Patrick Dempsey is a well-known American actor, producer, and race car driver.
He is best known for his role as Dr. Derek Shepherd, also known as McDreamy, on the popular medical drama Grey’s Anatomy.
He has also starred in several movies, such as Enchanted, Made of Honor, and Bridget Jones’s Baby
Patrick Dempsey Bio
Patrick Dempsey was born Patrick Galen Dempsey in Lewiston, Maine, and grew up in the nearby towns of Turner and Buckfield.
He has two older sisters 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, and after moving to Houston attended Willowridge 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.
Patrick Dempsey Career
He left high school to pursue acting and landed the role of ‘David’ in the San Francisco production of ‘Torch Song Trilogy.’ He performed in several plays, including ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’ and ‘The Subject was Roses.’
In 1985, he starred in ‘Heaven Help Us,’ a romantic film, followed by ‘Meatballs III: Summer Job’ the next year. He was also seen on television in ‘A Fighting Choice’ and ‘Fast Times.’
He landed his first major role in the 1987 movie ‘In the Mood.’ The same year, he also starred in the romantic film ‘Can’t Buy Me Love,’ which cemented his lover-boy image.
In 1989, he was cast as a pizza delivery driver who supplies ‘more than just pizzas’ in the romantic comedy ‘Loverboy.’ By now, he had become a heartthrob with many female fans. He was also cast as ‘Christopher Wooden’ in ‘Happy Together’ along with Helen Slater.
1991 proved to be an extremely busy year for the actor as he had a number of projects under his belt. He appeared in ‘Mobsters’ and ‘Run,’ two films that proved his versatility in acting. Two years later, he played a young John F. Kennedy in a two-part TV mini-series titled ‘JFK: Reckless Youth.’
From 1993 to 1998, he appeared in a string of successful and not-so-successful films, such as ‘Bank Robber,’ ‘With Honors,’ ‘Outbreak,’ ‘Hugo Pool,’ and ‘Denial.’
In 2000, he appeared as ‘Detective Kincaid’ in ‘Scream 3,’ the third installment of the ‘Scream’ series. The same year, he landed his first major role in television when he was cast to play ‘Mathew’ in ‘Will and Grace.’ He then went on to play ‘Aaron Brooks’ in ‘Once and Again.’
He followed this with a critically-acclaimed performance in the hit film ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ in 2002. Two years later, he was seen in the television movie ‘Iron Jawed Angels.’ He was also seen in the TV series ‘The Practice.’
2005 turned out to be a good year for Dempsey as he landed his breakthrough role of ‘Dr. Derek Shepherd’ in the hit American medical drama series ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ He became a star overnight and his fan-base expanded.
From 2006 to 2008, he starred in a number of critically-acclaimed hits, including ‘Shade,’ ‘Freedom Writers,’ ‘Enchanted,’ and ‘Made of Honor.’ In 2010, he appeared in the multi-starrer film ‘Valentine’s Day.’
In 2009, he starred in the spin-off of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ titled ‘Private Practice’ as ‘Dr. Derek Shepherd.’
He was cast in a supporting role in ‘Transformer: Dark of the Moon’ in 2011. The same year, he produced and appeared in ‘Flypaper’ alongside Ashley Judd. In 2013, he appeared as himself in the Dutch movie ‘Ushi Must Marry.’
Following his departure from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in 2015, he appeared in the blockbuster hit romantic comedy ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’ in 2016.
In 2017, he starred in the short movie ‘Red Nose Day Actually’ and followed it up with a mini-series titled ‘The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair’ where he played the titular role.
The talented actor started portraying the role of ‘Dominic Morgan’ in the TV drama series ‘Devils.’ The series is based on Guido Maria Brera’s novel of the same name.
About Patrick Dempsey Parents
Patrick Dempsey was born on January 13, 1966, in Lewiston, Maine, to Amanda and William Dempsey.
His father, who was an insurance salesman, died when Dempsey was 17 years old.
His mother, who was a school secretary, remarried a man named Howard Lowell.
She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997 and died in 2014.
Dempsey founded the Dempsey Center in honor of his mother, which provides personalized and comprehensive cancer care at no cost.
About Patrick Dempsey siblings
Patrick Dempsey is the youngest child and only son of William and Amanda Dempsey, who were also parents to daughters Mary and Alicia Dempsey.
In contrast to their high-profile actor brother, his sisters live much more private lives.
However, the siblings’ professional lives have crossed in another way. While neither Mary nor Alicia are actors or racecar drivers, they’ve teamed up with Patrick on a familial pursuit in honor of their late mom Amanda, who was diagnosed with cancer in 1997 and died in 2014.
Together, they co-founded The Dempsey Center, a non-profit cancer support center established in 2008.
Patrick, Mary and Alicia have hosted public events and fundraisers over the years in support of the organization and in tribute of their family name.
Read on to learn more about Patrick Dempsey siblings sisters, Mary and Alicia.
Mary Dempsey
Mary Dempsey is Patrick’s sister and the middle of the Dempsey siblings. She grew up alongside her brother and sister in Buckfield, Maine.
Along with Patrick, she is co-founder of The Dempsey Center, a nonprofit cancer support center established in 2008 to honor their mother Amanda Dempsey who passed away in 2014 at age 79.
The family navigated their cancer journey after their mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997.
The Dempsey Center was founded in collaboration with Central Maine Medical Center (where she’s worked for over 35 years) as a resource to support others impacted by cancer navigate journeys of their own.
After 10 years of service, Mary stepped away from The Dempsey Center when it formally separated from Central Maine Healthcare in 2018 to become its own nonprofit, also adding a second location.
Less than six months later, she continued similar efforts and took on an executive role at the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine in Norway.
In May 2015, Mary received an honorary doctor of public service degree from Saint Joseph’s College at the school’s 102nd commencement ceremony.
In addition to her work in med, Mary is certified in reiki and works as a laughter yoga instructor.
(Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)
Alicia Hatten
Alicia Hatten is Patrick Dempsey’s eldest sister. She also grew up in Buckfield alongside her brother and younger sister Mary, and resides in Florida now.
In comparison to her siblings, details about her personal life remain more private.
However, she’s been involved in The Dempsey Center alongside Patrick and Mary, in 2014 joining them onsite to dedicate a flower garden to the center in their mother’s honor.
In 2020, she opened up about the Amanda Dempsey Award, an honor that has been included in “The Dempsey Challenge,” an initiative created to benefit the Center.
“It’s a way of paying tribute to our mom and also it’s a way of keeping her memory alive,” Alicia said during the virtual awards presentation via Zoom.
About Patrick Dempsey Family
Spouse/Ex-: Jillian Fink (m. 1999), Rocky Parker (m. 1987–1994)
Father: William Dempsey
Mother: Amanda Dempsey
Siblings: Alicia Hatten, Mary Dempsey
Children: Darby Galen Dempsey, Sullivan Patrick Dempsey, Tallula Fyfe Dempsey.
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