey's Anatomy, which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST. New episodes return on March 11, but in the meantime, you can see what else is new with our guide to early 2021 premieres!

It's no secret that Grey's Anatomy used to be home to some major behind the scenes troubles, and for several seasons. The medical drama debuted in 2005 and pretty much immediately garnered millions of fans, but it also launched with issues brewing among the cast and crew, which went on to bubble over many times during the early seasons of the show. One of the biggest controversies involved star Katherine Heigl, who played Izzie Stevens until her, rather sudden, departure about half of the way through Season 6. Now, the showrunner is revealing that Heigl's exit really did totally mess up the plans that Grey's Anatomy had for Izzie.

Katherine Heigl was one of many fan favorites during her time on Grey's Anatomy, and she even won an Emmy in 2007 for her role. Unfortunately, that was basically the beginning of the controversial end for the actress and her time on the series, as she'd withdraw her name from Emmy consideration the following year, with a public slam to the writers of the show and what they'd given her to work with as Izzie being her reason. Now, though, current showrunner Krista Vernoff, who was the show's head writer during Heigl-gate, has revealed that they had big plans for the character before having to write Izzie out quickly.

When asked how several sooner-than-expected departures have impacted the writers, Vernoff told Variety:

Well, folks. There you have it. If you're a long-time Grey's Anatomy fan who's been wondering whether or not the show would have had Izzie and her ex-husband Alex get together again back in the day, you now have your answer. After beating cancer but being fired by Webber, Izzie left but then came back for a final scan to make sure she was totally cancer-free. She was clearly interested in reconciling with Alex, and met him to show off the results of her scan. While he was thrilled for her to be completely healthy again, he told her he felt he deserved better and encouraged her to leave town and be happy.

Of course, Izzie did just that, and the next time we heard anything significant about the character, it was in Season 16. Alex was having his own crisis after going through a lot with his new wife, Jo, and having contacted Izzie to help get Meredith out of trouble, ended up finally reconciling with her when he found out that she'd used the embryos they froze to have their twins. To relieve one of the last-remaining original stars of Grey's Anatomy, Justin Chambers, of his role as Alex, the show had his character leave his wife, job, and friends behind to start over with Izzie and their twins in Kansas.

Obviously, the entire course of the show would have been changed had Krista Vernoff and her writing team not had to make a very sudden "pivot" when it came to their plans for Katherine Heigl's Izzie. And while we'll never know just how good those stories might have been, we also likely wouldn't have gotten to some of the characters and stories we have now, and I dare any of you to be mad at dream ghost Derek or dream ghost George.

Grey's Anatomy is currently still Heigl-free in Season 17, and it will return with new episodes on ABC, Thursday, March 4, at 9 p.m. EST. For more on what to watch in the coming year, check out our guide to winter / spring 2021 TV!

Grey's Anatomy fans wouldn't be considered foolish for thinking that we're all trapped in a time machine sent back to the year 2006. Not only did the most recent episode bring back a very familiar and long-missed face, but former star Isaiah Washington has for some reason chosen this week to reignite his highly emotional feud with ex-co-star Katherine Heigl that played into his exit from the hit medical drama. Also, there's no time machine.

To the confusion of many fans (and to the schadenfreudian delight of others), Isaiah Washington took to Twitter to unleash a new attack on Katherine Heigl that specifically referenced quotes she made about him back in 2007. Check out his post below and then read on for some of his more interesting comments.

It appears as if something seriously re-aggravated Isaiah Washington when it comes to Katherine Heigl and her previous comments about his right to speak publicly. And while there were some forms of social media such as Facebook and Myspace back in 2006 and 2007, they weren't the soapboxes that people use such websites as today. One can imagine, however, that Washington would have ramped up his defense stance and gone on a more aggressive kick had Twitter been around at the time of his forced Grey's Anatomy exit.

The actor did make a one-time return to Grey's Anatomy for Season 10 in 2014 as part of Sandra Oh's farewell storyline for Dr. Christina Yang, but he never really seemed to lose his grudge against the show and Katherine Heigl. He made that clear enough with some of his comments to his Twitter followers, such as referring to Heigl as the "first Karen." He also took shots at some of those who tried to defend Heigl, saying to one fan:

Not all of his comments were so insulting, however. When one follower asked him why he was bringing it all up again, Isaiah Washington responded by saying "Because it's the TRUTH." Elsewhere, he shared the hard lesson that he took away from the experience.

For those who might not remember the details, Isaiah Washington portrayed surgeon Dr. Preston Burke for the first three seasons of Grey's Anatomy. In October 2006, reports sprang up saying Washington was in an argument with co-star Patrick Dempsey and used a homophobic slur in reference to then-star T.R. Knight, who publicly came out in the aftermath. Though Washington's initial apology over his language quelled the backlash, he went on to joke about the incident a few months later at the Golden Globe awards, and the renewed conversations about it eventually led ABC execs to decline renewing the actor's contract beyond Season 3. More to the point here, those Golden Globe comments inspired Katherine Heigl to say in an interview that Isaiah Washington "needs to just not speak in public, period."

It's no doubt interesting to reflect on that controversy in 2020, at a point when the entertainment industry has faced massive reckonings relating to both gender and racial issues. It's impossible to know how the situation would have played out had it happened more recently instead of in 2007, beyond the idea that it would have been far more public. In any case, those wondering what Isaiah Washington is up to these days can catch the actor showing off his culinary love on Fox Nation's Isaiah Washington: Kitchen Talk.

While neither Isaiah Washington nor Katherine Heigl are on it anymore – unless the showrunner has more mega-surprises in store – Grey's Anatomy is back on ABC for Season 17, which airs Thursday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET. While waiting to see what happens next on and off of the show, head to our 2020 Fall TV premiere schedule and our Winter and Spring 2020 rundown of shows.

After starring in one last episode in March 2020, Justin Chambers officially became the latest star of Grey’s Anatomy to step away from the cast. Of course, when a series runs for 16 seasons (and counting), it should be expected that a few characters may be written out for one reason or another, and Chambers is far from the last actor to make an exit.

In fact, of all the founding cast members of Shonda Rhimes’ Emmy-winning medical drama, only three have remained series regulars from the start, including James Pickens Jr. as Chief Ricard Webber, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, and Ellen Pompeo in the title role of Dr. Meredith Grey. Fan favorites who have otherwise moved on from Grey’s Anatomy have become favorites among fans of the projects they have pursued since.

That being said, what are some of their most notable roles since leaving Seattle Grace Hospital and what should expect from them in the near future? We answer that question by exploring the careers of these 11 former Grey's Anatomy cast members.

Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd)

Former ‘80s heartthrob Patrick Dempsey was resurrected as a 21st Century heartthrob playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd on Grey’s Anatomy. When McDreamy reached a fatal end after 11 seasons, the actor played a possible baby daddy in Bridget Jones’s Baby, the title role of 2018 miniseries The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, and a sinister banker on 10-part drama Devils, which has yet to receive American distribution. Dempsey will soon star in and executive produce the CBS political series Ways & Means and is rumored to reprise his Enchanted role in the sequel Disenchanted, if it can get out of development hell.

Sandra Oh (Dr. Cristina Yang)

After winning her first Golden Globe in 2006 for playing Cristina Yang, Sandra Oh won her second for playing the title character of acclaimed AMC drama Killing Eve at the 2019 ceremony, which she also co-hosted with Andy Samberg. In other words, since leaving Grey’s Anatomy in its 11th season, things have been going pretty well for the original cast member, born in Canada to Korean parents, who has two additional TV projects in the works, including Robert Kirkman’s animated superhero series Invincible and college-set dramedy The Chair, which Oh will also executive produce along with Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for Netflix.

Eric Dane (Dr. Mark Sloan)

Joining the cast of Grey's Anatomy in Season 2 was Eric Dane as cosmetic surgeon Mark Sloan, otherwise known as "McSteamy," who was killed in the infamous plane crash in the ninth season. Fortunately, the actor soon found a new role as the lead of TNT's The Last Ship, on which he played a navy admiral whose crew become the few survivors of a global pandemic. Currently, he plays a strict father with grave secret life on the hit HBO teen drama Euphoria and will next appear in D.J. Caruso's upcoming period romance Redeeming Love and is set to star in crime thriller The Ravine.

Katherine Heigl (Dr. Izzie Stevens)

After starring in many cult projects, like Bride of Chucky and sci-fi teen soap Roswell, Katherine Heigl really began to break out as surgical oncologist Izzie Stevens, which earned her an Emmy and paved the way for her to become the new rom-com queen with Knocked Up and 27 Dresses as notable examples. Heigl attempted a return to TV years after her 2010 Grey's Anatomy exit with two short-lived network dramas before successfully replacing Meghan Markel for the final season of USA's Suits. Next up, the actress will co-star with Sarah Chalke on Netflix series Firefly Lane and is returning to horror films as the mother of a teenage schizophrenic girl in Fear of Rain.

Justin Chambers (Dr. Alex Karev)

Izzie Stevens recently had an offscreen reconciling with ex-husband Alex Karev, which was the controversial explanation given for Justin Chambers' departure from Grey's Anatomy after a whopping 16 seasons. Prior to playing the MD, who most recently served as Chief of Staff for Pacific Northwest after his firing from Seattle Grace, the former model made his acting debut in 1995 on the soap opera Another World and would later land lead roles in major motion pictures like The Musketeer or 2005's The Zodiac (not to be confused with David Fincher's Zodiac from 2007). Chambers currently has no acting projects on the horizon, having stated to Page Six that he is, for now, focusing on "life, family, love and friendship"

Kate Walsh (Dr. Addison Montgomery)

Known best for the love triangle her, Derek, and Meredith, OB/GYN Addison Montgomery was a strong enough personality on Grey's Anatomy to earn her portrayer, Kate Walsh, her own spin-off, Private Practice, which ran from 2007-2013. Since then, television is where the 52-year-old actress has continued to shine the brightest, from leading short-lived comedy Bad Judge to playing a grieving mother on hit Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why. In addition to her casting in upcoming Lily Collins-led series Emily in Paris, Walsh will also grace the silver screen as a love interest to Liam Neeson in Honest Thief and a New England motel owner in upcoming indie drama Sometime Other Than Now.

T.R. Knight (Dr. George O’Malley)

Another perpetrator of one of Grey's Anatomy's many love triangles is George O'Malley, a surgical resident at Seattle Grace who died from being hit by a bus after Emmy-nominee T.R. Knight left the series in 2009, amid some behind-the scenes controversy which we will get to soon. After a short break from acting, he played sports writer Harold Parrot in Jackie Robinson biopic 42, landed a recurring spot on The Good Wife, and starred in ABC's chronicle of the gay rights movement, When We Rise, in 2017. He will next be seen in HBO Max original thriller The Flight Attendant, opposite star and series developer Kaley Cuoco, and will play former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus in upcoming political miniseries A Higher Loyalty, based on the book by former FBI Director James Comey.

Jessica Capshaw (Dr. Arizona Robbins)

No stranger to tragedy on Grey's Anatomy is Arizona Robbins, who managed to survive all of her 10 seasons despite several deadly experiences, including the plane crash that killed Mark Sloan. Jessica Capshaw, a stepdaughter of Steven Spielberg, said goodbye to her Grey's character in 2018 and her return to acting has yet to be seen. However, at the moment, she does have a couple of films in post-production, including a romantic comedy called Holidate and coming-of-age drama Dear Zoe, which is led by Stranger Things star Sadie Sink.

Isaiah Washington (Dr. Preston Burke)

To dial back T.R. Knight's reason for leaving Grey's Anatomy, Isaiah Washington is actually somewhat related, having used a homophobic slur on set in 2006 that caused issue with his then closeted co-star, costing him the role of surgeon Preston Burke after three seasons. While the actor never fully bounced back in popularity following the behind-the-scenes controversy, he still managed for find steady work after he was written off, including a recurring role on NBC's short-lived reimagining of Bionic Woman, a starring role on The CW's hit sci-fi drama The 100, and, more recently, an episode of the BET anthology series Tales. Washington has three feature films coming up, including post-Hurricane Katrina thriller Cut Throat City, coming-of-age drama James the Second, and prison escape story Escape from Black Water.

Sara Ramirez (Dr. Callie Torres)

Sara Ramirez made her acting debut with a brief but funny scene in the 1998 romantic comedy You've Got Mail, followed by other small roles in big films like Sam Raimi's firs Spider-Man and Chicago, which brought her theatre skills to the big screen, before breaking out Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy in Season 2. The orthopedic surgeon would actually be the first of two bisexual TV characters the real-life bisexual Ramirez would play, having followed her 2016 exit by playing Kat Sandoval on Madame Secretary. The Mexican born singer-songwriter, who showed off her vocal talents on the Season 7 musical episode of Grey's and her self-titled album in 2011, has no acting major projects happening at the moment, but keeps busy with her efforts as an activist for LGBTQ+ rights.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Denny Duquette)

Although his role was relatively brief (save a few posthumous appearances) and he did not even play a doctor on Grey's Anatomy, heart patient Denny Duquette is still cited as one of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's more memorable characters, especially the romance he shared with Izzie until his heartbreaking death. Today, he is better known for playing more comic book characters than most actors do in a lifetime, including The Comedian in Zack Snyder's 2009 Watchmen adaptation, Bruce Wayne's father in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and, more recently, the brutal, baseball bat-wielding Negan on The Walking Dead. Morgan is currently filming Shrine, a horror film based on James Herbert's novel in which he plays a journalist investigating strange events in a New England town.

