Patrick Dempsey: biography, filmography and personal life (photo)

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Patrick Dempsey, whose filmography includes a lot of both successful and not very film works, is known to most viewers for the role of Dr. Shepard in the popular TV series Grey's Anatomy. We offer today to get to know this actor better, having learned both about the details of his career and the details of his personal life.

Patrick Dempsey: biography

The future Hollywood celebrity was born on January 13, 1966 in the American city of Lewiston, located in Maine. He was the youngest child, in total there were three children in the family. Patrick's father, William, worked as an insurance agent, and his mother, Amanda, worked as a school administrator. The parents of the future actor were descendants of immigrants from Ireland, in connection with which they constantly maintained contact with their historical homeland. Otherwise, the Dempsey family was no different from their American neighbors.

Childhood

Patrick Dempsey was the most ordinary child. However, due to his diagnosed dyslexia, which prevented him from concentrating onreading and writing, he did not do well in school. But the boy more than compensated for the lag in his studies with success in sports. From an early age, he began cycling and skiing. In these disciplines, he was able to achieve impressive results, thanks to which the coaches often distinguished Dempsey from other guys.

First displays of talent

In addition to sporting achievements, Patrick Dempsey became famous for his ability to juggle. He even managed to become the winner of the national championship of circus arts. Oddly enough, but it was the young man's talent for virtuoso handling of pins that prompted him for the first time to think about popularity and fame.

The beginning of an acting career

Patrick decided to go to New York to take part in several competitions organized for gifted youth. Here, Dempsey even got his own agent. Things were going quite well. But one day Patrick decided to quit everything and start a career as an actor. Thanks to the efforts of his agent, he was able to get a role in one of the youth theatrical productions, and, to everyone's amazement, he turned out to be very talented in a completely new profession for himself. Subsequently, Dempsey toured extensively throughout the country. This was the beginning of the actor's rather long journey to the heights of Hollywood.

Patrick Dempsey: filmography, the beginning of a film career

The first appearance of the actor on the big screen took place in 1985. Patrick Dempsey got a cameo role in the film Heaven Help Us. This was followed byparticipation in several little-known and not very successful series. However, a few years later, actor Patrick Dempsey managed to find a really good role for himself in an excellent movie, starring in the Canadian melodrama Meatballs 3. He played the main character perfectly, and his name was quickly remembered by filmmakers from North America. This was followed by leading roles in such films as "Some Girls", "Love Can't Be Bought", "Hero Lover", "In the Mood" and others. All films with Patrick Dempsey of these years are comedies and melodramas. He fit into these genres very organically, thanks to which his acting career was certainly accompanied by success.

Change roles

After some time, Patrick Dempsey became weary of adherence to the chosen genres. It seemed to him that he closed himself within one role. In this regard, the actor made several attempts to change the situation. So, in 1990, he played the main character in the action movie Run. Then Patrick, along with Christian Slater, took part in the filming of the crime film "Gangsters". Later, the actor played the role of President Kennedy in the drama Reckless Youth. This experience allowed Dempsey to regain confidence in his own abilities and begin to perceive participation in melodramas positively again.

So, in the 90s, Patrick starred in films of various genres. He was remembered by the viewer for his roles not only in dramas and comedies, but also in action films and even erotic films. The popularity of the actor grew rapidly, and very soonthe young man has become a real movie and television star.

Continuing career, awards, participation in the Grey's Anatomy project

Patrick Dempsey was nominated for the prestigious Emmy Award for the first time in 2001 for his role as the mentally ill brother of one of the heroines of the popular series Again and Again. However, then another actor won the award. But Patrick did not have to complain, because his career was already developing more than successfully. So, in the early 2000s, Dempsey shone in films such as The Emperor's Club, Scream 3, Stylish Little Things, and other major films.

Participation in each of the projects was significant in the career of an actor, but the real turning point was the role in the TV series Grey's Anatomy, where Patrick played Dr. Derek Shepherd. This work in the blink of an eye made Dempsey a real superstar on American television. For his performance, he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and received numerous prestigious nominations.

Patrick Dempsey's career today

In recent years, without interrupting his participation in Grey's Anatomy, Patrick starred in many other popular and successful projects. These include the films "Friend of the Bride", "Charmed", "Freedom Writers". The actor also played one of the roles in the blockbuster Transformers 3. Dark side of the Moon". This year, the sequel to the film "Enchanted" and the comedy "Beautiful Today" are expected to be released, where the company on the set wasAmanda Seyfried. Also in 2014, the tenth season of Grey's Anatomy will see the light of day, where Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey have been successfully playing the roles of doctors and part-time spouses Meredith Gray and Derek Shepherd for many years.

Private life

In 1987, at the age of 21, Patrick married Rocky Parker, the mother of his best friend. She was 19 years older than her young husband. Thus, Dempsey repeated the fate of the hero he played from the movie "In the Mood". This marriage lasted 7 years, after which the couple decided to leave.

In 1999, Dempsey married a second time. His chosen one was a stylist and manager named Gillian Fink. Patrick Dempsey and his wife live in Malibu and have three children together: daughter Tallulu (b. 2002) and twin sons Darby Gaden and Sillivan Patrick (b. 2007). The actor also owns houses in Texas and in his native Maine.

Interesting facts

Due to congenital dyslexia, Patrick Dempsey is forced to memorize all the texts of roles, including for castings and auditions. The actor himself speaks of his illness as an additional incentive that made him work hard to achieve his goals.

Patrick's main hobby is car racing. So, he was driving one of the safety cars during the famous Indianapolis 500 race. The actor also took part in the 24th race at Daytona. Dempsey is one of the co-owners of such racing teams as Vision Racing (IndyCar championship), andalso Dempsey Racing (GRAND-AM Rolex). He himself is also not averse to driving a GT class car. But such an opportunity for Patrick falls only in his spare time from filming. So, in 2009, he managed to achieve a good result, taking ninth position in his class in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Patrick Dempsey is actively filming commercials. So, he was the face of the automotive brand Mazda, the cosmetic corporation L'Oreal, the fashion house Versace, the insurance company State Farm Insurance and the manufacturer of sunglasses Serengeti. Also in collaboration with Avon in 2008, the actor released his own perfume Unscripted. He enjoyed great popularity, in connection with which a year later it was decided to create a new fragrance Patrick Dempsey 2.

The actor's mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1997. She was forced to undergo a long course of treatment and twice coped with relapses of the disease. In order to support her, as well as other patients with this terrible diagnosis, the actor founded the Patrick Dempsey Center on the basis of his hometown clinic. In 2009, he organized a charity run in Maine, which was attended by more than 3.5 thousand walkers, runners and cyclists. During the event, the anti-cancer center raised over one million dollars. Such success seriously inspired Patrick and the medical staff of the hospital. In this regard, it was decided to hold such an event every year in order not only to raise money for the center, but also to draw public attention to such a serious disease,like a cancer that kills tens of thousands of people worldwide every year.