Dempsey was born and raised in Lewiston, Maine. He first appeared on-stage as David in the San Francisco production of ‘Torch Song Trilogy’. Other early stage work included ‘On Golden Pond’ for the Maine Acting Company, the international touring production of ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’ which was directed by Gene Saks and ‘The Subject Was Roses’ at the Roundabout Theatre in New York. He recently took the stage in The Pasadena Playhouse run of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ as Algernon Moncrieff.
Patrick Dempsey currently stars on the hit ABC series ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. His portrayal of Dr. Derek Shepherd has earned him a ‘2007 Screen Actors guild award’, and the ‘2007 People’s Choice Award’. Patrick was nominated for the ‘2007 & 2006 Golden Globe’ for ‘Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama’ and a ‘2006 Screen Actors Guild’ nomination for ‘Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series’.
Dempsey’s movie career is keeping him just as busy. His romantic comedy ‘Made of Honor’ opened worldwide on May 2, 2008. Dempsey was last seen in Disney’s Academy Award-nominated ‘Enchanted’ opposite Amy Adams, and the critically acclaimed ‘Freedom Writers’ alongside Hilary Swank.
Dempsey became well known as the unlikely heartthrob of such classic ‘80s nostalgia films such as, “Can’t Buy Me Love’ and ‘Loverboy’.
Other theatrical films include, ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, ‘Scream 3’, ‘With Honors’, ‘Outbreak’, ‘Hugo Pool’, ‘The Treat’, ‘The Palace Thief’, ‘Heaven Help Us’, ‘Happy Together’, ‘Some Girls,’ ‘Coupe De Ville’, ‘Run’, ‘Mobsters’, and ‘In The Mood’.
He also nabbed an Emmy nomination in 2001 for his portrayal of ‘Aaron Brooks’, Sela Ward’s psychologically unbalanced brother in the critically acclaimed television program, ‘Once & Again’. In 2003, Dempsey made a memorable guest appearance on NBC’s hit show, ‘Will & Grace’, as Will’s love interest. In 2004, Dempsey co-starred in the highly-acclaimed HBO production, ‘Iron Jawed Angels’, opposite Hilary Swank and Anjelica Huston.
Additionally, Dempsey starred in the NBC movie based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s ‘Crime and Punishment’ opposite Ben Kingsley. He also appeared in the television miniseries, ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea‘ with Michael Caine. He co-starred with Oliver Reed in the biblical epic, ‘Jeremiah’. Other television movies and miniseries include ‘JFK: Reckless Youth’, ‘A Season in Purgatory’, ‘Blood Knot’, ‘The Right to Remain Silent’, ‘Shallow Grave’, and ‘Blonde’.