Filming of 'One for the Money' brings out onlookers, happily displaced homeowners

Debbie Reynolds, her trademark blond hair tucked under a gray wig and a long maroon scarf looped around her neck, waved at the folks on South Pacific Avenue watching Janet Evanovich's book "One for the Money" come to life.

Stray onlookers also saw both Katherine Heigl and her stand-in -- in matching short-sleeve T-shirts, jeans, sneakers and dark ponytails -- enter or exit a house in Friendship.

The former "Grey's Anatomy" star portrays Stephanie Plum, a lingerie buyer who loses her job and improbably finds herself working for her sleazy cousin's bail bonding company.

She's half-Italian and half-Hungarian and hails from Trenton, N.J., being played by such locations as Friendship-Bloomfield, the North Side, Braddock, Wilkinsburg, Shadyside, Mc Kees Rocks, Ambridge in Beaver County and Kittanning, Armstrong County.

"I have an 87-year-old uncle who was a bomber pilot in World War II and I'm telling him about this movie being filmed in our house and he said, 'I read that book,' " Mr. Pizzuto said with a laugh.
So have millions of others. If all goes as planned, the movie being directed by Julie Anne Robinson ("The Last Song," some "Grey's Anatomy" episodes) will arrive in theaters in July with a PG-13 rating.
In addition to Ms. Heigl, it stars Jason O'Mara as irresistible vice cop Joe Morelli; Daniel Sunjata as Ranger, sexy bounty hunter extraordinaire; John Leguizamo as a boxing manager; Debra Monk and Louis Mustillo as Stephanie's blue-collar parents; and Ms. Reynolds as spry, eccentric Grandma Mazur.

Casting questions

Producer Wendy Finerman read "One for the Money" in galley form and optioned the novel before it was published in 1994. She was sold on Stephanie as an "everygirl, a hometown girl."
The project went through various incarnations and rumored actresses before going into production with Ms. Heigl and an adapted screenplay by "Nurse Jackie" executive producer-writer Liz Brixius. Why so long?
" 'Forrest Gump' took 10, 11 years," said Ms. Finerman, who shared the Oscar for best picture for the Tom Hanks movie. "Some of them take many years, some of them don't. ...
"One of the things with this was just finding the right tone in the script and the right actor to play it and also, at times, different kinds of movies come in and out of fashion," with women-driven pictures a bit more challenging, to say the least.
Some fans of the series have criticized the choice of Ms. Heigl but, with dark curly hair, she looks very unlike TV's Dr. Izzie Stevens or the romantically challenged heroines of "Knocked Up," "27 Dresses" or "The Ugly Truth."

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Kim Raver finds some of herself in strong characters

Kim Raver's characters are survivors.

"There seems to be a theme running through the women I play," Raver says. "They take their circumstances and try to make the best of them.

"Subconsciously maybe that's something I'm drawn to. I have an incredible role model in my mom. She was a single mother raising two kids in New York.

"Growing up the way I did, I definitely have an independent side to me. I didn't give it up until I met my husband (French filmmaker Manu Boyer). He's so wonderful I allowed myself to let someone else in and help out."

In Raver's new film, Bond of Silence, airing Monday on Lifetime, she plays a woman whose husband is mysteriously murdered while trying to quell a wild teenage house party. Trying to discover what actually happened, she must somehow break through the enforced secrecy the teens and their parents have thrown up around the case. The film is inspired by a true story.

"We never know how we'll react in those circumstances," Raver says, trying not to give away the twist in the story. "What she ends up doing in the end I thought was fascinating."

Raver, 41, has always sought roles that weren't simply love interests. Currently on Grey's Anatomy, she plays Dr. Teddy Altman, a cardiothoracic surgeon just back from a tour of duty in Iraq. She spent five years as paramedic Kim Zambrano onThird Watch(1999-2004). On 24, her character Audrey Raines started out working for the U.S. Department of Defense. But then she fell in love with Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer and found herself in more jeopardy than she would have liked.

