Katherine Marie Heigl was born in Washington, DC, on November 24, 1978, to Nancy and Paul Heigl. A short time afterward, the family moved to New Canaan, Connecticut, where Katherine was to spend the majority of her childhood; the youngest member of her family, Katherine--or "Katie" as she is nicknamed--has two elder siblings, John and Meg. Tragically, her older brother Jason died in 1986 of brain injuries suffered in a car accident, after being thrown from the back of a pickup truck. When doctors determined - www.imdb.com

Actress Katherine Heigl is known for her dramatic role on TV's Grey's Anatomy and her comic role in the feature film Knocked Up (2007, opposite Seth Rogen). A model and actress since childhood, she's worked steadily since her breakout role as the precocious daughter in My Father the Hero (1994). Experienced in a variety of genres, Heigl's notable film roles include Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995), Bride of Chucky (1998, starring Jennifer Tilly) and The Ringer (2005), and the romantic comedies 27 Dresse - www.answers.com

Heigl is the youngest of Paul and Nancy Heigl's five children. At 7, Heigl's 15-year-old brother Jason is thrown from the back of a pickup truck and declared brain-dead. The family decides to donate Jason's organs. "It's one of those things that pretty much devastates an entire family for years and years," Heigl tells New York's Daily News in 2006. "And then it changes the entire dynamic for the rest of your life." - www.people.com