Be sure to check back for more information and updates on the longest-running medical drama in history, as well as other check-ins with the stars of your favorite movies and TV shows, here on CinemaBlend.

Hospitals aren't designed for long stays. Indeed, while ABC's wildly popular medical drama series Grey's Anatomy is soon set to premiere its sixteenth season of television, a lot of the primary cast members from the show's original roster have left for a variety of a different reasons. Especially when it comes to a series like Grey's Anatomy, nobody is meant to stay forever. And some of the behind-the-scenes turmoil behind the exits or dismissals of certain actors from the hit show is practically as dramatic and compelling as anything that happens on-screen.

When it comes to the primary cast members of Grey's Anatomy, more actors have left the show than stayed on throughout its sixteen-plus season run. Some actors were let go unceremoniously. Some actors had their characters killed off. Some actors got a proper and true, heart-filled goodbye. If you watch the show, you probably know what happened to these characters. But you might not know the reasons why they left the show. Keep in mind that, obviously, since we're talking about actors leaving this very popular show, there will be spoilers.

Why Isaiah Washington (Dr. Preston Burke) Left Grey's Anatomy

During the early first three seasons of Grey's Anatomy, Isaiah Washington played a prominent role as Dr. Preston Burke, a main character. While his character might've worked well in the show, the actor ended up causing a good bit of controversy behind-the-scenes. Isaiah Washington reportedly uttered a homophobic slur on set, which caused problems with cast member T.R. Knight, who came out as gay shortly thereafter. While Washington initially denied the accusations, the actor later released a statement apologizing for what he said.

The apology didn't keep Isaiah Washington from being fired from Grey's Anatomy, however. It was confirmed in 2007 that Washington would not be returning to the drama series, which was a choice that left Isaiah Washington publicly upset. In a statement, Washington admitted that he was "mad as hell" and that he was "not going to take it anymore," quoting the famous line from 1976's Network.

After making appearances in small independent films and other television shows, including a guest spot on Law & Order: LA, Isaiah Washington returned to make a cameo in a season 10 episode as his former character. That remains Isaiah Washington's final appearance on Grey's Anatomy.

Why Kate Walsh (Dr. Addison Montgomery) Left Grey's Anatomy

Kate Walsh's Dr. Addison Montgomery wasn't a key player during the first season of Grey's Anatomy. She only appeared in guest-starring roles during the show's initial run, before she was promoted to one of the main players in Season 2. She remained a main player in Season 3, but her tenure there was short-lived. However, her departure wasn't due to controversy.

Instead, it was announced in 2007 that Dr. Addison Montgomery would be getting her own show, Private Practice, which would relocate the doctor to a brand new location with a lot of new characters. The spin-off series was well-promoted and it was on the air for six seasons, which is certainly nothing minor. Although, I guess it is minor compared to Grey's Anatomy's imposing, ongoing run.

Dr. Montgomery would make special guest starring appearances throughout the fourth-eighth seasons, but when Private Practice came to a close, it was also the end of Dr. Addison Montgomery's television tenure.

Why Brooke Smith (Dr. Erica Hahn) Left Grey's Anatomy

Brooke Smith's departure from Grey's Anatomy was another dismissal that prompted some controversy, though for reasons that were much different than what lead to Isaiah Washington's initial termination from the show. First starring as a recurring character in Season 2, before she became a guest star in Season 3, then finally a main character in Seasons 4 and 5, Brooke Smith's Erica Hahn received a great deal of attention on the show when her character announced that she was a lesbian. There has been some considerable back-and-forth about what happened with Dr. Hahn.

In an interview, Brooke Smith claimed that she was told by network executives that the scene wherein Dr. Erica Hahn realizes she's gay was "one of the best they ever shot on the show." Still, Smith was quite taken aback by her dismissal from the show shortly after the powerful scene, claiming that she was "floored" by the decision and that she was told they "couldn't write" for her character "anymore." Addressing the controversy, creator Shonda Rhimes claims that Brooke Smith was "obviously not fired for playing a lesbian," and she noted that they let Smith go from the hit series because they "did not find the magic and chemistry with Brooke's character would sustain in the long run." Brooke Smith was ultimately let go after the fifth season.

Why T.R. Knight (Dr. George O'Malley) Left Grey's Anatomy

As one of the original main cast members during the early seasons of the show, T.R. Knight's Dr. George O'Malley played a big hand in the original ensemble. That was until he was let go of the show around Season 5, and once again, it appears that the reason for the actor's dismissal came from a bit of controversy. Specifically, it appears that T.R. Knight and show creator Shonda Rhimes had some heated disagreements about the character.

This time around, however, it seems like T.R. Knight made the decision to leave the hit show, rather than being fired or let go. Knight claimed in an interview that his beloved character was fading further and further into the background, to the point where he felt it was making little sense for him to stay on the show when his time as an actor could be invested elsewhere. He would rather just leave and was granted an early exit.

It appears that matters between T.K. Knight and Shonda Rhimes were getting heated even before the actor made the decision to leave Gary Sloan Memorial Hospital for good. According to Knight, Rhimes reportedly suggested that Knight not come out publicly around Isaiah Washington's leave from the show. He claimed she was "concerned" about having the statement come out "so shortly after the event." Nevertheless, T.R. Knight and Shonda Rhimes worked together on the ABC thriller, The Catch.

Why Katherine Heigl (Dr. Izzie Stevens) Left Grey's Anatomy

There's no denying that Katherine Heigl rose to fame through her involvement in ABC's Grey's Anatomy. The drama series played a big part in making the actress a major household name, and her Emmy-winning performance as Dr. Izzzie Stevens was crucial to the success of the earlier seasons. Alas, while she was definitely making a big impression through her work, Heigl was reportedly not earning a lot of friends with the creatives involved in the hit series.

The following year, after winning Best Actress at the Emmys, Katherine Heigl refused to submit her name for Emmy consideration. Heigl did go on to take her name out of consideration, but naturally, this whole thing did not go over well with the folks over at ABC. It was only a couple years later, in 2010, that Katherine Heigl announced she was officially leaving the series before the seventh season.

In her statement, Katherine Heigl said that she "was done," and that they finalized their agreement and everyone involved worked "really hard to find an amicable and gracious way of letting go and moving on. While Heigl noted that it was "sad," she claimed it was what she "wanted." At the time, Heigl was well on her way to become a movie star, though her reputation seemed to follow her. She appeared in the short-lived series, State of Affairs, as well as Doubt, and she recently appeared in the final two seasons of Suits, continuing to find television gigs. She has not wanted to return to Grey's since.

