Katherine Heigl Dreads Playing 19-Year-Old at 40 in New Netflix Series

Katherine Heigl: A Lengthy Acting Career

She has graced the screen with her regal presence since her early days on the show “Roswell” when she was just 20 years old. Since then, this stalwart member of the “Grey’s Anatomy” cast has grown up in front of the cameras, moving from “Knocked Up” to the recent Netflix hit “Firefly Lane.” Portraying the spirited Tully Hart, Katherine Heigl is the lifelong best friend of Kate Mularkey (played by Sarah Chalke). The series tracks the duo from their teenage years in the 1970s to the 2000s. Now a famous talk show host, Tully Hart hasn’t abandoned her best friend: Kate, a divorced stay-at-home mom, is on the job hunt and manages a complicated relationship with her daughter.

Writers Stretching Credibility

The star of “27 Dresses” was more than surprised when she realized she had to portray Tully from her college years: embodying a very young woman at nearly 40 was a stretch. “Being almost 40 years old, playing a 19-year-old—I thought, ‘Don’t you think this is a bit much?’ Of course, you can add effects to the image, but being 19 is different emotionally too,” Katherine Heigl commented in an interview with US Magazine.

This role likely reminded her of an encounter with a young fan of “Grey’s Anatomy,” who asked her in person if she knew the show and Izzie Stevens, then added: “Are you her mother?” Taken aback, the blonde actress playfully dismissed the cheeky fan: “I told her jokingly, ‘Get lost. Never speak to me again!’“, in front of a laughing Ellen Pompeo. Sometimes, you really can’t push it too far!