Katherine Heigl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Katherine Heigl
Heigl at the premiere of 27 Dresses in 2008
Born	(1978-11-24) November 24, 1978 (age 46) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1992–present
Spouse(s)	Josh Kelley ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	3
Relatives	Charles Kelley (brother-in-law)

Katherine Heigl (born November 24, 1978) is an American actress. She became well-known for playing Dr. Izzie Stevens on the TV show Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2010. This role helped her win an Emmy Award in 2007.

Katherine started her career as a child model before she began acting. She appeared in movies like That Night (1992) and My Father the Hero (1994). Later, she starred as Isabel Evans in the TV series Roswell (1999–2002).

She also became famous for her roles in popular romantic comedy films. These include Knocked Up (2007), 27 Dresses (2008), and The Ugly Truth (2009). Katherine has also voiced characters in animated movies like The Nut Job (2014). More recently, she has starred in TV shows such as Firefly Lane (2021–2023) and Suits (2018–2019).

Early Life and Family

Katherine Heigl was born in Washington, D.C.. She is the youngest of four children. Her mother, Nancy, was a personal manager, and her father, Paul, was a financial executive. Her family moved to New Canaan, Connecticut, when she was five years old.

In 1986, when Katherine was eight, her older brother Jason died in a car accident. This sad event led her parents to convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Katherine was raised in that faith.

Career Journey

Starting Out: Modeling and Early Acting (1992–1998)

When Katherine was nine, her aunt and parents sent her photos to a modeling agency. She was quickly signed as a child model with Wilhelmina Models. She appeared in magazine ads and catalogs for stores like Sears and Lord & Taylor. Her first national TV ad was for Cheerios cereal.

Katherine began studying acting and made her first movie appearance in That Night (1992). She then had a role in King of the Hill (1993). Her first main role was in the comedy My Father the Hero (1994). During this time, she balanced her acting and modeling with her schoolwork at New Canaan High School. She later left high school to focus on her acting career in Hollywood.

In 1995, she starred in the action thriller Under Siege 2: Dark Territory with Steven Seagal. She played a 16-year-old who becomes a hostage on a hijacked train. Even with more acting roles, Katherine continued to model, appearing in magazines like Seventeen.

In 1996, she played the main role in Disney's TV movie Wish Upon a Star. In this film, two characters swap bodies. After graduating high school in 1997, Katherine moved to Malibu Canyon, California, with her mother, who also became her manager. In 1998, she appeared in the TV movie The Tempest and the horror film Bride of Chucky.

Becoming a TV Star: Roswell and Other Roles (1999–2004)

In 1999, Katherine focused on television and joined the cast of the science fiction TV show Roswell. She played Isabel Evans, an alien-human hybrid. This role became bigger in the show's later seasons. During her time on Roswell, Katherine also worked on films like 100 Girls (2000) and the horror film Valentine (2001).

In 2001, she filmed a TV thriller called Ground Zero. However, after the September 11 attacks, the movie's plot was considered too sensitive and it was put on hold. It was later released in 2003 as Critical Assembly. After the 9/11 attacks, Katherine also recorded a public service announcement for the American Red Cross to help raise money.

In 2003, Katherine appeared in several TV movies. These included Evil Never Dies [it] and Love Comes Softly. She also played Isabella Linton in MTV's modern version of Wuthering Heights. In 2005, she starred in the TV film Romy and Michele: In the Beginning, which was a prequel to an earlier movie.

Big Success: Grey's Anatomy and Movie Hits (2005–2010)

In 2005, Katherine got her most famous role as Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens in the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. The show quickly became very popular and one of the highest-rated series on TV. In the same year, she also starred in and produced the independent film Side Effects.

In 2007, Katherine had a major film breakthrough with the comedy Knocked Up. She starred alongside Seth Rogen. The movie was a big success at the box office and was very popular. This film helped make her a well-known actress in Hollywood.

Heigl at the 59th Annual Emmy Awards in 2007

On September 16, 2007, Katherine won an Emmy Award for her role as Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy. She then starred with James Marsden in the film 27 Dresses. The director of 27 Dresses, Anne Fletcher, praised Katherine, saying she had a special "It factor" that made her captivating to watch.

Katherine later made some comments about Knocked Up, saying she found the film "a little sexist" because it portrayed women as "shrews" and men as "lovable, goofy guys." These comments caused a lot of discussion in the media. She also spoke about her role on Grey's Anatomy, saying she didn't submit her name for an Emmy one year because she felt the material she received wasn't strong enough. These comments led to rumors that she might leave the show.

On March 11, 2010, Katherine officially left Grey's Anatomy. She stated that she wanted to focus on her family rather than just her film career. Her past comments about Knocked Up and Grey's Anatomy sometimes led to her being labeled as "difficult to work with," which some felt affected her career.

New Directions: Beyond Romantic Comedies (2010–Present)

After Grey's Anatomy, Katherine starred in the comedy-thriller Killers (2010) with Ashton Kutcher. She also starred in and produced the drama Life As We Know It (2010). In this film, her character and a man become guardians to their late friends' orphaned daughter.

In 2011, Katherine was part of the cast in the romantic comedy New Year's Eve. The film was a commercial success, earning over $142 million worldwide. Her next lead role was in One for the Money (2012), based on a book series. This film did not do well financially.

In January 2012, Katherine expressed a desire to return to Grey's Anatomy to finish Izzie's story. She said she regretted leaving the show and praised the positive work environment.

In 2013, she appeared in The Big Wedding with Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton. This comedy about a family reunion did not receive good reviews.

