He might be at the height of his professional powers as a star of Grey’s Anatomy, but Patrick Dempsey is contemplating life beyond Dr Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd.
In a mid-morning interview on the Los Angeles set of Grey’s, a relaxed Dempsey imagines a time when he will have had enough of the production demands of the medical drama and he’ll be far from image-obsessed Hollywood, living with his wife and three kids.
His feelings have been shaped by his wife, Jill, giving birth in February to twin boys, Sullivan and Darby. He also has a five-year-old daughter, Talula.
“It’s (the arrival of twins) daunting and overwhelming. I think it’s going to be really fun,” Dempsey says.
“Eventually, at the end of this run of Grey’s, it will be nice to retreat to the country and raise them in an environment that is much better than Los Angeles.
“I love family. I think it’s the one thing that keeps me sane in all the craziness of what’s going on with this show.”
Dempsey, who works up to 16 hours a day on Grey’s, says it’s nearly impossible to find an escape from the hype generated by the global success of the show.
Though he credits Grey’s with resurrecting his career, he has found it a challenge dealing with intense media scrutiny, particularly about cast unrest on the show.
DEMPSEY and co-star Isaiah Washington had a well-documented spat that ultimately led to Washington getting the sack.
“It (scrutiny) doesn’t end,” Dempsey says.
“It’s demanding and the exposure is unbelievable. I mean, it’s worldwide, more so than any movie you’ll ever do, I think.
“Coming at this point in my career, I have better tools to cope with it, but it’s not always easy. I think everybody on the show is adjusting to the amount of attention and pressure and responsibility.
“We have our growing pains. I think we’re coming together as a company in a really good way . . . supporting each other on our good days and our bad days.
“Sadly, it (media scrutiny) is a sign of your success if they’re coming after you and blowing things out of proportion.”
Eager to bring some levity to the interview, Dempsey starts talking about the fun he’s having with castmates including Eric Dane, who as Mark “McSteamy” Sloan has challenged Dempsey’s heart-throb status.
Dane’s arrival, Dempsey says with a laugh, has prompted Dempsey to go on a get-fit campaign.
Given one of Dane’s first scenes featured him draped in a towel, Dempsey jokes it’s only a matter of time before his colleague is signed to star in a Bed, Bath & Beyond calendar.
“He’s ripped, certainly,” Dempsey says.
“I’ve been fasting since he’s entered the show.”
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