Katherine Heigl Says Her Mom ‘Protected’ Her Throughout Her Career

Mother knows best.

Katherine Heigl is a producing partner with her mother, Nancy Heigl, whom she credits for helping her navigate a career in show business.

“She has protected me my whole career, and many, many young women in Hollywood did not have what I had,” she said on the 3rd hour of TODAY on Nov. 28. “And I was really, really fortunate because we were chatting about it, and I said, ‘Mom, I think if you hadn’t been there, it would not have gone so well for me.’ I think I would’ve very easily been talked into things that I would not — that I would regret.”

Heigl, 44, who rose to stardom on “Grey’s Anatomy,” before moving into films like “Knocked Up” and “27 Dresses,” knows the pitfalls that exist with becoming an actor, which is why her mother has been so important to her.

“It’s a difficult industry. There’s a lot of money at stake, and there’s a lot of agendas,” she said. “And so having somebody whose only agenda was me, protecting me, it is special. And she’s very smart, she’s very business savvy. That’s not really my thing.”

Heigl once shared a glimpse of her relationship with her mom in a sweet Mother's Day Instagram post in May 2020.

"Anyone who’s ever met Nancy Heigl knows she is extraordinary," she wrote.

"My mother has been my mentor, my protector, my nurturer, my friend and my partner every one of my 41 years," she added. "All the best parts of me I’ve borrowed from her. Until I had enough strength to make them my own. Love doesn’t seem big enough a word for how I feel for my mother but it will have to do. I love you mom."

Heigl will once again be gracing the small screen when the first half of the second and final season of her series “Firefly Lane” becomes available for streaming on Netflix on Dec. 2.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com