Katherine Heigl reunites with ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ cast at Emmys — years after infamous exit and fallout

Paging Dr. Izzie Stevens! Katherine Heigl reunited with her former “Grey’s Anatomy” co stars Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson at the 2024 Emmy Awards on Monday night. The cast appeared in a replica hospital room at the awards ceremony , where they presented Paul Walter Hauser with the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Award trophy for “Black Bird.” “When the first episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ aired in March of 2005, I’m not sure Shonda Rhimes knew that she had created a show that would have a lasting imprint on television and create lifelong friendships,” Pompeo, 54, began about the show’s creator.

“Over 400 episodes and counting — a tribute to everyone who has been a part of our family,” Chambers, 53, added. Heigl, 45, who famously left the show in 2010, chimed in: “And yes, there have been some changes over the years. But the one thing that has remained a constant is the incredible fan base.” Wilson, 54, meanwhile, noted: “You stayed with us through plane crashes, super storms, earthquakes, and a global pandemic and as we start our 20th season, we are officially the longest running primetime medical drama in TV history.” “And that would not be possible without all of you, so to all of our fans, and to all of you,” Pickens Jr.

concluded, motioning to his cast mates. “We thank you.” Before the ceremony, the “27 Dresses” star spoke to Laverne Cox on the red carpet about how it feels to be back with her co stars. “It’s crazy. It’s like, in one way, it feels like I just saw them all, and then in another, it’s like oldest life has past.” “Our children have all gotten older,” she continued.

“Shonda’s son, Michael, was born in the second season of the show and he’s now 18 years old. It’s like, it’s disconcerting, but wonderful.” The Emmy’s Instagram account teased a Pompeo and Heigl reunion days before the show when they released a sneak peak of the ceremony’s seating chart.

Heigl portrayed Dr. Izzie Stevens on “Grey’s” from 2005 to 2010, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2007. She cited working conditions for the reason for her departure, which fueled rumors that she and Pompeo, who also produces “Grey’s,” didn’t get along behind the scenes.

However, in April 2022, Pompeo backed up Heigl’s 2009 claims that the medical drama had a “17 hour” workday, which she called “cruel and mean.” “I remember Heigl said something on a talk show about the insane hours we were working. And she was 100 percent right,” Pompeo said on her “Tell Me” podcast .

“Had she said that today, she’d be a complete hero.” “But she’s ahead of her time, made a statement about our crazy hours and, of course, let’s slam a woman and call her ungrateful. When the truth is, she’s 100 percent honest and it’s absolutely correct what she said,” she continued.

“She was f–king ballsy for saying it. And she was telling the truth. She wasn’t lying.” The former co stars also rehashed their “Grey’s” days with Variety’s “Actors on Actors” interview series in May 2023. “When Izzie left, there was just so much going on. It’s really hard to show up on set when there’s so much.

And then there wasn’t even social media,” Pompeo said during their conversation. “Yeah. I was up here in my head, in my gut, in my mind, in my life,” Heigl added. “I was just vibrating at way too high of a level of anxiety. For me, it’s all a bit of a blur, and it took me years to learn how to deal with that, to master it.

I can’t even say that I’ve mastered it, but to even know to work on it, that anxiety and fear — and stress is stress. And if you leave stress too long, unmanaged and unaddressed, it can be debilitating.” Pompeo added, “This is not specific to the character of Izzie leaving, but stress on sets … I’ve only been on one set my whole entire career, so I guess people could critique this comment, but I hear a lot of stories; I don’t hear about a lot of support.

That’s one of the things I try to do now as a producer, specifically on “Grey’s,” is try to offer support — try to have a place for people to talk through things.” She continued, “There was no one to tell me, ‘This is OK. This is not OK.’ There’s a very exploitive nature to what we do.

Intimacy coordinators create a whole other slew of problems, but the intention behind it is good.” Season 20 of “Grey’s” premieres March 14 on ABC..