Katherine Heigl has defended her attendance at a charity event held at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, after facing backlash on social media. The 'Grey's Anatomy' star made her first red carpet appearance in two years at the Wine, Women & Shoes fundraiser on March 8, which raised $5.5 million for Big Dog Ranch Rescue, the largest no-kill dog rescue in the US.
Critics linked Heigl's presence at the Palm Beach venue to support for Trump, especially as his daughter-in-law Lara Trump co-chaired the event. In response, Heigl issued a statement to outlets including Page Six and JustJared, saying: 'Animals don't vote. The only room they don't like is the euthanasia room at a shelter. They are completely at the mercy of us, and they have no voice of their own.'
Heigl, an Emmy winner for 'Grey's Anatomy', emphasised that the event was solely about animal advocacy. 'Anyone who knows me knows that protecting animals is one of my greatest passions,' she wrote. 'As a society, we should all come together to protect the voiceless and the innocent. This should not be a polarising issue.'
The actress also confronted critics directly on Instagram. When one user suggested animals would have 'better judgement' than her, Heigl questioned what the user had done to help animals, citing cases of abuse and neglect. To another who dismissed the event as 'masquerading as helping', she asked: 'Have you donated a significant part of your income to anything? Have you done anything more than comment on what someone else is doing?'
Heigl has largely stayed out of the spotlight since her Netflix series 'Firefly Lane' concluded in April 2023.
