Katherine Heigl's character in Netflix's Firefly Lane got her to give up a bad habit

The Hollywood actor knew she needed to change her behaviour after playing Firefly Lane's Tully Hart.

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 29: Actress Katherine Heigl attends Warner Bros. Pictures "The Big Picture", an exclusive presentation of our upcoming slate at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon 2017 on March 29, 2017 in Las Vegas, United States. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)

Katherine Heigl has revealed that she was motivated to quit a bad habit after her latest role in the Netflix drama Firefly Lane.

The series, which is based on Kristin Hannah's novel of the same name, follows the relationship of best friends Tully and Kate as they navigate their enduring bond's ups and downs. 

The story is a powerful insight into the complexities of long-lasting friendship, exploring all the conflicting emotions that arise over decades of platonic intimacy. 

Behind the scenes, Katherine was also learning some life lessons of her own. The Emmy-award-winning actor was inspired by her character, Tully, to limit her use of one potent word: sorry. 

Katherine was instantly struck by Tully's "unapologetic ambition," something she didn't see in herself. "It's all I do! I spend all day everyday apologizing, for nothing most of the time," Katherine said in an interview with Decider. 

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“I thought, ‘Can I do this? Can I understand a woman like this?’ I mean, I can certainly understand it. But can I do it? Can I find that in me?” she asked.

Determined to find out, Katherine jumped at the challenge. Some may be surprised to learn that, despite being intimidated by Tully’s gutsy personality, Katherine elected to play her. The Grey’s Anatomy star was both daunted and excited by the prospect of embodying the host of a fictional talk show. 

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“There is also that other side to being a woman which is embracing yourself and loving yourself enough to know what you want and go after it and knowing who you are and your truth enough to not apologize when somebody doesn’t like it. It was really, it was really fun to be her.” 

Firefly Lane is now playing on Netflix. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.