We Absolutely Love What Katherine Heigl Is Doing These Days

By Dustin Rowles | Celebrity | October 2, 2014 |

By Dustin Rowles | Celebrity | October 2, 2014 |

People who were around in the earlier days of Pajiba may remember that we held a sh*tton of animosity toward her. In fact, she had a couple of nicknames on the site, one of which we rightfully discontinued (“Skank Cancer”) only to replace with “Rainbow Killer,” because for a few years there, Heigl was a killer of rainbows. Not only did she have the weird kerfuffle with Judd Apatow after Knocked Up, but there was also the instance in which she pulled out of the Emmy race because she didn’t feel the writing on Grey’s Anatomy warranted her consideration. In addition, there were lots of little nagging issues that you begin to notice when you’re laser focused on loathing someone. It steamrolled, and Heigl’s reputation got away from her.

Lately, though, it’s not been very much fun to beat up on poor Katherine Heigl. In her post Grey’s Anatomy, post 27 Dresses career, she has been humbled. She’s had several box-office flops in a row (Killers and One for the Money seemed to be the death knells) and now she’s returning to television this fall with State of Affairs on NBC.

The actress once known for being one of the biggest divas in Hollywood has been peddling a softer image lately, too, although that hasn’t stopped the showrunner from State of Affairs from abandoning the show (citing creative differences). Truth is, I believe it was “creative differences” and not “personal differences,” because Heigl has been a tour de force when it comes to rehabilitating her image.

Just check out some of these Instagram photos:

Here she is being a doting mom! She’s a great mother!

Dinner served, baths given, jammies on, and the reward for all is snuggles and a movie. My favorite time of the night!

Here she is hanging out at the beach with her ladypals. She’s a great friend!

Here she is being supportive of an old castmate. She’s a good co-worker!

#Repost from @t.r.knight with @repostapp check out @t.r.knight new show Hysteria on Amazon…so damn good!!—- A face for radio! Final days to watch/rate/comment #hysteriatv #amazonpilots http://amzn.to/1C3qQu4

She’s also a great wife!

Yucking it up with the very handsome and dapper @JoshBkelley before the #Emmys!!

From the set of her NBC show. NO VANITY.

All of these images reflect what is probably a carefully cultivated shift in her image, but what I absolutely love the most about the “new” Heigl is that she’s also trying to own that older reputation, make fun of it, and exploit it, like any good business person might.

Watch this trailer for Home Sweet Hell, and tell me you don’t fall a little bit in love with Heigl around the 48-second mark. I know I did.

I am so in, and congrats to Katherine Heigl: She has just flipped the script on her career.