Why Katherine Heigl Makes $15M a Movie

Ahead of her: Just Angelina Jolie and Sandra Bullock
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 2, 2010 10:41 AM CDT
Why Katherine Heigl Makes $15M a Movie
Actress Katherine Heigl arrives at the "Killers" premiere on Tuesday, June 1, 2010, in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Katherine Heigl has been murdered in the press for trashing her own roles (she called Knocked Up "a little sexist" and complained about her sub-par Grey's Anatomy material); she's been called difficult and was even fired by her own publicist—yet Heigl is the third highest-paid woman in Hollywood, scoring $15 million for two upcoming flicks. Why? It's simple, according to the president of Lionsgate: “Katie Heigl can open a movie.”

Despite sometimes awful reviews, her last three romantic comedies have made big money—leading to the inevitable comparison with Julia Roberts. Hollywood bigwigs tout her professionalism (and note that "she spends less time on hair and makeup than any actor I've ever seen," one producer tells the Daily Beast). And, gasp, she'll actually eat cheese (not a salad) during interviews. "She’s a throwback,” says one insider. "She reminds me of someone from 1948.”
(More Katherine Heigl stories.)

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