Heigl appeared as Christina Sebastian in Steven Soderbergh's Depression-era drama King of the Hill before being cast in her first leading role as Nicole in the 1994 comedy My Father The Hero. She then appeared in the 1995 action thriller Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. She took the lead role in Disney's made-for-television film Wish Upon a Star in 1996.

In 1998, she co-starred with Peter Fonda in a re-working of the classic Shakespearian play The Tempest. Later that year, she starred in the horror film Bride of Chucky. While Roswell was in production, Heigl worked on several films, including 100 Girls, Valentine.

In 2003, Heigl appeared in three television movies. She returned to the horror genre with Evil Never Dies, a modern-day variation on the Frankenstein story co-starring Thomas Gibson. Love Comes Softly. In October 2003, Heigl was cast opposite Johnny Knoxville in The Ringer. Heigl starred as Romy in the 2005 television movie Romy and Michele: In the Beginning, a prequel to the 1997 theatrical film Romy and Michele's High School Reunion. In 2005, Heigl had her breakthrough role as Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens on Grey's AnatomyIn May of 2006, Heigl was voted the 19th "Sexiest Woman in the World" by readers of FHM magazine.

Filmography

• 27 Dresses (2007)
• NFL Dad (2007)
• Knocked Up (2007)
• "Grey's Anatomy" (47 episodes, 2005-2007)
• Caffeine (2006)
• The Ringer (2005)
• Side Effects (2005)
• Zyzzyx Rd. (2005)
• Romy and Michele: In the Beginning (2005)
• Love's Enduring Promise (2004)
• Wuthering Heights (2003)
• Critical Assembly (2003)
• Descendant (2003)
• Evil Never Dies (2003)
• Love Comes Softly (2003)
• Vegas Dick (2003)
• "The Twilight Zone" (1 episode, 2002)
• "Roswell" (61 episodes, 1999-2002)
• Valentine (2001)
• 100 Girls (2000)
• The Tempest (1998)
• Bride of Chucky (1998)
• "Law & Order" (1 episode, 1998)
• Bug Buster (1998)
• Stand-ins (1997)
• Prince Valiant (1997)
• Wish Upon a Star (1996)
• Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995)
• My Father the Hero (1994)
• King of the Hill (1993)
• That Night (1992)