Currently, Raver lives in Los Angeles in order to film Grey's. What will her character Teddy be up to this coming season? "Teddy is definitely moving in the direction that maybe the triangle (involving Sandra Oh's character Christina and Kevin McKidd's Owen Hunt) won't be as prominent," Raver says. "It was a great device to get Teddy in there. It was really fun and exciting, and sparks were flying. But I think it will be really great to see her with a guy—hopefully but I'm not sure—that's not attached and explore that side of her."

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EXCLUSIVE: Sara Ramirez: "Whether people are straight or gay, sh*t happens!"

Latina.com caught up with Grey’s Anatomy star Sara Ramirez to get exclusive insider dish on season seven of the medical drama (premiering Thursday, September 23rd). The smart and beautiful Mexican actress, 34, told us what’s coming up for her character, Callie Torres, why no relationship is ever perfect, and why she wouldn’t mind walking down the aisle—on TV.
 
 Last season, Grey’s Anatomy ended with multiple cliffhangers—one of which was Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) agreeing to have a baby with Callie. Does Arizona keep her promise in the new season? 
 I feel like the shooting in last season’s finale—which was well received by a lot of people—caused a lot of characters to make decisions about their lives and their partners. It will be interesting to see how those promises play out. I don’t know if Arizona jumped the gun—or if she really meant it that she’s going to have a kid with Callie. I don’t know if she wants to be with Callie forever.
 
 Is there any chance that Callie and Arizona will enter into a domestic partnership?
 Callie has been married once before and I know that she promised her father that she would walk down the aisle in a wedding dress—if Arizona were into that. But I don’t know where Arizona’s at with the whole situation. I think Callie would be into that.
 
 Do you personally want to see Callie walk down the aisle on Grey’s?
 I would like to see Callie with someone who is not just her lover, but also her friend—somebody who’s in it for the long haul. Right now Callie is with Arizona and I’m really happy that she’s found someone that she’s happy with, at the moment. I want Callie to ultimately be really happy with herself. 
 
 If Callie and Arizona have a kid on the show, do you think one of them would get pregnant or would they adopt a child?
 I’ve thought about that. I think adoption would be really interesting because it removes the whole sperm donor issue. Adoption is a global issue these days—it’s certainly current—and it’s encouraging for a lot of couples whether they’re straight or gay. 
 
 Is there any chance that Grey’s would introduce a new love interest to come between Callie and Arizona?
 Jessica and I have talked about this a lot. I think [Callie and Arizona] need conflict. I think they should bring in somebody else to threaten the relationship, because that happens all of the time in real life. Whether people are straight or gay, you know, shit happens! Conflict happens. People aren’t happy all of the time.
 
 How do you think the fans would react to that?
 It’s a touchy subject.  I know that there are many fans out there that feel represented and they are hungry for a lesbian or gay couple that is not dysfunctional, that is healthy, grounded and happy. On the flipside, that could be really boring to watch! [Laughs] Everybody’s really interested to see if Callie and Arizona are going to end up being the happy lesbian couple that nobody really pays attention to—because they’re happy in the corner. I hope they will continue to challenge the relationship because it’s more interesting and more real.


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Ellen Pompeo: Hot Day, Hot Dress

 

Ellen Pompeo bears the California summer heat as she runs a few errands in a black and red-dyed dress on Wednesday (August 23) in Los Angeles.

The 40-year-old actress is just a month away from the seventh season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy on Sept. 23rd.

SPOILER: Ellen recently talked about what to expect from her character, Meredith, this season and a little about other characters on the show.

“Meredith will accept April in order to get the audience to accept her,” Ellen told TV Guide. “I feel like Meredith and Cristina are much further along in their careers than April and Jackson. The audience hasn’t seen them go through as much training as they’ve seen us go through. I would love there to be a teaching element as opposed to them being our contemporaries.”

    

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A Life in the Theatre, Starring Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight, Now on Sale

Are you ready to see two actors at the top of their game? If you are nodding your head, then it’s high time you snapped up tickets to A Life in the Theatre. The Broadway premiere of David Mamet's 1977 play, starring Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and T.R. Knight (Grey's Anatomy), is now on sale.