In 2014, Katherine told Marie Claire magazine that she loved romantic comedies but felt she had done too many. She wanted to try different types of roles, like superhero movies or thrillers. During this time, she moved away from romantic comedies and explored romantic dramas, voice acting, and dark comedies, and returned to dramatic television.

She starred in the romantic drama Jackie & Ryan (2014) and voiced the squirrel Andie in the animated film The Nut Job (2014). She returned to voice Andie in the sequel, The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature (2017).

In 2015, she starred in the dark comedy Home Sweet Hell and the independent film Jenny's Wedding. In Jenny's Wedding, she played a woman whose decision to marry tears her family apart.

In 2017, Katherine starred in Unforgettable, her first wide release in three years. She also had lead roles in the TV series State of Affairs (2014–2015) and Doubt (2017), both of which were canceled after one season.

Katherine returned to TV in the USA Network legal drama series Suits, playing Samantha Wheeler. She was on the show for its final two seasons (2018–2019).

Recent Work and Public Statements (2020–Present)

Katherine was cast in a leading role for the Netflix show Firefly Lane, released in 2021, where she also serves as an executive producer. The show was very popular and renewed for a second season. In 2021, she also co-starred in the psychological thriller Fear of Rain. It was announced in December 2020 that Katherine will star in and executive produce the limited series Woodhull, where she will play Victoria Woodhull, the first female candidate for the U.S. presidency.

In January 2021, Katherine stated in an interview that she was "done apologizing" for her past reputation of being "difficult." She acknowledged how this label might have affected her career. Her 27 Dresses co-star James Marsden defended her, praising her "courage" and "strong convictions." In September 2021, she supported the IATSE strike and spoke about the tough working conditions on the set of Grey's Anatomy. In 2022, her former co-star Ellen Pompeo said that Katherine would be seen as a "hero" today for speaking up about their long workdays.

In the summer of 2023, Katherine and Ellen Pompeo reunited to discuss their time on Grey's Anatomy. In January 2024, Katherine joined other former Grey's Anatomy cast members at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards to present an award. In June 2024, she was a guest on Shannen Doherty's podcast, where they talked about dealing with negative labels in Hollywood and their shared love for animals.

Personal Life

In June 2006, Katherine became engaged to singer Josh Kelley. They had met a year earlier on the set of his music video. They decided not to live together before marriage, wanting to save something special for their actual marriage. They were married on December 23, 2007, in Park City, Utah. They live with their children in Oakley, Utah.

In September 2009, Katherine and Josh adopted a daughter from South Korea. In April 2012, they adopted a second daughter from the U.S. In June 2016, they announced they were expecting their third child, and Katherine gave birth to a son on December 20, 2016.

Katherine's brother-in-law is singer Charles Kelley, who is part of the country music group Lady A.

Charity Work

Katherine is very involved in charity work, especially for animal welfare. She has worked with Best Friends Animal Society on projects like their Pup My Ride program, which helps transport dogs from crowded shelters to places where they can find homes. She also gave a grant to Best Friends to support this program for a year.

Katherine and her mother, Nancy, started Heigl's Hounds of Hope. This organization is part of the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, which was created in honor of Katherine's brother Jason. Heigl's Hounds of Hope rescues larger dogs with behavior issues from shelters. They help train and rehabilitate these dogs so they can be adopted into new homes. As of 2014, Katherine herself had eight dogs.

In 2010, the ASPCA honored Katherine with the "Presidential Service Award" for her dedication to animal welfare. In 2011, she launched the "I Hate Balls" Campaign to promote spay/neuter of pets. This campaign aims to save the lives of millions of animals. In 2012, she signed a letter for PETA, urging lawmakers to reject a bill that would make filming in factory farms a crime.

In the same year, Katherine was recognized by the "Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI)" for her commitment to adoption. The American Cancer Society also honored her for raising awareness about cancer, especially through her public support for her mother's fight with the disease.

Katherine is also a strong supporter of organ donation. She works as a spokesperson for Donate Life America. After her brother Jason's death, her family chose to donate his organs to people who needed transplants. This experience inspired Katherine to become an activist for organ donation.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1992	That Night	Kathryn
1993	King of the Hill	Christina Sebastian
1994	My Father the Hero	Nicole Arnel
1995	Under Siege 2: Dark Territory	Sarah Ryback
1997	Prince Valiant	Princess Ilene
	Stand-ins	Taffy / Rita Hayworth's Stand-in
1998	Bug Buster	Shannon Griffin
	Bride of Chucky	Jade Kincaid
2000	100 Girls	Arlene
2001	Valentine	Shelley Fisher
2003	Descendant	Ann Hedgerow / Emily Hedgerow
2005	Side Effects	Karly Hert	Also executive producer
	The Ringer	Lynn Sheridan
2006	Zyzzyx Road	Marissa
	Caffeine	Laura
2007	Knocked Up	Alison Scott
2008	27 Dresses	Jane Nichols
2009	The Ugly Truth	Abby Richter	Also executive producer
2010	Killers	Jennifer "Jen" Kornfeldt Aimes
	Life as We Know It	Holly Berenson	Also executive producer
2011	New Year's Eve	Laura Carrington	Segment: "Jensen and Laura's Story"
2012	One for the Money	Stephanie Plum	Also executive producer
2013	The Big Wedding	Lyla Griffin
2014	The Nut Job	Andie	Voice role
	Jackie & Ryan	Jackie Laurel
2015	Home Sweet Hell	Mona Champagne
	Jenny's Wedding	Jenny Farrell
2017	Unforgettable	Tessa Connover
	The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature	Andie	Voice role
2019	Our House	Bridget
2021	Fear of Rain	Michelle Burroughs
TBA	That's Amore!	Patty Amore

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Katherine Heigl para niños