Actress Katherine Heigle (Knocked Up, 27 Dresses) was scheduled to return to the Grey's Anatomy set on March 1 to finish up shooting the season's last five episodes, but so far she is MIA.
It's not that Heigl is missing in a felonious way, she simply hasn't returned to the set after a 3-month maternity leave hiatus. No, Heigl didn't give birth while we had our head's turned, she adopted a child a from Korea, daughter Nancy Leigh.
The reasons for Heigl's absence is very complicated and not entirely clear, but based on earlier reports we know Heigle desperately wanted out of her contract with the show, was unhappy with her working conditions, and wants to pursue a movie career.
Heigl and her association with Grey's Anatomy has been tumultuous for the last couple of years, starting when she went public with her disgust over co-star Isiah Washington's anti-gay slur towards fellow co-star and Heigl's close friend TR Knight. It is believed she is negotiating her way out of her contract, which earlier speculation suggested would come at the end of the season, however with recent events, the show execs may have finally decided to just cut her loose.
