Ellen Pompeo Opens Up About Katherine Heigl, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Ellen Pompeo recently opened up about Katherine Heigl’s decision to leave the hit ABC drama Grey’s Anatomy during the height of the show’s success.

After remaining silent on the subject for several years, the actress recently discussed the One for the Money star’s departure from the medical series in 2010. She also took a moment to touch on Isaiah Washington’s involvement with the drama.

Although Ellen Pompeo doesn’t have a problem with Katherine Heigl’s choice to pursue a movie career, she does have an issue with the way she left Grey’s Anatomy. Instead of waiting for her contract to expire, Heigl decided to quit after receiving a very large wad of cash to return to the series.

The actress explained to the New York Post.

“When Katie left, it was tough. You could understand why she wanted to go — when you’re offered $12 million a movie and you’re only 26. But Katie’s problem is that she should not have renewed her contract. She re-upped, took a big raise and then tried to get off the show. And then her movie career did not take off.”

Ellen Pompeo also discussed series creator Shonda Rhimes’ decision to cast Isaiah Washington as her character’s boyfriend. Since the actress is presently married to African-American music producer Chris Ivery, she felt the storyline was a little “too close to home.”

“You know they wanted Isaiah Washington to be my boyfriend. Shonda really wanted to put a black man in the mix. I didn’t think they were really going to put an interracial couple on the show and I didn’t want him,” she told the publication.

Pompeo definitely isn’t one to mince words. The Inquisitr previously reported that the actress had a few harsh comments about this year’s Emmy Awards. According to the Grey’s Anatomy star, the event was nothing short of a cultural embarrassment.

“I didn’t see any diversity in the Emmys at all. The Emmys felt so dated to me. That dance number was embarrassing. Did you see one person of color in that dance number?” she explained to the Los Angeles Times last month.

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[Image via ABC TV]