John Shearer/WireImage.comKatherine Heigl has pulled an Isaiah Washington. (Wait, it's not what you think!)
Just as her former costar did last spring, albeit for a different reason, the Grey's Anatomy actress has taken herself out of the running for the upcoming 60th Annual Emmy Awards.
No, last year's winner for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama isn't still ticked off that the announcer mispronounced her name as she took the stage to present. ("By the way, it's Heigl," she corrected later during her acceptance speech, emphasizing the hard g.)
Instead, Heigl feels that Izzie, who ultimately shared a kiss with Justin Chambers' Alex when all was said and done, wasn't given much Emmy-worthy emoting to do this season.
"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention," Heigl told the Los Angeles Times Gold Derby blog. "In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials."
ABC had no comment on Heigl's decision, which theoretically could be seen as either a gracious move in honor of her fellow thespians or a thumbed nose at the people who put Izzie in all those non-Emmy-warranting situations—the Grey's writing team.
While it isn't an entirely wild notion to excuse oneself from consideration (Candice Bergen did it after hogging the spotlight multiple times for Murphy Brown; Tim Allen actually forgot to submit the paperwork once), it makes us wonder whether the star of such fare as Knocked Up, 27 Dresses and the upcoming The Ugly Truth—who was one of the last Grey's regulars to ink a contract for a fourth season last year—has simply outgrown her small-screen launching pad.
The nominations for the 60th Annual Emmy Awards will be announced July 17. The ceremony will be broadcast live Sept. 21 from L.A.'s Staples Center.