LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Katherine Heigl enjoyed a golden age in Hollywood early in the new millennium, thanks to her popularity on 'Grey's Anatomy' and on the big screen in movies like 'Knocked Up,' '27 Dresses,' and 'The Ugly Truth.' But the criticism started just when her celebrity status appeared to be at its height.

Heigl developed an image as a "difficult" actor as she didn't hold back when it came to making herself heard. She is now thinking back on that negative reputation and how it has affected her life behind cameras. "I may have said a couple of things you didn’t like, but then that escalated to 'she’s ungrateful,' then that escalated to 'she’s difficult,' and that escalated to 'she’s unprofessional," Heigl told The Washington Post. "What is your definition of difficult? Somebody with an opinion that you don’t like? Now, I’m 42, and that s--- pisses me off."

'The more I said I was sorry, the more they wanted it'

The actor once argued that the Judd Apatow romantic comedy 'Knocked Up' portrayed males as "lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys" and women as "shrews, as humorless, and uptight." She had grievances about her time on "Grey's Anatomy" as well, and one year she pulled herself from consideration for an Emmy in part because she believed her character wasn't well-written. "At the time, I was just quickly told to shut the f--- up," she stated. "The more I said I was sorry, the more they wanted it. The more terrified and scared I was of doing something wrong, the more I came across like I had really done something horribly wrong."

'Naive' Katherine Heigl didn't expect blowback

Heigl, who played Dr Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy, infamously departed the show in the middle of its sixth season in 2010. Things had probably reached their climax when Heigl, who had won an Emmy for her portrayal in 2007, declined to declare herself qualified for consideration the next year, claiming she hadn't been "given the material this season to warrant" one. In a recent Variety 'Actors on Actors' chat, Heigl admitted to a friend and former co-star Ellen Pompeo that, looking back, she was "naive" in certain ways in how she handled the situation, to the point that she didn't anticipate any kind of blowback.

'I know who I am'

Heigl, who was in her late 20s at the time the Grey's drama unfolded, continued by saying that she couldn't begin "tuning out all the noise" until she was well into her 30s. With that came the capacity to analyze how she responded to being criticized for being "difficult" or "ungrateful" in front of others and how she internalized those remarks. "Because I was confused! I thought maybe I was," she stated. "I literally believed that version, and felt such shame for such a long time, and then had to go, 'Wait. Who am I listening to? I’m not even listening to myself. I know who I am.' She also gave herself a new name, stating to the Washington Post that she preferred the name, Katie. "Whichever you prefer," she stated. "Just don’t call me difficult."