Admittedly, 27 Dresses wasn’t really all that great. It was a fun, entertaining movie, but nothing more. I hope that Heigl will step up to the plate and find better film roles that will force Hollywood to take her more seriously.

Drew Barrymore, on the other hand, has always been involved in producing her films over the past decade. Now she’s stepping up to the director’s plate with “Whip It!” and is considered to be a serious A-list actress with producer’s credentials.

She just snapped up the rights to “Escape” a screenplay about a Mormon wife in a polygamous marriage, who escapes from it. I think “27 Dresses” was also snapped up for HER, but I can’t be sure.

Sorry, just realized I never completed that thought. I’m bad for shifting thoughts around and then forgetting to finish one out. :-)

My main point is that actors like Heigl aren’t pushed towards building a career with a varied body of work. Films like “27 Dresses” are mostly plug and play. It’s a film that any 20-something actor can be in. Especially coming off a show like “Grey’s Anatomy”.

Rogen on the other hand has now been in, thanks to Apatow and friends, three genre defining hit films that he’s either written or co-produced. He’s been in three animated films that where hits, two that were this year–true, the parts were small in two, but he was in them. He’s got two more potential big hits coming up this year. Of which, again, he co-wrote and was a producer.

Rogen is in a position to have much more control over what he’s in.

Apatow mentored and encouraged Rogen, and Rogen is now able to define who he is as an actor/writer/producer.

Maybe Heigl has a mentor in a position to take her to the next level and we just haven’t been privy to that information. But, from where I’m sitting, that doesn’t seem likely, nor is it surprising if she doesn’t have one.

At the least, is there a director or producer or writer she’s consistently working with? From Tom to Leo, Rogen to Clooney, male actor’s ability to consistently work with the same above the line people has either helped them establish and maintain their careers.

I love, love, love the discourse that this post (and Katherine’s comments) has started.

I’ve so enjoyed reading Melissa’s information and take on the whole situation…and then all of your very thoughtful comments above. Truly, this is one of the main reasons I’m the faithful internet surfer that I am.

If I can’t sit and have coffee talk with you all personally….at least I can jump into the online conversation. Thanks!

I pretty much feel the same way most of you do….I really like Heigl and feel this recent Emmy comment is making news because she is popular with Grey’s viewers AND film audiences alike, so there are obviously people who care about her and what she says. Then….there are the Hollywood “suits” who would rather she just act pretty, bring in the viewers (i.e. dollars) and keep quiet.

I really don’t think that any of this truly matters to average Jane (or Joe)in deciding what TV show to watch or film to go see. If it’s a decent flick, and they are a Heigl fan….they’ll buy a ticket or rent it. (At least, that’s how it works with me and my friends).

What she said about Judd Apatow (seriously, most people outside of Hollywood don’t know — or care, who he is) or the Emmy nomination process….they got bigger problems. (like the price of gas!)I really think that’s the bottom line.

We’ll see how her next flick with Gerard Butler does…I don’t know too much about it, but I thought the premise sounded OK….and they are both pretty likeable. Hopefully, it’s a decent script.

Finally, I thought I’d just add that People Magazine online today had a short piece about Katherine’s former Grey’s co-star, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

He discusses Katherine, the possibility of returning to Grey’s (I’m not sure how…since he kinda, ya know — DIED.) and her recent Emmy brouhaha:

“She’s awesome,” Morgan said. “I had a blast with her. She’s wonderful and I can’t say enough good things about her and that whole (Grey’s) cast.”

As for Heigl’s recent Emmy flap, Morgan says her comments were most likely misunderstood–and even if they weren’t, he finds her candor refreshing.

“I think that stuff gets blown completely out of proportion,” he said. “She just speaks her mind. That’s exactly what she does and maybe more people should speak their mind.”

Wow…thanks Jeffrey, for speaking YOUR mind. And to all of you commenters above, I’ve truly enjoyed the discussion. I look forward to more of it in the future.

Heigl understands that a career built on thin work isn’t a career. In fact, the reaction to her comments only reaffirm that understanding.

Not true. I just read somewhere that Heigl has formed her own production company to begin having leading roles in films catered to her career.

She just snapped up the rights to “Escape” a screenplay about a Mormon wife in a polygamous marriage, who escapes from it. I think “27 Dresses” was also snapped up for HER, but I can’t be sure.

On the Grey’s Anatomy comments, I’m less certain. Given what she had already gone through, it was virtually certain how they’d be received. Even if she didn’t mean to insult the writers, it was going to be seen that way.

As far as not submitting a tape for consideration unless you have something good, I have my doubts. If you look at the list of submissions, there are a LOT of them. Now, maybe if you know you don’t have a chance, it doesn’t hurt to submit it anyway, so no harm, no foul. And Heigl is a past winner, and they tend to hit familiar territory. But this isn’t Candice Bergen or Bill Cosby dropping out after winning 4 times.

I’ll be honest, my cynical side does lean towards the “trying to get off the show” thesis. It just seems like the simplest explanation. Still, we certainly don’t know that it’s the case. And you’re right that the reaction to it has been over-the-top.

I hope Katherine Heigl continues to give her opinion when she thinks it’s important. I also hope for her sake that she realizes that sometimes you can be too honest for your own good. And that she cuts down on the cigarettes.

Heigl understands that a career built on thin work isn’t a career. In fact, the reaction to her comments only reaffirm that understanding.

Remember, Katherine Hepburn was called “Box Office Poison” for being outspoken and difficult. Hepburn went on to star in roughly 20 more films and to win 3 Oscars.

The script changed after she signed on to the role. Also, you don’t know what was filmed and left on the cutting room floor.

And Heigl’s Maxim shots are neither here nor there.

Heigl has also done racy photo shoots in Maxim that I doubt helped the feminist movement much. I doubt many guys were reading the articles. If a shirtless Matthew McConaghuey was the voice of humanitarianism throughout the world, I’d equally laugh at him as well. No one wants to hear millionaires tell us how to behave!

It’s easy to say things, then act differently. I am a male feminist, and believe that the best way to true equality is done through action, not words. Heigl dropped the ball with “Knocked Up”. Now she wants us to believe that she had misgivings about the movie? She is trying to save face so that she can get serious acting roles after playing that part to cash in.

I’m sorry, but if hypocrites like Heigl are the voice and face of feminism, there are problems. She is free to say what she likes, but we’re all free to call her a liar.

please do explain how Ms. Heigl doesn’t have any “people skills.” I don’t see her bar-hopping at nighttime or begging to be followed by the paparrazi like Paris or La Lohan.

wev.

Thanks for this!

As a woman in film school, it terrifies me how ignorant the men running the studios are of their female audience and how unwilling they are to realize that WE ARE OUT THERE and WE SPEND MONEY TOO! All of these men have mothers, and a fair majority have sisters, wives, and daughters, so I do not understand the ignorance and their blindness to the fact that we have brains. Women have come so far, but still have so very far to go.

I like her. I am so annoyed by all this sexist media shitstorm swirling around her.