Why Chyler Leigh (Lexie Grey) Left Grey's Anatomy

It came as a big surprise to Grey's Anatomy fans when Lexie Grey, played by Chyler Leigh, was killed off the show at the end of Season 8. It was not something that viewers anticipated, but it was a decision that Leigh reportedly made herself. There's no publicly announced reason as to why she left the series, although she said in a statement that she felt "very lucky" to have worked with "an amazing cast and crew" throughout her tenure in the hospital series, and she claimed that she will "treasure" her experience on the drama series for "the rest of [her] life."

Shonda Rhimes also didn't give an explanation for why Chyler Leigh left the series, but she also noted that she loves both Leigh and her character. She claimed she was an "important member of my Grey's family" and not a simple decision, but one that she and Leigh made together.

Why Eric Dane (Dr. Mark Sloan) Left Grey's Anatomy

Much like some other cast members who held a long residence on the show, Eric Dane, who played Dr. Mark Sloan, i.e. McSteamy, decided it was time to leave Grey's Anatomy. As we noted earlier, nobody can stay on one show forever. Dane was ready to pursue other creative endeavors outside of his hospital scrubs. Shonda Rhimes said that she felt it was "the right time for his storyline to end," though she called Dr. Sloan one of the hit show's "most beloved" characters.

When Eric Dane joined TNT's The Last Ship a few months later, it was apparent that his desire to leave Grey's Anatomy was based, in large part, on his desire to join the new series. He claimed in an interview that he would've "done the final episode," but Eric Dane felt that this opportunity wasn't one that he was willing to pass up, even if it meant leaving Grey's. The expensive TNT series made it through five seasons before it aired its finale last year.

Why Sandra Oh (Dr. Cristina Yang) Left Grey's Anatomy

Unlike a number of actors who left the series, it didn't come as a huge surprise when Sandra Oh finished her final day of work in the Seattle hospital. The film and TV actress was one of the biggest names on the show when it first began in 2005, having earned a great deal of acclaim for her performance in Sideways the year prior. It was surprising, if anything, that she stayed on the show for a whole ten seasons. Alas, it was then that she decided that it was time to go.

At the time, Sandra Oh claimed it was a decision she mulled over for at least a year, according to her account, and Oh claimed that she went to a lot of therapy in order to properly let go of her character emotionally. Shonda Rhimes claimed it was "bittersweet" to see Sandra Oh go, and she added that the show would "once again be forever changed." After leaving the show, Sandra Oh went on to win a Golden Globe and receive an Emmy nomination for her widely acclaimed work in Killing Eve. Even though she no longer clocks in hours at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, her impressive work will continue.

Why Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd) Left Grey's Anatomy

When it comes to character departures, there are few that came were more shocking than the leave of Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey. The actor was a regular fixture on the hit series, playing a big role in its ongoing success throughout multiple seasons on ABC. But during Season 11, the character was killed off the show, and it was a departure that ultimately left many fans feeling devastated by the decision.

In a conference in 2015, Shonda Rhimes addressed Patrick Dempsey's leave from the show, claiming that "the decision to have the character die the way that he did was not a difficult one in the sense of what were the options?" That's certainly one way to address his dismissal. In an interview, the TV actor revealed he felt it was time to leave as well, believing that 10 years was "a long time to be on a show," and he said it's "very hard" to keep the plot investing with one character after such an extensive period of time. There were rumors there were disputes between Patrick Dempsey and Shonda Rhimes, which lead to the stark way in which his character died. Though that was not officially confirmed in any capacity with this character.

Why Sara Ramirez (Dr. Callie Torres) Left Grey's Anatomy

As we have noted earlier, it takes a lot out of an actor to be on a show for nearly 10 seasons. While Sara Ramirez, who played Dr. Callie Torres, was not part of the show back when it first started, she became a reoccurring player in Season 2, then one of the main stars in Season 3. But when it was time to make Season 13, Ramirez felt like enough was enough.

According to sources behind Grey's Anatomy, there was "no bad blood" regarding the decision, and that the choice to leave was entirely her own. Sara Ramirez wanted "some welcome time off," and she also went out and praised Shonda Rhimes for what she accomplished with the TV series. Ramirez also left the door open to return someday, although she hasn't yet returned to the show. Alas, the decision came as a surprise to many, and that includes Shonda Rhimes, who reportedly only found out about her decision to leave the a few days before the news became public knowledge. In any case, Shonda Rhimes was happy that she let the character leave for New York the season before, which helped to give the character a transition.

Why Jerrika Hinton (Dr. Stephanie Edwards) Left Grey's Anatomy

Jerrika Hinton first made her introduction into Grey's Anatomy around Season 8 as a recurring character, eventually becoming a more prominent member of the hospital staff. In 2017, she made her final appearance, and it was a decision that was not entirely shocking to the fans or creators. As it turns out, there were reports that Hinton had plans to leave for at least two seasons prior to her exit.

Allegedly, years prior Jerrika Hinton and the showrunner had "a very lengthy and gratifying and really splendid conversation about work and creative process." Shonda Rhimes echoed a lot of what Hinton said, claiming that she was "proud" of the actress for the work they accomplished and accepted that she was ready to move on to different projects.

Why Justin Chambers (Dr. Alex Karev) Left Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy fans got a shock in early 2020 when news broke that Justin Chambers was leaving Grey's Anatomy after 15 years. His departure left only three original series stars on board, and it was abrupt enough that Alex didn't get an on-screen farewell episode. When Justin Chambers announced his departure, fans learned that his final episode had already aired. Grey's Anatomy had to write Alex out after ending the first half of Season 16 with Alex simply off to help his mom.

As for why he left, Justin Chambers explained that he was moving on from Grey's Anatomy to diversify his acting roles and career choices. He turned 50 with his wife and five kids, and decided the time had come to say goodbye. Only time will if Chambers ever reprises his role, but at least he's not dead!

These are not the only actors who have bid adieu to Grey's Anatomy. Gaius Charles, Tessa Ferrer, Martin Henderson, Jason George (who left Grey's Anatomy for another spin-off series, Station 19), Jessica Chapshaw, Sarah Drew, Melissa George, Loretta Devine, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jeff Perry and Scott Foley. There are a lot of seasons of Grey's Anatomy and there have been a lot of notable characters, which means that a lot of people had to say goodbye. In any case, which characters were you most devastated to see go?

Netflix has been continuing its effort to make some exciting adaptations as of late, and as Disney continues to use its strongest franchises to create new shows, that may be its saving grace going forward. On that note, Netflix is gearing up for an adaptation of a beloved novel, and it's tapped two key television veterans to lead the series. Be on the lookout for Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke on Netflix, because the two will co-star in the adaptation of Firefly Lane.

