Heigl (pronounced /ˈhaɪɡəl/) was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Nancy, a personal manager, and Paul Heigl, a financial executive/accountant. Heigl has German and Irish ancestry, and was raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is the youngest of four children (in addition to siblings Meg, Jason, and Holt). Heigl lived in Virginia and then Denver Read more...

When Heigl was nine, an aunt visiting the family decided to take a number of photographs of her. After returning to her home in New York, the aunt sent the photos to a number of modeling agencies, with the permission of Heigl's parents. Within a few weeks, Heigl was signed as a child model. Almost immediately afterwards, a client slated Heigl for use in a magazine advertisement where she made her Read more...

Despite Heigl's constant reassurances that she is "quite boring... really," Movie Entertainment called Heigl a complex individual with many contrasts, referring to her as an "ex-model with a strong feminist streak" and an "actress known for her dramatic roles who really wants to do comedy."

In the wake of widespread media attention to accusations of sexism (including articles in New York Magazine, Read more...