It’s kind of wild to think about how long Grey’s Anatomy has been on TV. The medical drama premiered as a midseason replacement in 2005 and has since become an integral part of our Thursday nights. Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. will star in their 20th season when the series returns, but even for those like Katherine Heigl, who left the show in 2010, there have been some pretty blunt reminders about how many years have passed since her character Izzie Stevens came into existence. In fact, the actress recalled a hilarious run-in she had with a young fan that left her feeling pretty old.
Katherine Heigl reunited with her former Grey’s Anatomy co-star Ellen Pompeo recently for an “Actors on Actors” interview for Variety, where they talked about how popular the show still is, even with fans who hadn’t been born yet when the ABC drama first aired. Heigl spoke of a particularly memorable exchange she once had with a younger viewer, telling Pompeo:
I was in the liquor store — I needed some wine. And this man comes up to me and goes, ‘Excuse me. I’m so sorry, but my daughter, she’s freaking out over here. Would you mind talking to her for a minute?’ And I was like, ‘Sure. Come on over, honey.’ She goes, ‘Do you know Grey’s Anatomy?’ And I was like, ‘I do. Yeah.’ She goes, ‘Do you know Izzie Stevens?’ And I go, ‘Yes, I do.’ She goes, ‘Are you her mother?’ Thankfully that hasn’t happened again.
Wow, that was not where I thought that conversation was going, and I’m sure the same can be said for Katherine Heigl. The actress said this fan interaction happened around 2017, so a good seven years after we last saw Izzie Stevens roaming the hospital’s hallways. It’s likely that Heigl looked a touch older than the young fan was accustomed to, but old enough to be Izzie’s mom?! I can only imagine what the Firefly Lane star was thinking.
Katherine Heigl only appeared on Grey’s Anatomy for six seasons, before creator Shonda Rhimes released her from her contract early amid some friction between the two. Ellen Pompeo, meanwhile, stepped away as a series regular just this past season. In fact, she stayed with the show long enough to see a new class of interns come in as a reboot of sorts in Season 19, reigniting the excitement of long-time fans.
With the introduction of five new doctors — and the exit of show’s namesake surgeon — longtime cast members like Kate Walsh served as the elder statesman of the series, alongside OG stars Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. In addition to Ellen Pompeo, Season 19 also saw Kelly McCreary leave the show after nine seasons, and showrunner Krista Vernoff also stepped away.
Despite all that, it doesn’t seem like Grey’s Anatomy is going anywhere anytime soon. Several longtime cast members have addressed their futures on the show, with recent contract negotiations even possibly spoiling the big Season 19 finale cliffhanger.
It’s not out of the question that the medical drama will last long enough to feature the child of a previous character — Niko Terho already plays Lucas, the nephew of the late Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd — but unfortunately for Katherine Heigl, a fan called that one way too soon.
We don’t know when Grey’s Anatomy will be back for Season 20, but in the meantime, Season 19 is available to stream with a Hulu subscription. The first 18 seasons can be streamed with a Netflix subscription, with Season 19 being added on Saturday, June 17. Keep your eye on our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming up soon.