For those unfamiliar with the New York Times bestseller, Firefly Lane is a tale of friendship from author Kristin Hannah. Katherine Heigl plays big time talk show host Tully, and Sarah Chalke will play her shy best friend Kate. The two have been friends for four decades, and the book chronicles their relationship and various life woes and triumphs throughout that time. Netflix will adapt the novel over the course of 10 episodes, and nothing more has been teased after that.

10 episodes may be all Netflix can hope to lock down Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke for, as both women are still in pretty high demand around Hollywood. Heigl is currently one of the more recent stars of USA's Suits, and has been keeping the show alive (even as it heads towards the end) post-Meghan Markle with her dynamic character Samantha Wheeler. Will she bring that same energy to Tully in Firefly Lane?

Sarah Chalke has been pretty busy as well, and has made recent appearances on network shows like The Conners and Speechless. She's also hard at work in the world of voice acting and is a voice on popular shows like Rick and Morty, Milo Murphy's Law, and Paradise PD. Firefly Lane is yet another live-action project for Chalke at Netflix, who recently appeared in Season 2 of the now-cancelled Friends From College.

As mentioned, the only thing that Netflix has mentioned is a 10-episode order to adapt Firefly Lane. It is unknown if this will be a one-and-done deal, or if a future series order will adapt the sequel novel, Fly Away. It's even possible Firefly Lane may work in some of the events of Fly Away to capture both under the same umbrella, although nothing indicated that was the case in TVLine's reported information.

Firefly Lane will be written by Maggie Friedman, who will also serve as the showrunner and executive producer. Other executive producers include Katherine Heigl, Stephanie Germain, Lee Rose, and Kristin Hannah. Peter O'Fallon is currently signed on to direct the premiere.

Alias Grace Review: Netflix's Adaptation Of Margaret Atwood's Iconic Novel Is Hauntingly Well-Executed

Firefly Lane doesn't have a release date at Netflix just yet, so stick with CinemaBlend for more details on that as they become available. Also be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest news in streaming, television, and movies.

Grey's Anatomy Season 16 premieres September 26, and the 2019-2020 season may bring back a familiar face from past seasons. Showrunner Krista Vernoff explained her goal:

Grey's Anatomy boss Krista Vernoff emphasized the "maybe" to TVLine, but it's encouraging that someone may return. Who will it be? There are too many options to count, and the answer may end up being someone disappointing (please don't say it's just Leah again). But here are some of the more likely options.

Addison Montgomery 

This may just be a fan hope, but what if Kate Walsh returns as Addison? Addison was part of the Grey's Anatomy family from 2005 to 2012, and got her own spinoff in Private Practice. She and Amelia Shepherd were like sisters, and Krista Vernoff did tell TVLine Season 16 is "a season of family" -- as well as a "Season of Fun" -- and I can see Addison popping in at Grey Sloan to either visit with Amelia, check in with everyone else, or maybe even consult on a case. Kate Walsh has stayed on good terms with the Grey's world, saying she was open to a return. Plus, Shonda Rhimes said she would love to see Addison back, adding this to THR:

If Addison doesn't return in Grey's Anatomy Season 16, maybe we'll see her in Season 17, since ABC already renewed the show for the 2020-2021 season.

Callie Torres 

It's certainly possible for Grey's Anatomy Season 16 to bring back Callie, and in fact we were just speculating about that, since Sara Ramirez announced she won't be returning for Madam Secretary's final season. Sara Ramirez being done with the CBS show doesn't mean she'd definitely return to Grey's Anatomy, though. After all, why would Callie make an appearance when she's not even in Seattle anymore? She's in New York -- and the Season 14 finale showed Arizona and Sofia moving out to NYC as well. Would Grey's bring back Callie without Arizona? Seems unlikely. Jessica Capshaw may be willing to make an appearance again as Arizona, after Krista Vernoff wrote her out of the story in Season 14. But the way the tease was phrased -- that Vernoff is trying to get "someone" back -- made it sound singular. Which leads me to other options...

Izzie Stevens 

If we see Katherine Heigl return as Izzie Stevens in 2020, it would be a full 10 years since her departure in Grey's Anatomy Season 6. Heigl recently said she worried it would almost be a distraction for fans to bring Izzie back, and she's not sure if she would do it. But I could see it. Time heals all wounds, and bringing Heigl back might finally heal the ugliness of her departure at the time. Shonda Rhimes isn't the day-to-day showrunner anymore, now that she has her Netflix specials, and I don't really know how Krista Vernoff might feel about it. Alex Karev has talked about what he imagines Izzie doing now, and that's a nice place to end her story -- on a happy note. But I could also see Izzie and Alex getting better closure than that, and maybe even becoming real friends as he tries to help his new wife Jo navigate through her trauma. Maybe this is a long-shot, but not as much of one as in the past.

April Kepner 

Sarah Drew was understandably hurt when Grey's Anatomy wrote her and Jessica Capshaw out after Season 14. Fans were devastated to lose both April and Arizona. But April didn't die or even leave Seattle. She is there, now married to Matthew and co-parenting baby Harriet with Jackson Avery. As Jesse Williams has said, it would make sense to see April again, since she is Harriet's mother and she's still in the area. Would Sarah Drew want to return so soon, though? It might still sting that she was written out. I could see this going either way.

Cristina Yang 

This seems very unlikely, since Sandra Oh has made it clear she's moved on from Grey's Anatomy. She's seemed open to returning at the very end, but Season 16 won't even be the end. We already know it will at least come back for Season 17. However, Cristina is Meredith Grey's "person," and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) ended Season 15 in a very bad place. Mer was fired from Grey Sloan and may even go to prison. I could see Meredith calling Cristina to update her and maybe just vent or get advice from a friend. Would Sandra Oh make an appearance for that, or would she be too busy with Killing Eve and other things?

Nathan Riggs 

Meredith Grey had a brief romance with Nathan Riggs after Derek Shepherd died and before she got into her current situation with Andrew DeLuca. However, Riggs left Seattle when Megan Hunt -- Owen's sister -- was discovered to be alive and brought home. Riggs and Megan started a new life together in Los Angeles. Abigail Spencer already returned as Megan in Season 15, and was shocked by all of the updates in her brother Owen's life. She's the one who urged him to go into therapy. The Season 15 finale showed Teddy having her baby with Owen, so I can see Aunt Megan showing up and bringing Riggs along for the ride. However, would that even be worthy of bringing up as a return? I don't know.

