Its been over a decade since Greys Anatomy fans saw Izzie, but that doesnt mean that fans have forgotten about the former Seattle Grace doc or her portrayer, Katherine Heigl.

I felt very protective of Izzie, Heigl told USA Today in 2010. I really loved her. I felt she was an admirable woman who certainly made mistakes. But I was starting to not like her, and that bothered me.

The Firefly star appeared as Izzie Stevens for more than 100 episodes of the ABC medical drama, but she left the series halfway through shooting season six in 2010. Her departure came after Heigl publicly feuded with creator Shonda Rhimes.

There was a resolution to Izzies story. We had planned to have her come back for an episode to really properly tie up Izzie and Alex (Justin Chambers), Krista Vernoff, who worked on seasons 1-7 of Greys before returning as the showrunner for season 14, told the Los Angeles Times in November 2020. And I wrote that episode, and it was beautiful. The day before it was supposed to start prepping or shooting, I cant remember, we got a call that Katie wasnt coming. Just wasnt coming. Wasnt going to do it. It became my job to stay up all night for multiple nights and reimagine a script that didnt include Izzie.

Vernoff added: And for years and years and years and years and years, the fans scream at us, How could you? Well, thats the behind-the-scenes story. Thats what happened. Im not saying that to bash Katie. I dont know what was happening in her life.

After the L.A. Times profile was published, however, sources close to Heigl told Us that Vernoff was mistaken when it came to the actress exit from the series. Katherine was back in L.A. after parental leave (when she adopted her daughter) waiting to be called to set, the insider said.

Either way, Izzies character was often mentioned on Greys Anatomy over the years by Chambers Alex Karev or Ellen Pompeos Meredith Grey and after Chambers quietly left the show during season 16, fans learned Alex reunited with Izzie, who secretly had their twins, offscreen in Kansas.

When I left the show in season 7, people asked me if there was any chance of me ever coming back, Vernoff told Deadline in 2020 when asked about the chances Heigl and/or Chambers would return one day. I was smart enough to say, Never say never. Here I am, so who knows?

Scroll through for the most telling quotes from Heigl about Izzie, behind-the-scenes drama and more:

Read the original here:
Everything Katherine Heigl Has Said About Greys Anatomy Since Season 6 Exit - Us Weekly