Following the unexpected exit of Patrick Dempsey from Grey's Anatomy, Katherine Heigl along with the hit series' fans had been shocked, worried and disappointed all at the same time.
In one of her recent interviews while promoting her new indie movie titled "Jackie & Ryan', the actress who formerly portrayed Dr. Izzie Stevens said she was struggling to imagine Seattle Grace without Dr. Derek Shephard.
"I just can't even imagine the show without McDreamy," Heigl told Entertainment Tonight. "I just can't! It's so hard to picture."
While Dempsey's well-loved character was killed off in an episode last April, Heigl's character was merely written off after the actress spent six seasons with the program.
The 36-year-old actress previously reported her high-profile complaints regarding the series as well as her material on the show.
After having her say about her co-star's exit from the program, rumors have surfaced that Heigl is planning to make a comeback in an episode for season 12. However, it seems that the award-winning actress has no plans of hitting the operating room once more.
"There's not. I'm sorry," the mother-of-two said when asked about speculations of her return to "Grey's Anatomy.' "I think that's "” I don't know how to answer that."
Despite making the headlines for pulling out her name from the Emmy ballot because she believed that she was not "given the material"¦ to warrant a nomination," the actress now has positive words about the series as well as its impact on the landscape of popular culture.
"[It] was just an incredible experience for me. It changed the course of my life and career and I couldn't be more grateful," she shared about her six years on the hit show. "I just hope it goes for as long as they all want it to."
Now, with Dempsey gone for the twelfth season, "Grey's Anatomy' has found a replacement for McDreamy in the form of Martin Henderson, who was announced earlier this month to have joined the cast as the newest doctor at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
The "Torque' actor has had experience in portraying a doctor on screen as he played one in the ABC medical drama series "Off the Map' from 2011, which also starred Rachel Lefevre and Zach Gilford.
Details about the 40-year-old actor's surgeon role in "Grey's Anatomy' season 12 are yet to be announced.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dempsey shared about his experience of saying goodbye to "Grey's Anatomy.' The actor also understands why fans were shocked and upset when his character was killed off the show.
"I think any time an original cast member has left, there's always a void that will never be filled," the 49-year-old actor said. "Shepherd is a beloved character. People don't want to lose him. He's been in their lives for over 10 years. But it goes on, and it will evolve."