Stephanie Edwards 

Jerrika Hinton left Grey's Anatomy after Season 13, but her Dr. Stephanie Edwards is still alive. She quit Grey Sloan after the fire, but maybe it was just temporary and she could be talked into a return? I might be reaching, but Miranda Bailey did just fire three major power players -- Meredith, Richard, and Alex. Someone is going to have to at least temporarily step in for them to get stuff done at the hospital, and I could see Bailey making some calls to get back some past faces. Could Stephanie be one?

Other? 

Who are your guesses? There are any number of past Grey's Anatomy characters who could return, but who would be worth even mentioning in an interview as someone the showrunner was trying to make an appearance? An "appearance" could just be like a cameo, which is why I had Izzie, Callie, or Addison as top options. To me, it would be exciting but also make the most sense to see one of them -- as opposed to Cristina, who may just be a dream.

Grey's Anatomy Season 16 may not even be able to convince this mystery star to appear. Hopefully Krista Vernoff explains the character she meant, however this turns out. Season 16 premieres Thursday, September 26 at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Suits is coming to an end. The legal drama is on the verge of embarking on its ninth and final season on Wednesday, July 17. It will be followed by the launch of its spinoff series, Pearson, starring Gina Torres. If you have an idea of how you do not want Suits to end, you are not alone.

Katherine Heigl, who joined the show as a regular in Season 8 as Samantha Wheeler, was a Suits fan before starring on the series. She has a strong idea of where the show could go wrong. What plot point would draw her ire? Well, it involves the courtship of Harvey and Donna. Heigl told ET:

There are probably a lot of Suits fans who would whole-heartedly agree with Katherine Heigl’s sentiments on this matter. Who wants all of their investment in Harvey and Donna’s coupling to end with them not together? Fans have waited long enough to watch them become romantic partners as well as coworkers.

Having the push and pull of Donna and Harvey’s long-awaited coupledom end in a break-up would be underwhelming, to say the least. Harvey can only take so much bad news. Fans have been waiting for them to finally get together for literally eight seasons. After years of will-they-won't-they, Donna and Harvey are officially a “they will.” In case you do not remember the sultry scene, it all happened in the Season 8 finale.

It was a romantic crescendo to the season that almost did not happen. That is because a much different ending was initially in the works. Ultimately, the writers settled on that joyous Harvey/Donna scene. So, what does the cast have to say about the couple’s future?

Will they have finally gotten together, only to break up? Well, take heart because there is ample reason to be optimistic. The series’ stars have put a lot of anxiety to rest with what they had to say about their characters’ romance in Season 9.

Gabriel Macht, who plays Harvey, vowed that fans would be “happy” with what happens. With only ten episodes left, it sounds like there is reason to hope that Harvey and Donna will cross the finish line together. What better way to go than with Donna and Harvey finally united as a couple?

You have to give fans at least ten episodes of them as a couple without having their story end with a break-up. That would arguably land the show in the unpleasant zone of controversial endings. You have to let the long-awaited payoff actually pay off, right?

There is a lot to look forward to along with Harvey and Donna’s sizzling romance. Patrick J. Adams’ Mike is coming back for Suits’ final season. The actor has shared how Season 9 will say goodbye to his on-screen wife, Rachel, played by Meghan Markle.

Suits will return for the premiere of its ninth and final season on Wednesday, July 17 at 9 p.m. ET on USA. Right after that is the premiere of Gina Torres’ Suits spinoff, Pearson, at 10 p.m. ET. Both shows are part of this year’s summer premieres.

Dr. Izzie Stevens is still alive out there, unlike many other Grey's Anatomy characters we lost along the way. It has been 9.5 years since Katherine Heigl decided to leave Grey's Anatomy in Season 6. Her departure was abrupt, midway through the season in Episode 12. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes drama that led to that moment (hence Shonda Rhimes openly slamming Heigl), and Heigl has talked about a lot of it in the past.

Time heals all wounds, and there doesn't seem to be any bad blood left, at least on her end, but is there any room in her heart left for Izzie? In the past, Katherine Heigl said conflicting things on a return to Grey's Anatomy. While promoting her role in the final season of Suits, she had this answer when asked about returning for more Izzie:

It has actually been nine, not seven, years since Katherine Heigl left Grey's Anatomy. It sounds like she's worried her return would distract from the current Grey's Anatomy storyline, and distract fans from what they care about heading into the 2019-2020 Season 16.

I'd love to see Izzie again in 2020, because that would mark 10 years since her January 2010 departure in Season 6. Katherine Heigl has talked in the past about wanting to return to see what happened to Izzie, but she also said a return to Grey's Anatomy might feel manipulative. She's clearly still torn, but she also told ET she hasn't given the idea much thought in a long time:

Things didn't end well between Izzie and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) but she got a major name-drop two years ago. In Grey's Anatomy Season 6, Izzie was fired from the hospital's surgical program. Later, Alex broke up with her, feeling he deserved better. Izzie left Seattle to start fresh, and that was it.

In the 300th episode of Grey's Anatomy, which aired in 2017's Season 14, Alex admitted he hadn't spoken to Izzie in years. He imagined a happy life for her, married with children in a house that smelled like muffins. He didn't want to ruin that happy image, so he never called her.

Katherine Heigl initially said she wanted to exit her Grey's Anatomy contract early in Season 6 to spend more time with her family. Nearly a decade later, Heigl has been trying her luck on TV again. She had main roles in State of Affairs and Doubt, and now she's one of the leads in the final season of Suits, which premieres July 17 on USA Network. TVLine also just announced she'll be following Suits with an adaptation of Firefly Lane for Netflix.

Meanwhile, Grey's Anatomy is still going strong, with ABC giving it a two-season renewal for Season 16 and Season 17. Grey's Season 16 is set to premiere Thursday, September 26 on ABC. There's currently no end in sight, so if The Powers That Be can think of a way for Izzie to return that doesn't seem distracting, manipulative, or any other bad word ... should they go for it? Vote in our poll to share your thoughts.

This poll is no longer available.

ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy has now been on for an astounding 15 seasons and was recently renewed for Seasons 16 and 17, with 16 starting in the fall. As you would imagine, there has been quite a lot of turnover in the cast over the years, as is usually the case with shows that endure for as long as Grey’s Anatomy has.

Incredibly, it is worth noting that the show of the nine original main cast members, four are still with the show and have appeared in every season, including the star, Ellen Pompeo, who of course plays Meredith Grey. Alex Karev, played by Justin Chambers, started as a moody intern, and is now a senior member of the surgical team. Miranda Bailey, played by Chandra Wilson has worked her up the ladder as well, starting as a resident and now acting as Chief of Surgery and finally Dr. Richard Webber, played by James Pickens Jr., remains from the inaugural season as well.

It’s impressive that so many actors have remained in their original roles, but the list of cast members who have departed is much longer, and is highlighted by the well-publicized departure of Dr. McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey, who granted was on the show for quite some time.

