Why did Katherine Heigl really leave “Grey’s Anatomy?” Did McDreamy’s McAttitude cost him his surgical privileges? This beloved series will soon be gone forever.
Answers – well, speculation – to these questions lie in “How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy” (St. Martin’s Press, 320 pp.Entertainment Weekly editor Lynette rice has released a copy of this article.
Rice wrote an oral history of television’s longest-running medical drama (its 18th season premieres Sept. 30) with near-surgical precision, including a mix of extensive interviews with writers, actors, former crew members and executives, not to mention a compelling collage of archived interviews from over the years. But some stories will likely stay behind operating-room doors.
“It’s the story of one of the greatest successes in television history, and the rise of an amazing creator, actors, all that stuff,” Rice was told by an unnamed source. “But to me, the real story is never going to be fully told, because people won’t talk – at least on the record, like me.”
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Patrick Dempsey’s alleged ‘HR issues’
The series – created by then unknown Shonda Rhimes – premiered in 2005, starring Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey) and four fellow surgical interns (Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight and Justin Chambers) navigating medicine and relationships. While the show was a hit on camera, there was more drama behind it than what made it a success.
Patrick Dempsey may have played Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd for the first 11 seasons of “Grey’s Anatomy,” but his personality apparently became anything but after working 15 hours a day for 10 months out of the year.
“There were HR issues,” James D. Parriott is the executive producer and writer. “It wasn’t sexual in any way. He sort of was terrorizing the set. Some cast members had all sorts of PTSD with him. He had this hold on the set where he knew he could stop production and scare people … He and Shonda were at each other’s throats.”
His character’s death (after getting hit by a truck) may have shocked fans, but death was the only way for the character to go.
“He and Meredith were such an incredibly bonded couple at that point,” Stacy McKee was the writer. “It would be completely out of character if he left his kids.”
Dempsey went on to reprise his role during a series of COVID-induced dreams Meredith has in Season 17 – giving both fans (and the actors) a chance at a reunion, which seemed more sweet than sour.
What was the reason Katherine Heigl left?
Much has been discussed about Izzie‘s (Heigl) exit from the show, but Rice’s timeline suggests myriad factors were behind the exit. The most well-known controversy: When Heigl said publicly she didn’t submit herself for an Emmy less than a year after she won (for best supporting actress in a drama series in 2007) on account of the lackluster (in her opinion) material given to her at the time.
“I could have more gracefully said that without going into a private work matter,” She said. “It was between me and the writers. I ambushed them, and it wasn’t very nice or fair.”
She also grumbled to David Letterman about long work hours, specifically on behalf of the crew – though the fact she was speaking for them wasn’t clear at the time.
Heigl eventually left after having adopted her first child with Josh Kelley. She said starting a family “changed everything” and she no longer craved full-time work. An ex-executive at ABC Studios said that they could have reached a happy middle ground, but Heigl wanted a career in film. Another “person familiar with the situation” said she and Rhimes had difficulty working together.
Whatever the case, Heigl’s career never truly recovered after it all (though her new Netflix series “Firefly Lane” earned a second-season renewal).
Why did Isaiah Washington make a comeback?
Imagine being called a gay slur behind your back by one of your coworkers. Then imagine said colleague denying it in front of the press at the 2007 Golden Globe Awards a few months later.
That’s what happened to T.R. Knight whenIsaiah Washington (Dr. Preston Burke on the show) used a homophobic slur during an on-set physical altercation with Dempsey. “You can’t talk to me the way you talk to that little (expletive) T.R.,” He said.
Washington later apologized publicly and insisted that he had never used the term. He advocated for Burke to come out as gay. He soon was written out of the show at the end of Season 3, only reappearing to help orchestrate ex-fiancee Cristina Yang’s (Oh) departure from the show in Season 10.
Rhimes said that he was allowed to return.
“I feel very strongly and fully believe in people’s ability to grow and change learn from their mistakes, and when they know better, to do better,” She said.
Sigh:Isaiah Washington reignites feud with former ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ co-star Katherine Heigl
Ellen Pompeo improved a toxic culture – but did she contribute to it too?
Pompeo’s tenure on the show has given her much clout, and she’s spoken about improving a previously toxic work culture. She may also have contributed to this culture.
One instance is Stephanie (JerrikaHinton)’s departure at Season 13. Allegedly, Pompeo was unhappy Hinton took personal photos on set without asking her first. “(Jerrika) hadn’t been around a lot, so maybe she didn’t understand the power Ellen had,” Norman Leavitt is the makeup artist. “If she’d gone and said, ‘Is it OK if I take these Polaroids?’ Ellen probably would’ve gone, ‘OK.’ But by just doing it and not including her, you’re setting yourself up for disaster.” Hinton didn’t speak to Rice regarding the incident.
More on the COVID season:‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is ‘not responsible for politicizing COVID,’ Ellen Pompeo says of new pandemic season
‘Grey’s’ could literally go on forever
Maybe this isn’t so shocking – but in a certain way, it remains astounding. Season 17 was written as though it were the last season. “The reason why you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh’ every episode is because we approached it with a certain reverence of ‘OK, if this is the last season and we’re doing COVID, what are we doing?” showrunner Krista Vernoff said.
Rhimes is still pinching herself and said she’s written at least six different endings.
“But we just don’t end,” She laughed.
We recommend that you pull the LVAD cable quickly to avoid more drama.
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