Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo on Wednesday called her former co-star Katherine Heigl a “hero” for bringing to light over a decade ago the long hours the cast had been forced to work in the medical drama’s fledgling years. “I remember Heigl said something on a talk show about the insane hours we were working and she was 100% right,” Pompeo said on the most recent episode of her podcast, Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo. “And had she said that today, she’d be a complete hero. But she’s ahead of her time, made a statement about our crazy hours and of course, let’s slam a woman and call her ungrateful.” Pompeo seemed to be referencing comments Heigl had made on a 2009 episode of The Late Show With David Letterman. In the midst of filming the sixth season of Grey’s, Heigl described a “17-hour” work day on set, calling it “cruel and mean.” Her remarks were feverishly reported upon by media outlets at the time, and Heigl exited the show the next year, following a number of alleged showdowns with network executives. But “she was fucking ballsy for saying it,” Pompeo said Wednesday. “And she was telling the truth. She wasn’t lying.”
