Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racecar driver who is best known for playing neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd in Grey's Anatomy (2005–2015; 2020–2021). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such as Enchanted. Dempsey has received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, and was named as People's Sexiest Man Alive in 2023.

Dempsey started his career acting in films such as Can't Buy Me Love (1987) and Loverboy (1989). He has since starred in several romantic comedy films such as Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Made of Honor (2008), Valentine's Day (2010), and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016). Dempsey has also taken dramatic roles in Outbreak (1995), Scream 3 (2000), Freedom Writers (2007), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Thanksgiving (2023), and Ferrari (2023). He starred in and produced Flypaper (2011), and The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019). In 2026, he began playing the main role of Angelo Doyle in the Fox crime drama Memory of a Killer.

Dempsey, who maintains a sports car and vintage car collection, enjoys auto racing in his spare time. He has competed in events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Daytona events in sports car racing, and the Baja 1000 in desert racing. Prior to the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dempsey declared that he would "walk away" from acting if he could and dedicate himself full-time to motorsports.

Early life Patrick Galen Dempsey was born on January 13, 1966, in Lewiston, Maine, His mother, Amanda (née Casson), was a school secretary, and his father, William, was an insurance salesman.

He attended Leavitt Area High School, Buckfield High School and St. Dominic Regional High School.

In his youth, Dempsey participated in juggling competitions. In 1981, he achieved second place at the International Jugglers' Association Championship in the Juniors category, just behind Anthony Gatto, who is considered to be the best technical juggler of all time.

Dempsey was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 12. He told Barbara Walters on her 2008 Oscar special that he thinks dyslexia made him what he is today. "It's given me a perspective of — you have to keep working," Dempsey told Walters. "I have never given up."

Acting career

1983–1989: Early roles and breakthrough At 17, Dempsey got an audition for a role in the stage production of Torch Song Trilogy, which led to his discovery as an actor in 1983. His audition was successful and he spent the following four months touring with the company in Philadelphia. He followed this with another tour, Brighton Beach Memoirs, in the lead role, which was directed by Gene Saks. Dempsey has also made notable appearances in the stage productions of On Golden Pond, with the Maine Acting Company, and as Timmy (the Martin Sheen role) in a 1990 off-Broadway revival of The Subject Was Roses co-starring with John Mahoney and Dana Ivey at the Roundabout Theatre in New York.

Dempsey's first major feature film role was at age 21 with Beverly D'Angelo in the film In the Mood, the actual World War II story about Ellsworth Wisecarver whose relationships with older married women created a national uproar. He then co-starred in the third installment of the comedy classic Meatballs III: Summer Job, alongside Sally Kellerman in 1987. This was followed by the teen comedy Can't Buy Me Love in 1987 with actress Amanda Peterson and Some Girls with Jennifer Connelly in 1988. In 1989, Dempsey had the lead role in the films Loverboy with actress Kirstie Alley and Happy Together with actress Helen Slater.

1990–2004: Established actor

Dempsey made several featured appearances in television in the 1990s; he was cast several times in pilots that were not picked up for a full season, including lead roles in the TV versions of the films The Player and About A Boy. He received positive reviews, however, as he portrayed real-life mob boss, Meyer Lansky in 1991 when Mobsters was put on the screen. His first major television role was a three-episode stint as Will Truman's closeted sportscaster boyfriend on Will & Grace. He appeared in four episodes of Once & Again as Aaron Brooks, the schizophrenic brother of Lily (Sela Ward). Dempsey received an Emmy nomination in 2001 as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the role of Aaron. In 1993, he played a young John F. Kennedy in the two-part TV mini-series JFK: Reckless Youth. In 2000, he played Detective Kincaid in Scream 3. The relationship his character had with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) on screen has received a lot of praise and positive reactions.

In 2007, Dempsey starred in the Disney film Enchanted, and the Paramount Pictures film Freedom Writers, where he reunited with his Iron Jawed Angels co-star Hilary Swank. He also voiced the character Kenai in Brother Bear sequel Brother Bear 2, replacing Joaquin Phoenix. Other roles Dempsey appeared in during this time include the 2008 film Made of Honor as Tom, and the 2010 romantic comedy Valentine's Day; the latter film follows five interconnecting stories about Los Angelinos anticipating (or in some cases dreading) the holiday of love. Universal Pictures acquired the rights to the prize-winning novel The Art of Racing in the Rain in July 2009, for Dempsey to star in. The film instead starred Milo Ventimiglia. He starred as Dylan Gould in Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011).