Patrick Dempsey (Derek Shepherd)

Patrick Dempsey joined the cast in the very beginning of Grey's Anatomy, with his first appearance as Derek Shepherd, Meredith Grey’s husband in the pilot episode. Dempsey also came to the show with a solid resume, starring in films like Can’t Buy Me Love, Loverboy, and Outbreak.

Since dramatically leaving the show when his character tragically died, Patrick Dempsey has been a very busy person, but mostly off-screen. He's done other things, notably, racing cars. After he left Grey’s in 2015, Dempsey has spent most of his time on his other passion, driving race cars and owning racing teams. He’s competed in dozens of races, including premiere events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He’s acted a little bit, but seems to spend most of his time in the racing world and with his three children.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Denny Duquette)

It's hard to forget that Jeffrey Dean Morgan spent parts of Seasons 2, 3, and 4 playing Denny Duquette, a patient and boyfriend of Katherine Heigl’s character, Dr. Izzie Stevens.

This is because Grey’s Anatomy is the gig that introduced the great Jeffery Dean Morgan to most of America. Along with his reoccurring role on Grey’s, the actor had worked steadily, notably on Supernatural and Weeds, but it was Grey’s that gave him a mainstream breakout. Of course today, his role as Negan on The Walking Dead has become legendary as one of the most brutal villains in TV history.

Jessica Capshaw (Arizona Robbins)

Jessica Capshaw, the daughter of actress Kate Capshaw and the stepdaughter of Steven Spielberg, first became a full cast member of Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6 after a run as a reoccurring role as pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins in Season 5. She left the show during Season 14 after a dispute with the producers. Since leaving the show last year she has laid low, with only one credit on IMDB, a comedy called Hollidate.

Isaiah Washington (Preston Burke)

Isaiah Washington’s departure from the show after Season 3 is still probably the most controversial. Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke, was fired from the show after reports that he had used a homophobic slur more than once on the set and elsewhere.

After such a high-profile dismissal from Grey’s Anatomy, it took some time for Washington’s career to get back on its feet. He starred in a handful of indie and foreign films and did some guest spots here and there on TV before landing a role the CW’s The 100, where he starred for five seasons before leaving the show last year.

Katherine Heigl (Izzie Stevens)

Starting young in her adult life, Katherine Heigl  had a decent resume already when she joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy in the very beginning. She had starred in a handful of movies, like everyone’s favorite Steven Seagal flick, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, but it was Grey’s for which she won an Emmy as Dr. Izzie Stevens, really launching her career into the stratosphere.

Since leaving the show, she’s been nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in 2007’s Knocked Up, and starred in a bunch of rom-coms like Killers, One For The Money, and Life As We Know It. Her TV lead roles include Doubt and State of Affairs. She currently stars as a Samantha Wheeler on Suits on USA.

Kyle Chandler (Dylan Young)

Kyle Chandler had a remarkable year in 2006. Not only did he land the lead as Coach Taylor on Friday Night Lights, but he also did a 2-episode story arc on Grey’s Anatomy that earned him an Emmy nomination.

Since then, Friday Night Lights enjoyed a long, critically-acclaimed and popular run and he’s starred in quite a few movies, including 2018’s First Man as legendary astronaut Deke Slaton and in the recent release Godzilla: King of the Monsters. He also notably starred in Netflix's Bloodline and can now be seen in Hulu's Catch-22.

Chyler Leigh (Lexie Grey)

Chyler Leigh joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy as Meredith’s younger sister in Season 3 and by Season 4 she was a part of the main cast. Lexie died in a plane crash in the Season 8 finale, tragically for fans of her character.

Since leaving Grey’s, Chyler Leigh has starred on Supergirl as the titular character’s sister and has appeared in both Arrow, The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow which all exist in the same superhero universe as Supergirl.

T.R. Knight (George O’Malley)

T.R. Knight was also one of the original cast members on the show, starring as Dr. George O’Malley in Season 1 and beyond. It was T.R. Knight who was in the middle of Isaiah Washington’s controversial exit in Season 3 and it was in part the reason he left after Season 6, with his character being killed off in a bus accident.

In the years since leaving show, he married his longtime boyfriend Patrick Leahy and has had a handful of roles in movies, like legendary baseball scribe Harold Parrott in 42. In addition, he's also taken a few reoccurring roles in projects like The Good Wife and the Hulu streaming miniseries, 11.22.63.

Sarah Drew (April Kepner)

Sarah Drew joined Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6 mostly as an antagonist to the other doctors and became a main cast member in Season 7, where she stayed until the end of Season 14, when, like Jessica Capshaw, she left over creative differences. In the time since, she has started in two pilots, a reboot of Carney & Lacey and The Republic Of Sarah, but neither show made it into production.

Sara Ramirez (Callie Torres)

Legend has it that after Sara Ramirez was offered a job on any show on ABC after winning a Tony Award for her performance in Spamalot on Broadway, she chose Grey’s Anatomy because she was a fan. She quickly became part of the main cast in Season 3 and she then spent the next 10 years on the show as Dr. Callie Torres.

After leaving the show after Season 12, she joined the cast of Madame Secretary in Season 4 as an advisor to Secretary of State Bess McCord, played by Tea Leoni.

Sandra Oh (Cristina Yang)

Sandra Oh's departure from Grey's Anatomy is one the fans are still feeling. For 10 seasons, Oh starred as Dr. Cristina Yang, a surgeon who rises through the ranks over the before departing to work in Zurich (where we still bet she doesn't do her laundry). She has never returned to the show, despite being one of the most popular characters in the show’s history.

Since leaving Grey’s, Sandra Oh has been extremely busy, starring in movies and TV shows and most recently serving as the host of the Golden Globe Awards in 2019. She's appeared in Shitty Boyfriends and American Crime. Then, there's her main job right now: starring in the critically acclaimed British spy thriller TV show, Killing Eve.

Eric Dane (Mark Sloan)

Eric Dane was already a pretty big TV star when he joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy in Season 3, having a resume that stretched back to the 1980s. As Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on Grey’s, he was Derek Shepard’s best friend and the boyfriend of Lexie Grey. He also perished in the same plane crash that took her life.

Dane left Grey’s Anatomy a little reluctantly because he was offered the lead in The Last Ship as Captain Tom Chandler--a lead role instead of just a big one. Now, all of him can be seen on the new HBO Series Euphoria.

Jerrika Hinton (Stephanie Edwards)

Jerrika Hinton spent four seasons as Dr. Stephanie Edwards. Hinton became a full cast member in Season 10 and remained through Season 13 when she left to become part of the cast of HBO’s short-lived Here And Now. She is currently filming The Hunt for Amazon Video, co-starring Al Pacino, Lena Olin, and Logan Lerman.

