Katherine Heigl's Personal Drama Helped Her Deliver a Tragic Grey's Anatomy Scene

Summary

• The scene in which Katherine Heigl mourns the death of her on-screen lover remains one of the show's most iconic.
• The actress chose to convey her real emotions from a childhood tragedy instead of acting out the scene.
• Now, Heigl feels the price was too high.

When it debuted in 2005, Shonda Rhimes' show was an instant hit, proving popular with audiences familiar with General Hospital, ER and House. Since then, Grey's Anatomy has spanned a whopping nineteen seasons, with a twentieth installment set to premiere this March. Naturally, the show has seen its share of memorable characters and dramatic twists. But few compare to Kathrine Heigl's Dr. Izzie Stevens losing her lover. And it turns out the actress drew on her own personal experience to create the scene.

Grey's Anatomy's Most Memorable Scene

In the final episode of season two, Dr. Isobel Stevens was heartbroken over the death of her patient and love interest, Denny Duquette, who had undergone a difficult heart transplant. When he died of a stroke after the procedure, Izzie cried over his body. And that heartbreaking scene became one of the show's most iconic.

Apparently, the scene was so emotional because the actress was conveying real emotions that she had experienced as a child after her brother's death. And in hindsight, the creative decision to channel that pain took a toll on her.

'I wanted so badly to nail that scene. I just wanted it to feel the way it was written on the page. I wanted it to be as heart-wrenching and all other things [as it was written]. And I don't usually do this as an actor. I don't, like, do that whole "go into the dark place, and listen to the music that's going to tear my soul apart, and think about all the things in my life" [thing]. And the worst was that I really went there and recalled [my personal tragedy],' Katherine Heigl shared in an interview.

Katherine Heigl's Childhood Trauma

Apparently, the actress has come to the realization that she shouldn't have picked at the old wound of losing her brother.

'I was seven when my brother died but we were in the hospital for a week, and I don't enjoy thinking about that much or that week in the hospital or him in that bed. But I chose to do that for that scene. And I don't think I would put myself in that headspace again to achieve that. I think I would try harder to just act it,' Heigl said.

Katherine Heigl left Grey's Anatomy after Season 6 and will not reprise her role in the upcoming twentieth installment, which premieres March 14.

Source: YouTube.