I don't want your stupid award.One of the most commented stories on this blog in its short history -- all five of them I think -- was a comment itself from Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl about why she was withdrawing her name from consideration for this years Emmy Awards in the Best Supporting Actress category. That in and of itself isn't a story, it's why she bowed out that has people talking. According to the new-found movie star, "I do not feel I was given the material this season to warrant a nomination."
She didn't say that her performance wasn't deserving, but basically that there was nothing she could do with the writing because it was so bad. As has been argued in the comments of that story, perhaps she's right and nobody could make an Emmy run with the crap that handed her this past season. It's certainly possible, although extremely unlikely given the amount of talent on that writing staff and her own proven ability to act -- supposedly -- since she already has an Emmy from last year for performing material from that very same group of writers.
You had to figure it wasn't going to take very long for somebody on that staff that just got dissed in a hugely public way, either anonymously or otherwise.
Entertainment Weekly apparently did get somebody to talk, and they had this to say about Heigl's comments.
The show bent over backwards to accommodate her film schedule, and then she criticizes the show for lack of material? It's an ungrateful slap in the face to the very writers responsible for her Emmy win in the first place.
Now I wouldn't go that far and say that the writers were responsible for her win, she obviously has some appreciable talent and earned that award no matter what anyone else thinks. It's collaborative only to a degree, because somebody has to get their butt up on stage and say the lines, you know?. But since it is so collaborative, you'd think that she'd also show some appreciation for what that writing staff did for her last year, and tried to do this year.
That they had to write around her feature film schedule easily explains the complaints that her character was and unfocused mess this season. When you aren't hardly ever around to fulfill your first obligations, things like this tend to happen. This really reinforces my suspicion about which I wrote yesterday, that she desperately wants out of television for good, and thinks burning those bridges is the fastest and best way to do it.
Maybe that's true and maybe it isn't, but even when told in the best possible light, she's still a thoughtless jerk that doesn't appreciate anyone around her in a medium that lives and dies by how well everybody gets along.
Now I'd love to see some official response to what's happened, but Heigl's manager/agent has refused to comment or clarify anything she or her publicist has said in this matter and so I've got to believe she meant every word of it, and that it hit home in precisely the way she meant for it to.
A reputation as an ungrateful, self-centered child isn't exactly going to hold back her movie career any because god knows there's plenty of those people on this planet and they all seem to be doing just fine living in their own little reality. But it's still a rotten and pathetic deal all around.
I listened to an interview last night on TV with Ms. Heigl...where she compared her recent movie career to the success of George Clooney (in moving from TV series to feature films).
As I mentioned before...she apparently has a healthy ego...which of course any actor would be required to have to survive.
I figured there was going to be some fallout about what Heigl said amongst some of the writers I follow, and sure enough Ken Levine pretty much agrees with everything I've said.
I think it’s an unconscionable slap in the face to the writers of her show. It seems to me there are three possible explanations for her taking this position.
1) She thinks this will motivate the writers to better service her character. It’s hard to believe anyone could be that stupid. If I were producing that show her part would be reduced to giving enemas. And there would be messy equipment failures.
2) She’s looking to get her release so she can pursue her feature career. Making a fortune on a hit television show is keeping her from starring in such breakout films as 27 DRESSES.
3) Her integrity as an artist prevents her from performing anything she feels is below her very high standards. After all, this is a thespian who has appeared in BRIDE OF CHUCKY, VEGAS DICK, BUG BUSTERS, and of course UNDER SIEGE 2.
If Katherine Heigl wants to pull out of Emmy consideration, fine. Let her. There are much better, more deserving dramatic actresses anyway.
June 13, 2008 12:09 PM | Reply
June 13, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply
As I mentioned before...she apparently has a healthy ego...which of course any actor would be required to have to survive.
But still...
Morjana
June 13, 2008 9:34 PM | Reply
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