‘F*CKING BALLSY’

Ellen Pompeo: ‘Grey’s’ Co-Star Katherine Heigl Was ‘Ahead of Her Time’ for Calling Out ‘Insane’ Hours

The star defended Heigl, long gossiped about as “difficult,” as “ahead of her time” for publicly calling out 17-hour days on set over a decade ago.

Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo on Wednesday called her former co-star Katherine Heigl a “hero” for bringing to light over a decade ago the long hours the cast had been forced to work in the medical drama’s fledgling years. “I remember Heigl said something on a talk show about the insane hours we were working and she was 100% right,” Pompeo said on the most recent episode of her podcast, Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo. “And 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.” Pompeo seemed to be referencing comments Heigl had made on a 2009 episode of The Late Show With David Letterman. In the midst of filming the sixth season of Grey’s, Heigl described a “17-hour” work day on set, calling it “cruel and mean.” Her remarks were feverishly reported upon by media outlets at the time, and Heigl exited the show the next year, following a number of alleged showdowns with network executives. But “she was fucking ballsy for saying it,” Pompeo said Wednesday. “And she was telling the truth. She wasn’t lying.”