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Chandra Wilson explains Katherine Heigl
We in the media have apparently been uncharitable when it comes to Katherine Heigl and her decision not to submit herself for Emmy consideration.
In a statement issued last month, Heigl -- generally a lightning rod for controversies -- explained herself thusly:
"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. In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials."
Because the press is often catty about such things, we interpreted Heigl's statement as an indication that the actress was taking the Grey's Anatomy writing staff to task for failing to give her material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination. We felt that way because she said it. But that wasn't what she meant, if you ask her co-star Chandra Wilson.
On hand at the Television Critics Association press tour to promote her Hallmark Channel telefilm Accidental Friendship, Wilson offered a kinder explanation.
"All actors have to do the exact same thing every single year," Wilson said. "We have to decide, you know, how do I submit and, if I submit, which clip to submit. And I think the public at large doesn't understand that it's not about your body of work or it's not about the season. It's about the show that you submit. So -- and especially when you're dealing with drama categories, OK? -- so it needs to be high drama or it needs to be high comedy. You can have a great seasonal arc, but if you don't have, like, that show that's like your show and you were breaking out in tears, well, then, that's not the right thing for the category."
She continues, "So we all have to do that every single time. Every single time we put our money up for our submission, that's the thing that we have to do. So it was amazing to me the way it kind of got blown out of proportion because if you asked every single actor on every single show, they'll tell you the exact same thing. Some years you submit. Some years you don't."
So there you go.
We won't ask why Wilson, speaking without a script, was able to put things so much more clearly than Heigl's prepared statement.
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FYI..that front page of Zap2it calls Chandra the creator of Greys. She is not!!
Danielle | Jul 9, 2008 10:10:24 AM | #It's because Bailey is Bailey, and Izzie is not...
William | Jul 9, 2008 10:21:08 AM | #Oh please, Chandra, do you really think the fans are that stupid?
Tracey | Jul 9, 2008 10:34:52 AM | #The fact is the statement came from Heigl's publicist not Heigl - although she obviously approved it. Secondly the media have been very unfair because it seems only the can have an opinion on the shows writing and storylines not the cast. Very hypocritical. Thirdly it has been blown way out of proportion the fact is the media like to build people up and shoot them down. It stinks. The fact that Heigl is outspoken as well doesnt help. Women who speak out in Hollywood, who actually have opinions are viewed as awkward or problematic. Yet if a male actor says the same thing it is completely overlooked. In Grey's Heigl has repeatedly said she wants to stay on the show, whereas the likes of Patrick Dempsey have expressed a desire to move on into film. Yet there is a barely a murmur in the press about that sort of thing. It is typical Hollywood double standards. Good for Chandra for speaking out. She is 100% right.
PaulN | Jul 9, 2008 11:01:02 AM | #Front page is fixed.
Rick | Jul 9, 2008 11:09:57 AM | #Well said PaulN!
MDEP | Jul 9, 2008 12:13:08 PM | #The difference between Chandra Wilson not submitting her name for consideration and Heigl not submitting her name is that Chandra Wilson doesn't release statements that she wasn't submitting her name because the material she was given didn't warrant it. All Heigl had to do was just not submit her name and move on.
This reeks of a publicist convincing her it would be "bad" if people thought she just simply didn't get nominated.
Plus, really, when have the Emmys been about the work, anyway? It's a popularity contest and Heigl more than likely won her emmy more for Knocked Up than Grey's Anatomy.
Brandon | Jul 9, 2008 1:18:46 PM | #We in the media have apparently be uncharitable when it comes to Katherine Heigl.
TYPO!
matt | Jul 9, 2008 1:18:57 PM | #She said...she meant it. She only wants to retract her statement now because people are pissed off. Heigl probably asked Chandra to stick up for her. She needs to fight her own battles.
Grant | Jul 9, 2008 1:31:01 PM | #Heigl needs to stop being a bitch! She should shut her trap and thank the writers for giving her material that won her the Emmy last year. Additionaly, she would be a nobody right now without the show. The writers should kill her off in a violent manner this Sept.
Peter | Jul 9, 2008 1:32:24 PM | #Its not like anyone asked Heigl in an interview why she didn't submit her name, she just mouthed off to the papparazzi while walking down the street. Why did she feel the need to even explain it?
Heigl is just like her character Izzie on Grey's- she doesn't know when to just shuuuut up.
Txcleo | Jul 9, 2008 2:10:22 PM | #
Txcleo, she was indeed contacted by a member of the media, Mr. Tom O'Neil (an entertainment awards blogger for the L.A. Times), after posters on his forum noticed Heigl's name was missing from the master list of prospective nominees. She did in fact quietly choose not to submit her name, and it wasn't until she was contacted by O'Neil for an explanation that one was issued (almost two weeks after the submission deadline). It was quite the coup for O'Neil, who bragged on his forum about the traffic it brought to his blog. The pap vid was taped *after* O'Neil published her statement. (How else would the paps know she'd neglected to submit herself for consideration?)
Good for Chandra, for calling the media on their histrionic indignation.
Jen in KS | Jul 9, 2008 4:34:08 PM | #Her material sucked. If I were he I would have been embarrassed by what I was given too. She did the right thing by ot submitting her name and I respect her for having the moxie to speak out for what she truly believes.
Tierra | Jul 9, 2008 6:22:42 PM | #I'm sorry, but Katherine Heigl is a b**ch! I realized that at the Emmys last year, when she made some snotty comment about how they pronounced her name when she won. This is par for the course.
jp | Jul 9, 2008 7:53:40 PM | #I respect Chandra Wilson's comment and her as an actress.
And while I respect her comments, I do believe Katherine Heigl was as out of line, as she often is. She could have just said she chose not to submit for this year or that she is still riding the wave of her win from last year.
She should opt to have writers write for her away from the show. If she did, the public could be more responsive to her.
nicki | Jul 9, 2008 9:55:26 PM | #What a bunch of hypocrites. All year long we have heard nothing but bitching from the fans about the horrible story that was "Gizzy". Week after week, nobody had anything nice to say about her story line. Now that she apparently agrees with you, you jump all over her for it. If she had submitted herself, and somehow made the final five, we would hear nothing but more bitching about how unfair it was that she was nomminated. It appears some people are never satisfied.
DMP | Jul 9, 2008 10:35:57 PM | #Wow...Really people. Get off her back..sorry she doesn't put her name for consideration this year. No offense, she doesn't deserve to be nominated. Her storyline was seriously lacking any substance. Good for her. Let someone who really displayed their acting prowess get some recognition. She is a great actress and has wonderful things ahead of her. As she has already proven. It wasn't meant to be a snub nor was it meant to insult any writers. Honestly chill out and let an artist be an artist. P.S. This is just from an everyday tv fan not a publicist a mangaer or so on.......let it go!!!!!
Ernie | Jul 9, 2008 11:33:41 PM | #A little footnote..sorry i was being a normal human being before. Nut now I'll stoop to your shitty levels. Really!!?? Bitch!!?? How are you happy with posting these words for someone you do not even know. Maybe one day you will see that she is a normal human being with parents and a family that are heartbroken by your comments. Get a hobby or a life. And stop disrespecting people because you are sad and stuck in your own pathetic little lives. And Scene.
Thank You Jen in KS and DMP.
First, people read what they want and dont know what really happend. SHE was asked why, not her walking around town telling anyone who would listen.
2nd, Like DMP said, she had a bad year on the show. You guys on the site are the first to give her and her role on the shor crap every Friday on the blogs. So, she keep her name off.
She also asked for a light season so she could film movies so they did not give her that big of a story line this year. Thats the truth. No lie.
Good for her. Had a man sadi it, it would be ok. But God help it if a women says it.
Baby B | Jul 10, 2008 11:22:54 AM | #I'm still still waiting for an explanation as to how the movie "Knocked Up" is "sexist" (at least sexist towards women).
Todd | Jul 11, 2008 11:49:13 AM | #Very gracious of Chandra to explain. Katherine Heigl is one of the better actors on an awful show, in which several characters are woefully miscast, Chandra Wilson among them. Hollywood, especially TV, is filled w/hacks, on every point of the circle. They are equal opportunistic buzzards, capable of disrespecting Oscar winners & then lauding newcomers.
Juke Early | Jul 12, 2008 1:14:21 AM | #Maybe Katherine Heigl is right in not wanting her name submitted but this isn't the 1st time she's 'fanned the flames.' Why can't she simply appreciate the fact that 'Grey's Anatomy' is the reason she's where she is and keep her trap shut?? This is what happens to those that make it big in Hollyweird. They're unappreciative and egotistical. Katherine...get over yourself. The part of 'Izzy' was open when you came along and it'll be open when you leave. NOONE's indispensible!!!
Debbie | Jul 18, 2008 2:25:12 PM | #Oh Please! This is so stupid! All Ms. Heigl said was she didn't think she deserved an Emmy nom because she did have any good material this season and she felt it would be unfair for other actress who did have good material. I don't see how she's insulting anyone. Her statement isn't ungrateful at all. What is all the whining about?
Binx | Jul 21, 2008 6:06:10 AM | #
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