Isaiah Washington's Grey's Anatomy castmates are keeping their distance as the disgraced actor battles his demons in rehab.

The star was a no-show at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards, where his castmates claimed a Best TV Ensemble, after checking into a treatment centre to address issues that reared up after he twice referred to gay co-star T.R. Knight as a "faggot".

And while co-star Chandra Wilson offered her support to him during her Best Actress acceptance speech, other castmates weren't quite so warm towards Washington.

Katherine Heigl, who suggested the actor shouldn't be allowed to speak publicly after mentioning the 'f' word at a Golden Globe Awards backstage press conference earlier this month, was still chilly towards him.

Of his SAG Awards absence, she said, "As far as we know, he's seeking treatment right now to help with some of his issues. We don't know when he'll be back, or for how long."

After publicly apologising for his remarks, Washington checked into a residential treatment facility last week in a bid to keep his job on the medical drama, according to news reports in America.

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)