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Ellen Pompeo Says Katherine Heigl Was "Ahead Of Her Time" For Calling Out The "Crazy Hours" On "Grey's Anatomy"

Last year, Katherine Heigl addressed her past comments describing "cruel" working conditions on Grey's Anatomy.

Katherine smiles in her scrubs

Heigl's comments got her labeled "difficult" in Hollywood for years, and her career was inarguably hurt as a result. But now one of her former Grey's Anatomy co-stars is speaking out in her defense.

Katherine looks from the sides of her eyes
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On a recent episode of her podcast Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo, Grey's star Ellen Pompeo stuck up for her former castmate, calling her a "hero."

Ellen smiles while sitting at a table
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“I remember Heigl said something on a talk show about the insane hours we were working — and she was 100% right," she said.

Katherine smiles while standing at a desk
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“Had she said that today, she’d be a complete hero,” she continued. “But she’s ahead of her time."

Katherine wears a wedding dress and holds another man's hands
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"[She] made a statement about our crazy hours and, of course, let’s slam a woman and call her ungrateful.”

Katherine looks at someone with seriousness
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Ellen went on to say that her former co-star was "fucking ballsy" for speaking her mind.

Katherine smiles off-camera
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"She was telling the truth," Ellen added. "She wasn’t lying.”

Katherine sits and looks at a computer
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Listen to the entire episode here.