In January 2014, he signed a two-year contract to remain on Grey's Anatomy, then in its tenth season, that would ensure his participation for potential 11th and 12th seasons. Dempsey was nominated for Best Actor – Television Series Drama at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards for the role. His success on the show has led to his becoming a spokesman for Mazda and State Farm Insurance. BuddyTV ranked him #1 on its list of "TV's Sexiest Men of 2011". In November 2020, Dempsey appeared as Derek Shepherd at the start of the series' 17th season for the first time since the character had died in April 2015.

2016–present Following his departure from Grey's Anatomy, Dempsey was working on two small-screen projects: a drama The Limit for SundanceTV and a travelogue spy thriller called Fodors. He said:

In 2016, Dempsey starred in the Universal Pictures film Bridget Jones's Baby with Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth, and in 2018 he appeared on Epix television miniseries The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair. In 2017 he participated in the short film Red Nose Day Actually, a sequel to the 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually. Dempsey played the role of the husband of Laura Linney's character Sarah. Starting from 2020 he has portrayed Dominic Morgan in the Sky Atlantic financial thriller series Devils. On February 4, 2020, Dempsey signed on to star as the lead of a CBS political drama pilot Ways & Means, where he would portray a Congressional leader. Initially planned to be considered for the 2020–21 televisions season, the pilot was rolled into consideration for the following season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CBS ultimately passed on the finished pilot in May 2021. In January 2021, it was announced that Dempsey would reprise his role in the Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted, which began production in spring of that year. The film was released on Disney+ in late 2022. In 2023, he portrayed Sheriff Eric Newlon in the slasher film Thanksgiving and Piero Taruffi in the biographical sports drama Ferrari directed by Michael Mann. In 2024, Dempsey portrayed police captain Aaron Spencer in the prequel series Dexter: Original Sin. He currently stars as Angelo in the Fox series Memory of a Killer

Auto racing

In 2014, Dempsey told Reuters in the Hockenheimring support paddock at the German Grand Prix that motor racing was not just a hobby, and had become as much a part of who he is as acting. He said, "It's all-consuming in many ways. I couldn't imagine not racing right now. It really keeps me motivated. It's all I think about on a daily basis."

Dempsey, who maintains an extensive sports and vintage car collection, has enjoyed auto racing in his spare time for several years. Before the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013, he said that he would like to compete full-time, telling Eurosport:

Dempsey waves to the crowd at the 2015 Indianapolis 500, where he served as the Honorary Starter.

Dempsey has competed in prestigious events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car races, and the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. He was a co-owner of the Vision Racing IndyCar Series team and current owner of Dempsey Racing, which is presently racing two Porsche 911 GT America's in the Tudor United Sports Car Series. He participated in this series as often as his schedule allowed, although insurance restrictions kept him from driving competitively while also filming a motion picture. In 2009, he raced a Team Seattle Advanced Engineering Ferrari F430 GT in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans's GT2 class and finished ninth in class.

Dempsey announced he would race the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona along with other races throughout the season in a Mazda RX-8. Dempsey finished in third place in the GT Class of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In 2012, Dempsey competed in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge behind the wheel of an Aston Martin Racing-Multimatic Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage GT4, which, after five successful racing seasons in Europe, was to make its debut on American tracks. He formed the Dempsey Racing team to compete in the American Le Mans Series. The team fielded a full-time Oreca FLM09 in the Prototype Challenge class as well as a Lola B12/80 coupe in the Prototype 2 class from Laguna Seca onward.

After debuting at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dempsey returned to France four years later and competed in a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Dempsey and his co-drivers finished 29th overall and fourth in-class. In 2015, Dempsey focused on participating in the FIA World Endurance Championship with his own Dempsey Racing-Proton team in the GTE-Am class in a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, teamed with Patrick Long

Racing record

Career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position 2004 Panoz Racing Series (GT class) TBA 2 0 0 0 0 9 9th 2006 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race (Pro class) TBA 1 0 TBA TBA 1 N/A 2nd 2007 Rolex Sports Car Series (GT class) Hyper Sport 1 0 0 0 0 21 82nd 2008 Rolex Sports Car Series (GT class) Hyper Sport 9 0 0 0 0 143 30th 2009 Rolex Sports Car Series (GT class) Dempsey Racing 7 0 0 0 0 143 20th 24 Hours of Le Mans (GT2 class) Advanced EngineeringTeam Seattle 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 9th 2010 Rolex Sports Car Series (GT class) Dempsey Racing 4 0 0 0 0 89 29th Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (ST class) Freedom Autosport 1 0 0 0 0 9 90th 2011 Rolex Sports Car Series (GT class) Dempsey Racing 11 0 0 0 1 226 11th 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (GS class) Multimatic Motorsports 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC Rolex Sports Car Series (GT class) Dempsey Racing 9 0 0 0 0 138 24th American Le Mans Series (LMP2 class) Dempsey Racing 5 0 0 0 2 53 3rd Maserati Trofeo World Series TBA 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC 2013 American Le Mans Series (GTC class) Dempsey Racing/Del Piero 10 0 0 0 3 87 7th 24 Hours of Le Mans (GTE Am class) Dempsey Del Piero-Proton 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 4th 2014 United SportsCar Championship (GTD class) Dempsey Racing 8 0 0 0 1 134 18th 24 Hours of Le Mans (GTE Am class) Dempsey Racing-Proton 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 5th Porsche Supercup Porsche AG 1 0 0 0 0 0‡ NC‡ 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (GTE Am class) Dempsey Racing-Proton 7 1 1 0 2 116 6th 24 Hours of Le Mans (GTE Am class) Dempsey Racing-Proton 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 2nd Porsche Supercup Porsche AG 1 0 0 0 0 0‡ NC‡ United SportsCar Championship (GTD class) Wright Motorsports 1 0 0 0 1 31 33rd Not eligible for points.

