Ellen Pompeo says Katherine Heigl was 'ballsy' and 'ahead of her time' when she called out the 'insane' hours she worked filming 'Grey's Anatomy'

• Ellen Pompeo defended Katherine Heigl's past controversial comments about "Grey's Anatomy."
• On Wednesday's episode of her podcast, she said Heigl was "ballsy" for calling out long hours.

On Wednesday's episode of her "Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo" podcast, Ellen Pompeo defended her former "Grey's Anatomy" costar Katherine Heigl for past public comments Heigl made about the long working hours in the early years of the hit medical drama.

Around the 7:20-mark of the episode, Pompeo spoke with her guest Kate Walsh (who was also a series regular on the show and who will guest star on the upcoming May 5 episode of "Grey's Anatomy") about how long hours on any set in Hollywood are hard for the cast and crew alike.

"I remember Heigl said something on a talk show about the insane hours we were working and she was 100% right," Pompeo told Wash. "And had she said that today, she'd be a complete hero. But she's ahead of her time, made a statement about our crazy hours and of course, let's slam a woman and call her ungrateful."

Heigl made the statements Pompeo is presumably referring to on a 2009 episode of "The Late Show With David Letterman" while filming the sixth season of "Grey's Anatomy." It ended up being her last season on the show.

"I'm gonna keep saying this 'cause I hope it embarrasses them," Heigl told Letterman at the time. She proceeded to say she just worked a "17-hour day," which she described as "cruel and mean."

Heigl's comments were widely reported on at the time because they came about a year after she withdrew her name from Emmys consideration in 2008.

She said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly at the time that she didn't feel she "was given the material" worthy of the honor of an Emmy nomination. She exited the show in 2010 after being a series regular since the pilot episode in 2005.

On her podcast, Pompeo said Heigl was being "100% honest" and was "absolutely correct" about the hours they were working at the time.

"And she was fucking ballsy for saying it," Pompeo continued. "And she was telling the truth. She wasn't lying."

Pompeo is currently starring on the 18th season of "Grey's Anatomy" and serves as co-executive producer on the show. She told Walsh that she's thankful that she's been able to cut back on her filming hours over the years.

The Betr Remedies cofounder offered insight into why actors agree to consistently work such long hours in the first place. "Also, when you're younger, you're so excited to be there and you're so happy to be invited to the party that you're willing to do whatever it is they're asking you to do," Pompeo said.

She said she thinks that younger generations of actors are getting better at setting boundaries for themselves.

"Grey's Anatomy" season 18 returns with new episodes on ABC on May 5.