Patrick Dempsey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrick Dempsey
Dempsey in 2016
Born	Patrick Galen Dempsey (1966-01-13) January 13, 1966 (age 59) Lewiston, Maine, U.S.
Occupation	Actor racecar driver
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Rocky Parker ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1994)​ Jillian Fink ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	3
United SportsCar Championship career
Debut season	2014
Current team	Dempsey Racing
Racing licence	FIA Bronze
Car no.	27
Wins	2
Poles	0
Fastest laps	0
Best finish	18th in 2014
Finished last season	18th
Previous series
2007–2013 2012–2013 2010–2012	Rolex Sports Car Series American Le Mans Series Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	2009 2013–2015
Teams	Advanced Engineering Team Seattle Dempsey Racing
Best finish	22nd (2nd in class)(2015)

Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and race car driver. He is most famous for playing Dr. Derek Shepherd, a brain surgeon, in the TV show Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2015, and again in 2020-2021.

Patrick Dempsey has also starred in many romantic movies. These include Enchanted (2007). He has been nominated for important awards like a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. .....

Dempsey began his acting career in films like Can't Buy Me Love (1987) and Loverboy (1989). He later appeared in romantic comedies such as Sweet Home Alabama (2002) and Made of Honor (2008). He also took on serious roles in movies like Outbreak (1995) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011).

Besides acting, Patrick Dempsey loves auto racing. He has a collection of sports cars and vintage cars. He has competed in major races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Daytona events. Before the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dempsey said he would "walk away" from acting to focus on racing full-time if he could.

Early Life and Education

Patrick Dempsey was born in Lewiston, Maine. He grew up in nearby towns called Turner and Buckfield. He has two older sisters. His mother, Amanda, worked as a school secretary. His father, William, was an insurance salesman.

He went to several high schools, including Leavitt Area High School and St. Dominic Regional High School. Later, he moved to Houston and attended Willowridge High School.

When he was young, Dempsey was good at juggling. In 1981, he came in second place at a national juggling competition. He was just behind Anthony Gatto, who is known as one of the best technical jugglers ever.

Dempsey found out he had dyslexia when he was 12 years old. Dyslexia is a learning difference that affects reading. He told Barbara Walters in 2008 that he believes dyslexia helped make him who he is. He said it taught him to "keep working" and "never give up."

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out: 1984–1989

Patrick Dempsey started his acting journey after being asked to try out for a play called Torch Song Trilogy. He got the part and toured with the show for four months. After that, he toured again in another play, Brighton Beach Memoirs. He also acted in other plays like On Golden Pond.

His first big movie role was in In the Mood when he was 21. He then starred in the comedy Meatballs III: Summer Job in 1987. He became well-known for teen comedies like Can't Buy Me Love (1987) and Some Girls (1988). In 1989, he played the main character in Loverboy and Happy Together.

Becoming a Known Actor: 1990–2004

Patrick Dempsey at the 80th Academy Awards in 2008

In the 1990s, Dempsey appeared in many TV shows. He often got roles in pilot episodes that did not become full series. He played real-life mob boss Meyer Lansky in the 1991 movie Mobsters. He also had a three-episode role in Will & Grace.

Dempsey played Aaron Brooks, a character with schizophrenia, in four episodes of Once & Again. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2001 for this role. In 1993, he played a young John F. Kennedy in a TV mini-series. In 2000, he was Detective Kincaid in Scream 3.

He had a big role in the 2002 movie Sweet Home Alabama, playing the fiancé of Reese Witherspoon's character. In 2004, he co-starred in the HBO show Iron Jawed Angels with Hilary Swank. He also appeared in the final episodes of The Practice.

Grey's Anatomy and Stardom: 2005–2015

Patrick Dempsey became very famous for his role as Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. He acted alongside Ellen Pompeo. Before this role, he tried out for a part in another medical show, House. He also appeared in two episodes of the Grey's spin-off show Private Practice.

His character's relationship with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) on Grey's Anatomy was very popular. In 2007, Dempsey starred in the Disney movie Enchanted. He also voiced the character Kenai in the movie Brother Bear 2.

Other movies he appeared in during this time include Made of Honor (2008) and Valentine's Day (2010). In 2011, he played Dylan Gould in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. He also starred in and produced Flypaper (2011) and The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019).

In January 2014, he signed a contract to stay on Grey's Anatomy for two more seasons. He was nominated for a Best Actor award in 2006 for his role. His success on the show led him to become a spokesperson for companies like Mazda. In November 2020, Dempsey returned as Derek Shepherd for a few episodes in the show's 17th season.

Recent Roles: 2016–Present

After leaving Grey's Anatomy, Dempsey worked on new projects. He said he wanted to produce shows and act in shorter series. He also wanted to focus more on racing and being a dad.

In 2016, Dempsey starred in the movie Bridget Jones's Baby with Renée Zellweger. In 2018, he appeared in the TV mini-series The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair. He also took part in the short film Red Nose Day Actually in 2017.

Since 2020, he has played Dominic Morgan in the financial thriller TV series Devils. In January 2021, it was announced that Dempsey would return for the Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted. This movie was released on Disney+ in late 2022. In 2023, he played Sheriff Eric Newlon in the movie Thanksgiving. He also played Piero Taruffi in the movie Ferrari. In 2024, Dempsey started playing police captain Aaron Spencer in the TV series Dexter: Original Sin.

Auto Racing Career

Patrick Dempsey at the 2008 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona race

Patrick Dempsey has loved auto racing for many years. In 2014, he said that racing was not just a hobby anymore. He said it had become a big part of who he is. He couldn't imagine not racing and that it keeps him motivated.

Dempsey owns many sports cars and vintage cars. Before the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans race, he said he wanted to race full-time. He mentioned he would easily "walk away from acting" to focus on driving.

He has raced in famous events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 at Daytona. He also competed in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. Dempsey used to be a co-owner of an IndyCar Series team. He currently owns Dempsey Racing, which races Porsche 911 GT America cars.

In 2009, he raced a Ferrari F430 GT at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans. His team finished ninth in their class. In 2011, he raced a Mazda RX-8 in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and finished third in the GT Class. In 2012, he competed in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. He also formed the Dempsey Racing team to race in the American Le Mans Series.

Dempsey returned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013, racing a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR. He and his co-drivers finished fourth in their class. In 2015, Dempsey focused on the FIA World Endurance Championship with his Dempsey Racing-Proton team. He raced a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR and finished second in class at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Other Activities

Promotional Work

Patrick Dempsey has been the face of famous brands like L'Oreal and Versace. He also appeared in ads for Serengeti sunglasses. In 2008, he launched his own fragrance with Avon called Unscripted. A second fragrance, Patrick Dempsey 2, was launched in 2009.

In 2012, he was featured in an advertising campaign for Mexican cable companies. Since 2013, he has promoted eyewear for Silhouette. In 2017, Dempsey appeared in Italian commercials for Vodafone Italy. In 2018, he designed a clothing line for the fashion brand Bleusalt.

Business Ventures

In January 2013, Dempsey's company, Global Baristas, won a bid to buy Tully's Coffee. Tully's Coffee had filed for bankruptcy. Dempsey's company took control of 47 Tully's locations in the Seattle area.

Later, Dempsey left the group after a legal disagreement. He had filed a lawsuit claiming an investor borrowed money without telling him. Dempsey's lawyer stated that the partnership ended.

Helping Others

In 1997, Dempsey's mother, Amanda, was diagnosed with cancer. She battled cancer five times before she passed away in 2014 at age 79. Because of his mother's experience, Dempsey helped create the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

In October 2009, Dempsey started the first Dempsey Challenge. This event involved cycling, running, and walking. It raised over $1 million for the cancer center. His mother was there to see him finish his 50-mile ride. The Dempsey Challenge is now an annual event held every October.

In 2017, Dempsey received an honorary doctorate degree from Bates College. This was to recognize his charity work and funding for the Dempsey Center. He also received an honorary doctorate from Bowdoin College in 2013 for his philanthropy.

In 2023, Dempsey helped raise money for families affected by the 2023 Lewiston shootings. He joined a charity softball tournament with former baseball pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee.

Personal Life

Patrick Dempsey was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 12. Because of this, he has to memorize all his lines for acting roles. This includes auditions, even if he might not get the part.

Entertainment Weekly praised Dempsey's hair, calling it "impossibly luxurious." .....

Dempsey has been married twice. On August 24, 1987, he married Rochelle "Rocky" Parker. He was 21 and she was 48. She was his manager and acting coach. They divorced in 1994. She passed away in 2014.

On July 31, 1999, Dempsey married makeup artist Jillian Fink. They have three children together. In January 2015, Jillian filed for divorce, but they later got back together. They officially called off their divorce in November 2016. Dempsey used to own a home in Harpswell, Maine, near his hometown. He supports the Scottish football club Rangers F.C. because of his Scottish family connections.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Recognitions

• In 2022, Patrick Dempsey received a Disney Legend Award.

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See also

In Spanish: Patrick Dempsey para niños