#4: Izzie Stevens in Grey’s Anatomy (2005–Present)
Katherine Heigl’s exit from Grey’s Anatomy (2005) was a slow burn. She cited burnout and a desire for a movie career, but creative differences were no secret. In a public move, she withdrew her name from Emmy consideration, feeling her character’s storyline wasn’t strong enough. On the show, Dr. Izzie Stevens made a medical error, got fired, and walked out on her husband Alex. Heigl left mid-season, and years later the plot revealed Izzie had moved to Kansas and raised their twins using frozen embryos she and Alex once created.