It’s not surprising that Grey’s Anatomy has had such a big turnover in its cast over the years, but that is great testimony to their ability to cast with excellent new actors and interesting new characters--and we didn't even get into people like Kate Walsh, who successfully transitioned from Grey's to Private Practice. So, truly we could go on and on. The show isn’t going anywhere for a at least a couple more seasons, so we’ll probably see some more turnover in the future too, but fans of the show need not worry, they obviously know what they are doing.

Katherine Heigl is leaving the drama of her past TV roles behind her for her new project. She is changing things up with a comedy. After starring on the intense medical drama that is Grey’s Anatomy and the legal series Doubt and Suits, she is ready for some laughs. Heigl has signed on for the pilot of a new CBS series.

Katherine Heigl is set to star in the lead role of Our House, as well as executive produce the series, per Deadline. The show is currently in the pilot stage. Our House is not just a comedy, it is a multi-camera series. Something that strongly suggests it could be a sitcom. Hence, Heigl will be taking a deep dive into comedy.

Now to the question you probably want to know: What is Our House about? The show follows a mom (Katherine Heigl) and a dad, played by Timeless’ Malcolm Barrett. The parents find themselves tested when her “insane” family comes back into their lives.

Having moved back into her childhood home, Katherine Heigl’s Bridget finds her own parenting style tested. She has tried to be laid-back and adopt the progressive parenting style of her husband, who is a therapist. However, her parents' old school approach starts to have its effect. The parents' differing styles sound like the source of most of the comedy’s conflict.

While Katherine Heigl has done her share of feature film comedies, television has been a different story for the actress. She has significantly focused on dramas during her television career. From Roswell to Suits, one thing her television series have had in common is being dramas. Her television movies aside, Heigl has traditionally focused on dramatic television work.

Our House marks Katherine Heigl’s fourth post-Grey’s Anatomy role. Her most recent television role was on Suits Season 8, wherein she played Samantha Wheeler. It is unclear what, if any, impact Heigl signing on for a pilot will have on her returning for Suits’ ninth and final season.

Making a move to comedy may be just what Katherine Heigl needs. As someone who has enjoyed her work in her film comedies, her taking on a television comedy seems like a good move. She has a comic flair that should work quite nicely for Our House.

Katherine Heigl’s career in movie comedies has been robust. Hence, I find it sort of surprising that she has not tried her hand at a television comedy sooner. She has now, so all that is left is to wait and see what its future holds.

As mentioned above, Our House is currently in the pilot stage. It may be a while before word surfaces on whether CBS has picked up the series. Network television’s fall schedules usually get unveiled around May, so it should not be too much longer.

Suits went through quite a switch up in the offseason, and while the writers certainly could have eased into the new show's new dynamic following the departures of Mike and Rachel, they're apparently opting to hit the ground running instead. The USA legal drama added Katherine Heigl for Season 8, and the actress is already letting fans know they won't be too fond of her character in the early going. Heigl explained Samantha Wheeler's unlikability, and why she thinks making waves for Harvey is better than trying to be buddy-buddy right from the start:

Harvey lost his right-hand-man in Mike, and Samantha Wheeler is not about to slight right in to be anyone's replacement. Nor does she want to to such things, as Katherine Heigl explained to TVGuide her go-to role in Season 8 is being Robert Zane's go-to fixer. For that reason, Suits fans should expect Wheeler to stick with familiar company, and while Heigl seemed to hint things could change for the better as the season goes on, the first few episodes will show her strictly working squarely in Zane's corner with his best interests in mind.

Katherine Heigl's description of Samantha Wheeler, combined with the brief looks that Suits fans have seen of her so far, makes it sound like she'll be as unlikable as advertised. Of course, being unlikable for her business tactics doesn't mean she has to be bad on all fronts, and Heigl said that while her character's relationship with Harvey is "contentious" at the beginning, there's a level of professional respect she has for him beyond her personal feelings:

Suits fanatics will get to see Samantha and Harvey's dynamic unfold on the Season 8 premiere, which premieres on USA on Wednesday, July 18, at 9:00 p.m. Fans should take a break from being glued to Meghan Markle's life as a royal to tune in for Suits next chapter, if only to see Katherine Heigl back in primetime television. For more on Heigl and the history she's had with "unlikable" behavior, be sure to read up on what Shonda Rhimes had to say about the star's tenure on Grey's Anatomy. For a look at what else is on television that night, or any other night in the next couple of months, head over to our summer premiere guide.

While it is hard to believe, eight years have passed since Katherine Heigl left her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy. Nearly a decade later, a lot has changed on the medical drama, particularly within the cast of characters' love lives. That includes Izzie's ex Dr. Alex Karev, who recently fully moved on from Izzie and married Jo. So how did Heigl react to that news? Here is what the former Grey's Anatomy actress had to say:

Suffice it to say, Katherine Heigl was not so distraught by the revelation when speaking with TV Line, either from her own p.o.v. or from Izzie's. Izzie and fellow former show leads George and Christina were referenced in Grey's Anatomy's 300th episode, proving the show can still acknowledge her absence even as it marries off her ex. Given how many bad things typically transpire on Grey's Anatomy within regards to its characters' happiness, it is amazing that there was actual good news to share from the actress, who seemed happy to ponder about Izzie's life for a bit.

The question of where Izzie has ended up has undoubtedly popped up throughout the years, and it's not just a fan thing. Her portrayer Katherine Heigl is still able to go into "Izzie-mode" nearly a decade after leaving the role behind to put some thought into where the character would be. So while we know Heigl's perspective Alex's marriage to Jo from the perspective of Izzie also being married, how does she think Izzie would react to the pair's marriage if Izzie were single? Heigl weighed in with a brief assessment that went to the core of the matter, saying:

Katherine Heigl's observation is arguably a pretty accurate estimation of Izzie's point of view. When you play a character for six seasons, it stands to reason that you would have a good grasp on where they might stand on an issue, especially one dealing with past relationships. Izzie and Alex had their highs and lows during their run on Grey's Anatomy. So one would hope they would both be happy for each other, even though did not end up finding said happiness together. After all, sometimes those are the necessary endings life ends up having.

While Heigl is curious to know how Izzie would be faring today, fans may not ever learn the answer via an actual on-screen return to the role. After leaving the show that helped make her a household name, Heigl had previously expressed some interest in returning to the series to resolve the status of Izzie's life, but it's not a return that fans should count on, considering the manner in which she left.

Grey's Anatomy returns for its fifteenth season this fall on ABC. You can catch Katherine Heigl on Suits when Season 8 begins July 18 on USA. For other television shows set to arrive this summer, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres.