Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966 in Lewiston, Maine) was born and raised in Maine, has a lot of siblings, and was a championship juggler in his youthnote . His beginnings as an actor were in touring stage productions, first appearing in Torch Song Trilogy before getting the lead role in another tour, though perhaps most notable starring in On Golden Pond, and then he made it to off-Broadway before getting into film with 1987's In the Mood (starring alongside his then-wife, who was over twice his age). By the age of 21.
In the 1990s he moved into predominantly television work, though was not initially successful in this medium. After some starring roles, he was nominated for an Emmy in 2001 for Once and Again but moved back to movies, anyway. He starred — and still stars — in largely cheesy RomComs. He did pick up some television work, though, and in 2005 graced our screens as Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd, possibly his best-known role, in Grey's Anatomy, for which he won two SAG awards. He left the show in 2015, though his contract extended beyond this, but can still be seen in impressive roles. He also took up racecar driving in 2007, and has been doing surprisingly great (most recently placing second at Le Mans), as well as having two honorary doctorates (from Bates College, Maine, and Bowdoin College) and funding a cancer clinic (the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center). His Grey's Anatomy character also got his degree from Bowdoin and focused on cancer.
He has been nominated for a Razzie, too, though.
Filmography:
- Fast Times (1982) — Mike Damone
- The Stuff (1985) — Underground Stuff Buyer #2 (uncredited)
- Meatballs III: Summer Job (1986) — Rudy Gerner
- Can't Buy Me Love (1987) — Ronald Miller
- In the Mood (1987) — Sonny Wisecarver
- Loverboy (1989) (1989) — Randy Bodek
- The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1989) — "The Plant"
- Mobsters (1991) — Meyer Lansky
- Run (1991) — Charlie Farrow
- With Honors (1994) — Everett Calloway
- Outbreak (1995) — Jimbo Scott
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea (1997) — Pierre Arronax
- Crime and Punishment (1998) — Raskolnikov
- Scream 3 (2000) — Detective Mark Kincaid
- Will & Grace (2001-2002) — Matthew
- Once and Again (2000-2002) — Aaron Brooks
- Sweet Home Alabama (2002) — Andrew Hennings
- The Emperor's Club (2002) — older Louis Masoudi
- The Practice (2004) — Dr. Paul Stewart
- Iron Jawed Angels (2004) — Ben Weissman
- Brother Bear 2 (2006) — Kenai (replacing Joaquin Phoenix)
- Freedom Writers (2007) — Scott Casey
- Enchanted (2007) — Robert Philip
- Disenchanted (2022) — Robert Philip
- Valentine's Day (2010) — Dr. Harrison Copeland
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) — Dylan Gould
- Grey's Anatomy (2005-2015) — Dr. Derek Shepherd
- Private Practice (2009-2012)
- Bridget Jones's Baby (2016) — Jack Qwant
- Red Nose Day Actually (2017)
- Thanksgiving (2023)
- Ferrari (2023) — Piero Tarufi