A behind-the-scenes peek at the challenge of actors battling to share both a dressing room and the spotlight, A Life in the Theatre follows two actors in a repertory company: Robert, an older, experienced performer and John, a newcomer to the stage. John at first welcomes Robert’s guidance, but soon overshadows his mentor. From rehearsals to reprisals, from ego trips to acting tips, the play gives a glimpse into the complex relationship that develops as the torch is passed from one generation to the next—a passing that wavers from love and mutual respect to impatience and resentment.

Directed by Neil Pepe, the production begins performances on September 21 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, with opening night set for October 12. This limited engagement will play through January 2, 2011.


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Shonda Rhimes Disowns Vajayjay

Shonda Rhimes, who, as everyone knows, popularized the term "vajayjay" on that season-two episode of Grey's Anatomy when Bailey gave birth, has just dramatically attacked its usage. Retweeting an image of a women's magazine cover featuring the headline "Untamed Va-jay-jays," Rhimes writes "Eww. This is taking my word a little 2 far." On the plus side: Will Rhimes now come up with another totally hilarious way of saying vagina? 

Interview: Kim Raver Breaks the Silence

                       

Kim Raver, of Grey's Anatomy and Lipstick Jungle fame, potrays Katy McIntosh, as the young wife and mother whose husband mysteriously dies while trying to quell a wild teenage house party on New Year's Eve. Searching for answers about her husband's death, the teens and their protective parents keep a shroud of secrecy to prevent her from finding out the truth. With the help of a local detective (Greg Grunberg, Heroes and Alias) she tries to break up the bond and uncover the secrets behind what really happened. (All photos credit: Sergei Bachlakov/Lifetime Television)


CE: My last question is about Grey's Anatomy: Can you give me any hints as to what we can expect from the coming season?

KR: I can't give much, as you know, or I'll lose my job (laughter). But I will say I'm pretty sure that everything can and will always change. I'm pretty sure that the triangle with Teddy, Owen and Kristina is done. And while I'm sad for Teddy because it's really hard for her, I'm just happy as a fan. The Owen and Kristina story has so much more to explore. And I think that that's great. I'm glad not to continue the love triangle, because otherwise it would have become redundant. It was a great way to establish Teddy. And so in the first couple episodes you may actually see Teddy kind of having something romantic with a new person. She's gonna try.


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Grey's Anatomy Season Premiere Thursday, September 23 on ABC

ABC has finally given a new premiere date for Grey's Anatomy, September 23rd! The folks at Seattle Grace will have a lot to deal with. In the wake of the hospital shooting, many characters are left to pick of the pieces of their traumatized lives.  

One of These Grey's Couples Will Tie the Knot

A couple of weeks ago, I clued you in that a popular Grey's Anatomy couple would be getting engaged and married in the Sept. 23 season premiere. Sworn to secrecy, I could only reveal that the newlyweds-to-be were one of these three couplings: Callie and Arizona, Alex and Lexie or Owen and Cristina.

Astute fans that you are, most of you guessed correctly that either Calzona or Owen/Cristina would be the duo walking down the aisle. Now I can officially remove Alex and Lexie from the running. And in just one week — on the morning of Tuesday, August 31 — ABC is allowing us all to share the happy news with fans.

Below, are my exclusive quotes from the remaining contenders, to help you figure out who you'll be throwing your rice at.

Callie and Arizona?"The relationship takes the steps you take as you get deeper involved with someone," Sara Ramirez (Callie) told me on set. "But Callie's been married (to George), so that could pose an issue." Added Jessica Capshaw (Arizona), "I don't see Arizona entering into anything that's not ironclad."

Owen and Cristina?"They definitely take it to the next level," Kevin McKidd (Owen) teased on set between takes. "The wedding could easily be them." But Cristina will be dealing with post-traumatic stress — not a good time to go dress shopping. "They've been through a huge amount in two seasons," notes Kevin, "and I think Cristina felt burned by her last wedding [to Burke]."

