Katherine Heigl

Having parlayed her childhood modeling into a successful television and film career, Heigl first reached international stardom for her Emmy-winning role in the hit television drama Grey’s Anatomy. She has since scored fan and critic acclaim alike for starring in such movies as the popular Judd Apatow comedy Knocked Up, 27 Dresses, and The Ugly Truth.

When Heigl was nine, an aunt visiting the family decided to take a number of photographs of her. She sent the photos to several model agencies in New York and within a few weeks Heigl was signed as a child model. She was soon posing for Sears and Lord & Taylor catalogs, and television jobs quickly followed.

Heigl’s acting debut came in the 1992 movie That Night. She went on to appear as “Christina Sebastian” in Steven Soderbergh's depression-era drama King of the Hill before being cast in her first leading role in the 1994 comedy My Father the Hero. She then appeared opposite Steven Seagal in the 1995 action thriller Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. Despite an increased focus on acting, she still modeled extensively, appearing regularly in such magazines as Seventeen. She took the lead role in Disney's made-for-television film Wish Upon a Star in 1996, and two years later co-starred with Peter Fonda in a reworking of the classic Shakespearian play “The Tempest.” Later that year, she starred in the horror film Bride of Chucky.

In 1999, Heigl turned her attention to television when she accepted the role of “Isabel Evans” on the science fiction television drama Roswell, a role that was expanded in the show's second and third seasons. While Roswell was in production, Heigl worked on several films, including 100 Girls, an independent 2001 film, and Valentine, a horror film starring David Boreanaz and Denise Richards.

Amidst her onscreen success, Heigl continued to be featured in photo essays in magazines such as Life, TV Guide, Teen, FHM, and Maxim. She appeared in FHM and Maxim calendars, was recognized as one of FHM’s annual “100 Sexiest Women in the World,” and was featured in the Girls of Maxim Gallery. In May 2006, Maxim named her #12 on their annual “Hot 100 List,” and she was voted the 19th "Sexiest Woman in the World" by the readers of FHM.

In 2005, Heigl was cast in what would become her most high-profile role, as “Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens” on Grey's Anatomy, a hit medical drama. The show, originally introduced as a midseason replacement, became a huge ratings success. The same year, Heigl landed the starring role in the independent film Side Effects, about marketing and the pharmaceutical industry.

In late 2006, Heigl was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the category Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television for her work on Grey's Anatomy. That same year, she filmed Knocked Up, a comedy from writer/director Judd Apatow, starring opposite Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and Apatow's real life wife, Leslie Mann. Upon its June 2007 theatrical release, the film received largely positive reviews from critics, and proved to be a box office success.

On September 16, 2007, Heigl won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama for her role in Grey’s Anatomy. Her latest movie is The Ugly Truth, in which she stars opposite Gerard Butler.