ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy has been a television juggernaut for two decades, blending high-stakes medical drama with personal stories that have kept fans hooked season after season. Among its most unforgettable—and polarizing—moments is the Season 5 “ghost sex” storyline featuring Katherine Heigl’s Dr. Izzie Stevens and her late love interest, Denny Duquette, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Now, Heigl is opening up about why that particular arc makes her cringe at the thought of watching the show with her children.
In a recent Entertainment Weekly interview, Heigl got candid about her hesitation to revisit Grey’s with her kids, pointing directly to the awkwardness of the ghostly romance. “We have not watched Grey’s,” she admitted. “Partly because I was like, ‘How do I explain that?’ But I’m like, ‘You can watch it, but I don’t want to sit next to you. I will be so embarrassed.’ I don’t know how to explain this. And she will make me embarrassed. She will make fun of me. No, it’s better not to give her that ammunition. Do you know what I’m saying?’” The idea of her daughter poking fun at her for the infamous scene is clearly a scenario Heigl wants to avoid.
For those who need a refresher, the “ghost sex” plot kicked off in Season 5, notably in the episode “In the Midnight Hour,” which aired in 2008. After Denny’s heartbreaking death in Season 2, Izzie begins seeing and interacting with him again—intimate moments included. What starts as a seemingly supernatural twist takes a medical turn when it’s revealed that these visions are hallucinations tied to Izzie’s undiagnosed brain tumor. It was a bold narrative choice that aimed to explore grief and longing but left some viewers scratching their heads.
Heigl, who starred as Izzie for six seasons and snagged an Emmy in 2007 for her performance, didn’t mince words about her discomfort with the storyline. “There’s one particular scene that I will not watch with my children ever,” she said. “I don’t care how old they are. I don’t care if they’re 60, I’m not watching this with them.” She specifically recalled a moment where Izzie and her then-boyfriend Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) are getting intimate while Denny’s ghost looms nearby. “And you’re just standing there,” she said, reflecting on the absurdity of it all. “And I was just sort of at the time like, ‘This is what the money’s for, right?’”
The arc didn’t just raise eyebrows among fans—it was a hot topic at the time of its airing. Critics and viewers were split: some appreciated the emotional layers it added to Izzie’s journey, while others felt it veered too far from the show’s medical realism. Heigl herself described the experience of filming it as “awkward—not the scenes, but the concept.” She noted the confusion it caused on set, given Grey’s typically grounded tone. “It was confusing for everyone,” she added.
Adding another layer to the conversation, Jeffrey Dean Morgan—Denny himself—joined Heigl for the EW chat and shared his own take. “I remember I was yelling at her while everybody else was giving her doctor information. And it was throwing everybody off,” he said with a laugh. Morgan, now a household name thanks to The Walking Dead, admitted the storyline was a stretch but saw its value in giving Denny and Izzie more time together.
For Heigl, the arc was a mixed bag. “For Izzie and Denny to finally basically get to be together and have an actual relationship,” she said, framing it as a kind of wish fulfillment for her character. Still, she conceded that the supernatural vibe felt out of place in the Grey’s universe. “It didn’t really fit,” she acknowledged.
Heigl’s history with Grey’s Anatomy adds context to her reflections. After six seasons, she exited the show in 2010 amid reported tensions with creator Shonda Rhimes—a departure that sparked headlines and speculation. In the years since, Heigl has been more open about her time on the series, balancing gratitude for the role that skyrocketed her career with regret over how things ended.
As Grey’s Anatomy marches on into its 20th season without her, Heigl’s comments highlight how the show’s bold swings—like the “ghost sex” arc—continue to resonate, for better or worse. It’s a chapter that still sparks debate among fans, cementing its place in the series’ legacy of risk-taking storytelling.
For Heigl, though, it’s a memory she’d rather keep at arm’s length—especially when it comes to family viewing nights. “I don’t care if they’re 60,” she laughed. “I’m not watching this with them.” Whether you found the storyline hauntingly romantic or just plain haunting, it’s clear it left an indelible mark—one even Katherine Heigl can’t escape.