24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Advanced Engineering Team Seattle Don Kitch Jr. Joe Foster Ferrari F430 GT2 GT2 301 30th 9th Dempsey Del Piero-Proton Joe Foster Patrick Long Porsche 997 GT3-RSR GTEAm 305 28th 4th Dempsey Racing-Proton Joe Foster Patrick Long Porsche 911 RSR GTEAm 329 24th 5th Dempsey-Proton Racing Patrick Long Marco Seefried Porsche 911 RSR GTEAm 330 22nd 2nd

Complete Rolex Sports Car Series results (key) (Results are overall/class) Did not complete sufficient laps in order to score points.

Complete Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge results (key) (Results are overall/class) Year Entrant Class Chassis Tyres 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points Ref 2010 Freedom Autosport ST Mazdaspeed3 DAY47/22 HOM BAR VIR LIM WGL MOH NJ TRO MIL 90th 9 2012 Multimatic Motorsports GS Aston Martin Vantage DAY63/32 BAR72/32 HOM NJ MOH ELK WGL IMS LGA LIM NC‡ 0‡

As Dempsey was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete Maserati Trofeo World Series results (key) Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 DC Points Ref 2012 JAR1 JAR2 ALG1 ALG2 ALG3 IMO1 IMO2 IMO3 LEC1 LEC2 SON1 SON2 SON3 SHA1 SHA2 NC‡ 0‡

As Dempsey was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete American Le Mans Series results (key) (Results are overall/class) Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine Tyres 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points Ref 2012 Dempsey Racing LMP2 Lola B12/87 Judd-BMW HK 3.6 L V8 SEB LBH LGA30/4 LIM7/3 MOS MOH9/4 ELK9/2 BAL VIR ATL 3rd 53 2013 Dempsey Racing/Del Piero GTC Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 SEB29/6 LBH26/6 LGA21/2 LIM30/7 MOS25/4 ELK27/4 BAL16/4 AUS23/3 VIR23/6 ATL23/2† 7th 87 Did not complete sufficient laps in order to score points.

Complete United SportsCar Championship results (key) (Results are overall/class) Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rank Points Ref 2014 Dempsey Racing GTD Porsche 911 GT America Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY50/24 SEB42/15 LGA27/20 BEL WGL23/4† MOS27/11 IMS34/9 ELK40/13 VIR10/3 AUS41/14 ATL49/18† 24th 153 2015 Wright Motorsports GTD Porsche 911 GT America Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY13/3 SEB LGA BEL WGL LIM ELK VIR AUS ATL 33rd 31 Did not complete sufficient laps in order to score points. Season still in progress.

Complete Porsche Supercup results (key) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points Ref 2014 Porsche AG ESP MON AUT GBR GER HUN BEL ITA USA USA NC‡ 0‡ 2015 Porsche AG ESP MON AUT GBR HUN BEL BEL ITA ITA USA USA NC‡ 0‡ ‡ As Dempsey was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results Year Entrant Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points 2015 Dempsey Racing-Proton LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6

BHR 6th 116 Source: The fragrance was recognized as the "Men's Private Label/Direct Sell" for the 2010 FiFi Awards. On September 29, 2012, Mexican cable company Cablemás, Megacable and Mexico city's Cablevisión launched an advertising campaign featuring Dempsey as the love interest of a domestic worker who comes across his profile on an online dating site.

Starting in 2013, Patrick Dempsey became the face of Silhouette, promoting eyewear fashion from Austria. Since January 2017 Dempsey has appeared in commercials for Vodafone Italy. In 2018, Bleusalt, a Malibu-based fashion brand launched a clothing line designed by the actor.

