Katherine Heigl was speechless at NBC’s State of Affairs panel during the Television Critics Association press tour after she was asked about comments she made earlier this month, Entertainment Weekly reports.
The actress claimed she was betrayed by Hollywood because she finally realized the world wanted her to stop making romantic comedies, of which she has made six in the last eight years. (RELATED: Katherine Heigl Makes Terrible Romantic Comedies, And Now She’s Sad About It)
A reporter asked about rumors that Heigl and her producer, mother Nancy Heigl, are a painful duo to work with.
“I can’t really speak to that. I can only say that I certainly don’t see myself as being difficult.”
The former “Grey’s Anatomy” star has a Hollywood reputation for being a diva, and had an abrupt exit from the show after she pretentiously withdrew her 2008 Emmy nomination because she didn’t feel the show gave her material that warranted an award.
She continued her denial.
“I don’t think my mother sees herself as being difficult.”
The reporter first asked if Heigl felt she had her career back under control, after her Hollywood hiatus to “reevaluate her career goals.”
“Ummm…”
Producer Ed Bernero attempted to answer for her, but the reporter pressed Heigl, saying, “Seriously, I want to hear from Katherine.”
“I don’t know that I said I felt my career was not under my control,” Heigl responded.
“I think I said I felt I had stopped challenging myself and I was making choices that I loved, that I was excited about. I loved doing romantic comedies, I loved doing them and I loved watching them, but I stopped… exercising different muscles of my ability. And in that moment, I felt that I was sort of letting down my audience, that I wasn’t challenging them either.”
Which is likely an elegant way of saying viewers are tired of seeing her distressed bridesmaid and single sister-in-law roles, and she finally realized it.