Patrick Dempsey, an American actor and racing driver, gained fame for portraying neurosurgeon Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy and his roles in the Disney Enchanted films. He experienced early success in the 1980s, starring in several films such as Can’t Buy Me Love and Loverboy.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 57 years
Height- 1.76 m
Weight- 77 kg
Full name- Patrick Galen Dempsey
Born- 13 January 1966
Birth place- Lewiston, Maine, United States
Spouse- Jillian Fink (m. 1999), Rocky Parker (m. 1987–1994)
Profession- American actor and motorsports racing driver
Nationality- American
Parents
Patrick Dempsey’s parents are William Allen and Amanda Dempsey. Born in Lewiston, Maine, Dempsey was raised in the neighboring towns of Turner and Buckfield.
His mother, Amanda worked as a school secretary, while his father, William, was an insurance salesman. Dempsey also has two older sisters.
Wife and Children
Dempsey has experienced two marriages. At the age of 21, he wed his manager, actress, and acting coach, Rochelle “Rocky” Parker, on August 24, 1987, despite a significant age difference (he was 21 and she was 48). Their marriage ended in divorce on April 26, 1994. Sadly, Parker passed away in 2014.
Patrick Dempsey tied the knot with Jillian Fink on July 31, 1999. The couple shares three children. In January 2015, Fink initiated divorce proceedings, but the pair reconciled later that year. They officially called off their divorce on November 12, 2016.
Education
He studied at Leavitt Area High School and Buckfield High School, later transferring to St. Dominic Regional High School. Upon moving to Houston, he attended Willowridge High School.
Career
Acting Career
Patrick Dempsey’s acting career took off after he received an invitation to audition for the stage production of Torch Song Trilogy. His successful audition led to a four-month tour with the company in Philadelphia. He continued his stage success with a lead role in the tour of Brighton Beach Memoirs, directed by Gene Saks. Dempsey also appeared in stage productions like On Golden Pond with the Maine Acting Company and a 1990 off-Broadway revival of The Subject Was Roses, where he portrayed Timmy alongside John Mahoney and Dana Ivey at the Roundabout Theatre in New York.
Dempsey made his mark in the film industry with his first major role at the age of 21 in In The Mood, a World War II story about Ellsworth Wisecarver’s controversial relationships with older married women, co-starring Beverly D’Angelo. He went on to star in Meatballs III: Summer Job alongside Sally Kellerman in 1987, followed by the teen comedies Can’t Buy Me Love in 1987, where he appeared with Amanda Peterson, and Some Girls in 1988, co-starring Jennifer Connelly. In 1989, Dempsey took the lead in Loverboy with Kirstie Alley and Happy Together with Helen Slater.
Patrick Dempsey played the fiancé of Reese Witherspoon’s character in Sweet Home Alabama (2002) and co-starred in HBO’s Iron Jawed Angels (2004) with Hilary Swank and Anjelica Huston. He also appeared in Disney’s Enchanted (2007), Paramount’s Freedom Writers (2007) with Hilary Swank, Made of Honor (2008), and Valentine’s Day (2010). Dempsey was set to star in The Art of Racing in the Rain but was replaced by Milo Ventimiglia. He portrayed Dylan Gould in Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). In Grey’s Anatomy, he portrayed Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd and earned a Golden Globe nomination. He returned for the series’ 17th season in 2020. Dempsey was set to lead in CBS’s Ways & Means, but the pilot was not picked up due to the pandemic. He reprised his role in the Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted, released on Disney+ in 2022.
Auto-Racing Career
Dempsey, an avid sports and vintage car collector, has pursued auto racing as a hobby for several years. He’s participated in prestigious events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona, and Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. In 2011, he raced a Mazda RX-8 in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, securing a third-place finish in the GT Class. He later competed in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge with an Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Dempsey also founded Dempsey Racing, which competed in the American Le Mans Series with Oreca FLM09 and Lola B12/80 coupe cars. He returned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013, finishing 29th overall and fourth in class in a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR. In 2015, he focused on the FIA World Endurance Championship with his Dempsey Racing-Proton team, driving a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR alongside Patrick Long and Marco Seefried. Dempsey finds his passion for racing to be a constant and thrilling contrast to his stable TV career.
Achievement/ Awards
- Patrick Dempsey was honored as a Disney Legend.
- He received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2007 for his role in Grey’s Anatomy.
- Dempsey’s performance in Grey’s Anatomy also earned the Satellite Award for Best Ensemble: Television in 2006.
- He was recognized with the TV Land Future Classic Award in 2006 for his work on Grey’s Anatomy.
- Dempsey received the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic TV Actor in 2015.
- Additionally, he won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male TV Performer in 2008 and 2007 for his role in Grey’s Anatomy.
Net Worth 2023
Patrick Dempsey’s wealth is estimated to be approximately USD 80 million.
Latest News about Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey Crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2023
Patrick Dempsey, known for his roles in “Ferrari” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” was announced as People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2023 on Tuesday night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Before the big reveal, Dempsey engaged in a Q&A session with the audience, sporting various amusing filters, including a realistic lizard face and a donkey filter, adding a fun twist to the announcement.
“I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life,” Dempsey told People in the publication’s article revealing him as this year’s winner. “It’s nice to have the recognition, and certainly my ego takes a little bump, but it gives me the platform to use it for something positive.”
When asked about his initial reaction to the news, Dempsey chuckled and said, “I was completely shocked, and then I started laughing, like, this is a joke, right? I’ve always been the bridesmaid!”
Earlier in the day, names like Pedro Pascal, Timothée Chalamet, Usher, Jamie Foxx, Lenny Kravitz, and Philadelphia Eagles’ star center Jason Kelce were mentioned as part of the “many, many sexy men” featured in People magazine’s 2023 Sexiest Man Alive issue, alongside Dempsey.
The Sexiest Man Alive feature has been an annual tradition for People magazine since its inception in 1985, with the first winner being Mel Gibson at the age of 29. Chris Evans was the honoree last year, and previous winners include Paul Rudd, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, and Idris Elba.
Fun Facts
- Dempsey was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 12, which requires him to memorize all his lines for performances, even for auditions where he might not secure the role.
- He supports the Scottish football club Rangers F.C. due to his Scottish connection through his step-grandfather.
- In 1997, Dempsey’s mother, Amanda, was diagnosed with cancer, which relapsed five times. She passed away on March 24, 2014, in Lewiston, Maine, at the age of 79.
- Dempsey received an honorary doctorate from Bowdoin College in 2013 for his philanthropic efforts.
- In January 2013, his company Global Baristas successfully bid $9.15 million to purchase Seattle-based Tully’s Coffee, outbidding six other contenders, including Starbucks. His company now oversees 47 Tully’s locations in the Seattle area, excluding the online business, which was acquired by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in 2009.
- Dempsey has served as the face of various brands, including L’Oreal, Versace, and Serengeti sunglasses. He also launched an Avon fragrance called Unscripted in November 2008, followed by another fragrance named Patrick Dempsey 2 in June 2009.
- He appeared in an advertising campaign for Mexican cable companies Cablemás, Megacable, and Cablevisión in September 2012, portraying the love interest of a domestic worker who discovers his online dating profile.
