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“Over ten years ago I was very vocal about the absurdity of the working hours crews and actors were being forced into by production,” she said, noting that she “very publicly and for many many years after got my ass kicked for speaking up.”
Heigl’s comments got her labeled “difficult” in Hollywood for years, and her career was inarguably hurt as a result. But now one of her former Grey’s Anatomy co-stars is speaking out in her defense.
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On a recent episode of her podcast Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo, Grey’s star Ellen Pompeo stuck up for her former castmate, calling her a “hero.”
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“I remember Heigl said something on a talk show about the insane hours we were working — and she was 100% right,” she said.
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“Had she said that today, she’d be a complete hero,” she continued. “But she’s ahead of her time.”
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“[She] made a statement about our crazy hours and, of course, let’s slam a woman and call her ungrateful.”
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Ellen went on to say that her former co-star was “fucking ballsy” for speaking her mind.
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“She was telling the truth,” Ellen added. “She wasn’t lying.”
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Listen to the entire episode here.