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Pompeo: 'Grey's Meredith, April will bond'

Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo has revealed that Meredith and April will become closer this season.

Speaking to TV Guide, Pompeo explained that the friendship should make the audience warm to April (Sarah Drew).

"Meredith will accept April in order to get the audience to accept her," she said, explaining that April and Jackson (Jesse Williams) will move into Meredith's home.

Pompeo also revealed that she wants Meredith and Cristina (Sandra Oh) to become mentors to the new doctors.

"I feel like Meredith and Cristina are much further along in their careers than April and Jackson," she said. "The audience hasn't seen them go through as much training as they've seen us go through. I would love there to be a teaching element as opposed to them being our contemporaries."

Meanwhile, executive producer Shonda Rhimes revealed that she has no plans to introduce any more series regulars, saying: "We're full up."

Grey's Anatomy returns on September 23 on ABC.


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'Grey's Anatomy' Cast Finally Full

Seattle Grace is no longer accepting applications

Stephanie Allerdice

The cast of ABC's Grey’s Anatomy is finally complete. Grey’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, says, “We’re full up,” in an interview with TV Guide.

Rhimes says she has no plans to add any more series regulars to the cast this year.

Four series regulars were added in the last year to the already large ensemble cast. The four newbies include Callie’s flame, Arizona Roberts (Jessica Capshaw), Owen’s army buddy, Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), and the two surviving Mercy Westers; April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams).

While Teddy and Arizona have already worked their way into the fold, this season will show April and Jackson becoming part of the group as well. Both will move into Meredith’s house, which will help the audience get to know the characters better.

Fans worried about April’s affect on Meredith and Derek’s relationship can put their fears to rest. Ellen Pompeo (Meredith) says that April and Meredith will bond this year despite April’s previous crush on Derek. "Meredith will accept April in order to get the audience to accept her," says Pompeo.

Grey’s Anatomy will premiere Thursday, September 23 at 9p.m./8p.m. Central on ABC.

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Grey's Anatomy's Ellen Pompeo: Meredith Becomes the Caretaker in Season 7

The Grey in Grey's Anatomy is going to have "some frustrating episodes" when the ABC medical drama returns, Ellen Pompeo says of her character.

After the devastatingly tragic Season 6 finale, which saw Meredith's Post-it husband shot and near death, it's going to take a while for every doctor at Seattle Grace to get back on their feet, but none more so than Meredith — at least, that's what trauma counselor Andrew Perkins (James Tupper) thinks.

Shonda Rhimes: Grey's Anatomy docs all grown up in new season

Perkins must clear each doctor before they can return to the OR, and Meredith is definitely not at the top of that list. "Meredith does get cleared eventually, but not right away; not without some frustrating episodes," Pompeo tells TVGuide.com. "She's got to pull out all the tricks and stops to try to get cleared."

"The role that they have given Meredith is to take care of everybody and to try to make sure that everybody else is OK," Pompeo continues. "She's the role of the caretaker, which, I guess, is her way of not dealing with her own thing."

Meredith will struggle with her fellow doctors being cleared, especially since she knows a certain few that shouldn't be holding a scalpel for a while.

So will this cause her to snap?

"I haven't seen that yet," says Pompeo of the first four scripts she's read. "I don't see a snap in Meredith. I think she's handling this a little bit better than the other people who are more on the verge. Lexie [Chyler Leigh] and Cristina [Sandra Oh] really, really need more critical attention."

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Grey's Anatomy Finale Tribute

I thought this was a sweet tribute video for the rockin' season 6 finale!

Grey’s Anatomy Admits Diane Farr

Former Numb3rs actress Diane Farr will appear on Grey's Anatomy this season, according to a show rep.

The 40-year-old actress will play a patient with Huntington's Disease under the care of Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). Farr is slated to appear in the fourth episode of the season, which will air sometime in October.

The casting was first reported by Entertainment Weekly.

