Katherine Heiglwas once a darling of network TV with astar-making turn as Izzie Stevensin six seasons of ABC’s ratings behemothGrey’s Anatomy, for which she won the 2007 Primetime Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. However, a more recent show of hers is even more deserving of accolades.
Despite her importance toGrey’s Anatomy,Heigl’s time on the show ended in controversy, and she was let go from herGrey’s Anatomycontractearly.Heigl’s career sinceGrey’s Anatomyhas been patchy, with roles in the ensemble movieNew Year’s Eve, and the last two seasons ofSuits. However, it was her role in Netflix’sFirefly Lanethat sparked a true career resurgence.
If You Loved Katherine Heigl As Izzie In Grey’s Anatomy, Then You Should Watch Firefly Lane
Firefly Lane’s Tully Is Cut From A Similar Cloth
Firefly Lane, starring Heigl and Sarah Chalke, navigates the lives of two teenage girls in the 1970s through to their adulthood in the mid-2000s. The show received acclaim for its strong central performances, complex characters, and weighty themes. It ran for two seasons on Netflix from 2021 to 2023, with 49 million people watching the series in the first 28 days of its release.
Even 15 years after her departure, Izzie remains one ofGrey’s Anatomy’s most complex characters, and Heigl’sFirefly LanecharacterTallulah “Tully” Hart also shares these similarities. Both women are fiercely loyal and optimistic, but both hide their aching vulnerabilities beneath a facade of optimism and confidence, making them fascinating and compelling characters.
Izzie was a tour de force of a character, played note-perfectly by Heigl, and, in many ways, Tully’s her spiritual successor. She’s ambitious, reckless, and lonely, bearing the scars of a traumatic past, with layers that are only revealed gradually. One of Heigl’s best characters,Tully allowed the star to recapture some of the magic that made Izzie so memorable.
Firefly Lane Was A Straight Drama To Grey’s Anatomy’s Melodrama And Allowed Heigl To Shine
WhileGrey’s Anatomyhas thrived as a melodrama,Firefly Lanewas more of a straight drama, allowing Heigl to flex her acting muscles and showcase her range as a performer. The chance to play a complex and layered character with a troubled past was the perfect opportunity to remind the world of her talent and range and how commanding her on-screen presence can be.
The dramatic weight and strong on-screen chemistry with co-star Chalke help Heigl shine in a textured performance that transcends archetypes. One of the most challenging parts of her career, there is no doubt Tully is one ofHeigl’s best and most rewarding roles, andFirefly Laneis a long-overdue return to form for the talented formerGrey’s Anatomystar.
Firefly Lane
Cast
Firefly Lane is a comedy/drama series that shows the friendship between the unlikely duo Tully and Kate, who met at age fourteen, but they couldn’t be more different. Tully is the brash and bold girl you can’t ignore, while Kate is the mousy shy girl you never notice. But when a tragedy brings them together, they are bonded for life – forever inseparable best friends. Together they experience thirty years of ups and downs — triumphs and disappointments, heartbreak and joy, and a love triangle that strains their friendship. One goes on to fabulous wealth and fame, and the other chooses marriage and motherhood — but through the decades, their bond remains — until it faces the ultimate test.