Business interests

In January 2013, Dempsey announced that his company (Global Baristas) had secured the winning bid to purchase Seattle-based Tully's Coffee, which had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October. Dempsey's bid of $9.15M was enough to secure Tully's over the bids of six others, including Starbucks. Dempsey's company will control 47 Tully's locations in the Seattle area, but not the online business, which had been purchased by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in 2009.

Following a legal dispute with investor group Global Baristas, Dempsey left the group, in effect officially leaving his managerial positions with Tully's. Dempsey filed a lawsuit on behalf of Global Baristas, claiming Michael Avenatti borrowed $2 million against Tully's assets without informing Dempsey, rather than fully financing the coffee chain as was promised, calling the 15 percent interest rate on the loan "exorbitant" and sued for Avenatti to fund Tully's operations and meet its working capital needs, as well as for any damages owed the company. Soon after, Dempsey's lawyer's office issued a statement saying the partnership was dissolved and that Dempsey wished the lawyer and the company "all the best". Avenatti has stated the dispute was a "misunderstanding" and will continue operating with other investors and new management.

Philanthropy In 1997, Dempsey's mother, Amanda, was diagnosed with cancer which subsequently relapsed five times. On March 24, 2014, she died in Lewiston, Maine, aged 79. In response to his mother's bouts with cancer, Dempsey helped start the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. In October 2009, when Dempsey introduced the first Dempsey Challenge, registration was closed after reaching the goal of 3,500 cyclists, runners and walkers. The event raised more than $1 million for the cancer center. His mother was in the crowd as Dempsey finished his ride. The Challenge has since become an annual October event presented by Amgen in the Lewiston–Auburn area. On May 28, 2017, Dempsey received an honorary doctorate from Bates College in his hometown, Lewiston, Maine, for his philanthropy in the town and funding of "the Dempsey Center — just blocks from the Bates campus."

Dempsey was awarded an honorary doctorate by Bowdoin College in 2013 for his philanthropic work. His Grey's Anatomy character Derek Shepherd had been written as a Bowdoin graduate after an alumnus led a petition signed by over 450 students to "adopt" the character as an alumnus.

In 2023, Dempsey helped raise funds for families of the Lewiston shooting victims. He joined a charity softball tournament with former Boston Red Sox pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee.

Personal life Dempsey was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 12. As a result, it is necessary for him to memorize all his lines to perform, even for auditions where he is unlikely to get the part.

Entertainment Weekly put Dempsey's hair on its end-of-the-decade "best-of" list, saying, "What made Grey's Anatomy a mega-medi-hit? It could have something to do with creator Shonda Rhimes's scalpel-sharp writing… or McDreamy's impossibly luxurious man hair. Just saying." In 2005, People magazine ranked him second in its annual list of "Sexiest Men Alive" and again in 2006. Dempsey was named People magazine's 2023 "Sexiest Man Alive" for its November 2023 issue.

Dempsey has been married twice. In 1987, actress and acting coach, Rochelle "Rocky" Parker, when he was 21 and she was 48. She appeared with Dempsey in the film In the Mood. While it has been reported that Dempsey married his best friend's mother, he has said that he became best friends with Parker's son Corey only after he became romantically involved with Parker. The couple divorced on April 26, 1994. She died in 2014. In January 2015, Fink filed for divorce, but the couple reconciled later in the year. They called off their divorce on November 12, 2016. Dempsey owned a home in Harpswell, Maine, near his hometown. His mother moved into a farm next to his home. Dempsey is a supporter of Scottish football club Rangers F.C. because of his Scottish connection through his step-grandfather.

In July 2026, following controversies surrounding Maine Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner, Dempsey's name was floated to step in as a replacement candidate to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins. On July 8, Dempsey declined to put his name forward in a Portland Press Herald op-ed, stating that while he gave the race "real thought," he could contribute more effectively to his home state through his existing philanthropic work rather than full-time political office.

Filmography Film

Television

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1987 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy 2000 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series 2005 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Television Series Drama Grey's Anatomy Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series 2006 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Television Series Drama Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor Drama 2007 People's Choice Awards Favorite Male TV Star Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2008 People's Choice Awards Favorite Male TV Star Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor Drama MTV Movie Award Best Kiss (with Amy Adams) National Movie Awards Best Performance — Male 2009 People's Choice Awards Favorite TV Drama Actor Grey's Anatomy 2010 2011 Favorite TV Doctor Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Supporting Actor 2012 People's Choice Awards Favorite TV Drama Actor Grey's Anatomy 2014 Favorite On-Screen Chemistry (with Ellen Pompeo) 2015 Favorite TV Drama Actor

In 2022 Dempsey was honored with a Disney Legend Award In 2023 Dempsey was named as People's Sexiest Man Alive