Farr, also known for her work on Rescue Me, guest-starred in an episode of White Collar earlier this month.

Grey's Anatomy returns for its seventh season Thursday, Sept. 23 at 9/8c on ABC.

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How Many New Docs Will Scrub Into Grey's? Zero, Says Rhimes

Seattle Grace lost a few doctors in the wake of a deranged widower on a rampage last season, but Grey's Anatomy executive producer Shonda Rhimes tells TVGuide.com there are no plans to add anymore series regulars into the fold.

Grey's Anatomy's Ellen Pompeo: Meredith becomes the caretaker in Season 7

"We're full up," she says.

Last season saw many additions to the regular cast: There was Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) and Teddy Altman (Kim Raver). There was also the group of rough-around-the-edges doctors who invaded Seattle Grace during the merger, though only April Kepner (Sarah Drew) and Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) made it out of the tragic shooting alive. They have since been added as series regulars.

Audiences will get to know Jackson and April much better once they move in with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) this season. Pompeo says Meredith and April, whose crush on Derek (Patrick Dempsey) proved nearly fatal, will bond this season — which may help audiences change their feelings toward April.

"Meredith will accept April in order to get the audience to accept her," says Pompeo, who hopes Mer will be there to guide the new docs through their surgical residency.

"I feel like Meredith and Cristina [Sandra Oh] are much further along in their careers than April and Jackson," she continues. "The audience hasn't seen them go through as much training as they've seen us go through. I would love there to be a teaching element as opposed to them being our contemporaries."

Grey's Anatomy returns for its seventh season Thursday, Sept. 23 at 9/8c on ABC.

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'Grey's Anatomy' Roundup: Heigl Misses Alex and Izzie, Pompeo Plans Exit

Justin Chambers is no Ashton Kutcher, but Katherine Heigl tells MTV News that she misses her estranged relationship with estranged Grey's Anatomy ex Alex Karev. This, after she was told that Karev mouthed her name after he was shot on the show's bad-ass season finale (if you haven't seen it, that makes two of you, you and Heigl).

(I love Katherine's reaction to the season 6 finale!)

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Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes previously explained that the decision for Alex to call out Izzie's name and not Lexie's (Chyler Leigh) was an attempt to "find a way to deal with how much Alex is missing Izzie."

"Justin Chambers is one of the most amazing men and certainly a spectacular actor," she said. "I feel oddly attached to him and the character and my character being together. It just seems what's supposed to be, but you can't have it all."

In slightly more distressing news, Ellen Pompeo tells Extra that he will "probably" not renew once her contract expires after season 8. Her character Meredith I'm-having-a-miscarriage-I-need-Lidocaine Grey is the show's titular role.

"I think the world has had a lot of Meredith Grey," Pompeo says.

As for Rhimes, she said the season 6 finale was just "the beginning of the baby story" for Meredith and Derek (Patrick Dempsey). She does concede, however, that Reed and Charles weren't the real casualties on the crazy episode.

"The real death of the episode is the miscarriage," Rhimes closes.

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One For The Money Set

Katherine is currently shooting her new movie "One For The Money" on the outskirts of Pittsburgh in Ambridge, PA. In the film she will portray lingerie buyer turned bounty hunter Stephanie Plum in the big screen adaptation of the best selling novel by author Janet Evanovich. On Wednesday, July 14th, she was spotted on set by photographers sporting her Plum persona as she prepared to shoot scenes for the picture which also stars Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, Sherri Shepherd, Patrick Fischler and John Leguizamo.


  
  
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'Grey's Anatomy' Season 7 Preview: Wedding Bells, Hot New Doc and ... Izzie's Return?!

Any network drama heading into a seventh season needs to pull out the big guns to keep its audience interested, and'Grey's Anatomy' already has a wedding planned to kick off its seventh season on Sept. 23.

But could series creator Shonda Rhimes have an even bigger storyline up her sleeve, one that, say, might just include the return of Katherine Heigl as former Seattle Grace doc Izzie Stevens?

