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 (2007). 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 rally-raid. 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, 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.