2007'S MOST POPULAR: KATHERINE HEIGL
Watch just 30 seconds of Katherine Heigl as Grey's Anatomy's Dr. Izzie Stevens and it's easy to envision the statuesque blonde on the big screen opposite a Clooney or Pitt. But when she fell in with Seth Rogen and his merry band of nitwits in the raucous summer comedy Knocked Up, it was her raw vulnerability and comic chops that won our hearts. —Jeff Labreque
KATHERINE HEIGL'S 2007
Jan. 16
She doesn't win a Golden Globe, but nominee Heigl makes news backstage when she responds to Grey's Anatomy costar Isaiah Washington's politically incorrect comments. ''T.R. [Knight] is my best friend,'' she says. ''I will throw down for that kid.''
Feb. 27
Dissatisfied with her compensation relative to that of her costars, Heigl attempts to renegotiate her contract with Grey's Anatomy producers. Talks stall and ABC criticizes her publicly. Still under contract, however, she remains on the show.
May 7
After Grey's wraps for the season, Heigl films director Anne Fletcher's 27 Dresses, about a perennial bridesmaid who finally finds a man she wants to marry.
June 1
Judd Apatow's Knocked Up, in which Heigl stars opposite Seth Rogen, opens with a solid $30.7 million and goes on to gross $149 million at the box office.
Aug. 3
Heigl and her mother/manager, Nancy, announce the formation of their own production company.
Sept. 16
Heigl is so surprised when she wins the Emmy for best supporting actress for Grey's that Fox had to censor her reaction (FYI, it rhymes with ''pit''). She dedicates the trophy to her mom, even though ''[she] told me I didn't have a shot in hell of winning tonight.''
Sept. 27
Twenty-one million viewers tune in for the season 4 premiere of Grey's Anatomy, with Heigl's Izzie and T.R. Knight's George exploring their hospital romance.
Dec. 23
Heigl is set to tie the knot with singer Josh Kelley at a ceremony in Utah.
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