Killer Instincts

She once starred in a box office debacle entitled Zyzzyx Road, a 2006 thriller etched in Hollywood’s history books as the lowest-earning film ever. It grossed a not-so-whopping US$30.

However, not many among Hollywood’s current leading ladies can do a Katherine Heigl. For one, she was one of the few child stars who made that rare smooth transition from wide-eyed starlet to mature actress.

She displays versatility in her craft, with noted performances across different genres: from period drama King of the Hill to acclaimed comedy Knocked Up, with horror flick Bride of Chucky in between. Katherine is also one of Hollywood’s select few who was able to sustain a career both on television and in major motion pictures, with stellar roles in teenage drama series Roswell and as the good medical intern Isobel Stevens in Grey’s Anatomy. Heck, she even got through last month's wardrobe malfunction without a Janet-esque press fiasco.

Now, the starring roles are coming hard and fast, with this June’s Killers coming at the back of box office-friendly The Ugly Truth, and preceding yet another romantic comedy, Life As We Know It.

The realist, however, does not see life as roses and laughter all the time. “I do think you've got to fight a lot of the time to be respected in business, in relationships, in life,” she told Allure. “I learned that early in my career.”