Could be ... EW.com columnist Michael Ausiello reports that Rhimes' season 7 plans include finally giving viewers closure on the Izzie/Alex (Justin Chambers) relationship. When last we saw Izzie at the hospital last season, she returned to try to save her marriage to Alex. He told her it was over, and later we saw him signing divorce papers.

Yet, in the season 6 finale, after being shot by crazy, gun-toting Clark (Michael O'Neill), a delirious Alex called out for Izzie and begged her to come back to him. Clearly, despite his new relationship with Lexie (Chyler Leigh), Alex has some unresolved feelings, to say the least, with his ex.

And that brings us to Rhimes' response when Ausiello asked if Alex/Izzie closure might include a return appearance by Heigl, who asked to be let out of her 'Grey's Anatomy' contract more than a year early after publicly bashing his character's storylines. When asked if Heigl, who's said she would like to make a guest appearance, would return, Rhimes replied with what Ausiello describes as a "somewhat suspicious 'I don't know.'"


And while you're chewing on that nugget of potential season seven awesomeness, a few other details on the 'Grey's Anatomy' season ahead:

• 'Men in Trees' and 'Mercy' alum James Tupper will join the cast for an arc that begins with the season premiere. He'll play Dr. Andrew Perkins, a trauma counselor who's brought in to help the staff with the season 6 finale drama. Tupper was originally signed on for two episodes, but buzz is that he may stick around longer if sparks fly between him and Teddy (Kim Raver).

• TVGuide.com reports that Ryan Devlin, who was replaced as the younger star of CBS' Twitter-to-series sitcom '$#*! My Dad Says,' will return to 'Grey's' for season 7s sixth and seventh episodes. Devlin (who'll also pop up on 'Cougar Town') is playing Bill, the husband of Mandy Moore's Mary. Moore, meanwhile, is also scheduled to return for at least one episode, after her memorable turn as the patient, dealing with a colostomy bag, who Bailey looked to for help in trying to save gunned-down Percy.

• Ausiello reports that 'Rescue Me'/'Numb3rs'/'The Job' alum Diane Farr will guest star in the show's Oct. 14 episode, playing a Huntington's disease patient who's treated by Meredith (Ellen Pompeo).

• About the season-opening wedding, which follows the tragic season 6 finale in which Percy and Reed were killed, Meredith suffered a miscarriage and Alex and McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) were seriously wounded during Clark's rampage, it reportedly involves -- SPOILER AHEAD -- Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Cristina (Sandra Oh) or Callie (Sarah Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw).

• The season premiere is called 'With You I'm Born Again,' and will also find several of the docs suffering some severe mental breakdowns in the aftermath of the shooting. One doc is even arrested for speeding (let's just say his new nickname could be Dr. McSpeedy).

• Jesse Williams and Sarah Drew, as Dr. Jackson Avery and Dr. April Kepner, are now series regulars in the new season, and the duo will, at least temporarily, become roommates of Der and Mer's.

• And McDreamy isn't happy with his new Chief of Surgery position, and will resign.


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Closure is coming for Alex/Izzie fans

Few can forget the moment in last May’s killerGrey’s Anatomy finale when Alex—fighting for his life after being shot in the chest by that crazed gunman—screams for his MIA ex, Izzie, and not his current lover, Lexie. The takeaway message was obvious: Despite Katherine Heigl’s abrupt departure last spring, her character’s arc—specifically her love story with Alex—is far from over.

Grey’s boss Shonda Rhimes tells me that finding closure for Alex is one of her top priorities as she heads into season 7. “We’re talking about it [in the writers' room] obsessively and trying to figure it out,” she says. “We’re approaching it pretty carefully.

“I want how ever we deal with Alex growing up and moving on and moving past that relationship to fe authentic,” Rhimes continues, “and not to feel like something that’s patched together.”

One thing Rhimes can say for certain is that the story line will not take “the expected form.” Hmm… What could be more unexpected than a reappearance by Heigl herself? When I spoke to the actress last spring, she admitted she’d “love to come back” at some point. So how ’bout it?

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