Patrick Dempsey Is Shipping A New Sexiest Man Alive While Promoting His New Project, “Dexter: Original S...

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin

BY LAURA SCHREFFLER

PHOTOGRAHY RANDALL SLAVIN

STYLING WARREN ALFIE BAKER

GROOMING JILLIAN DEMPSEY

SHOT ON LOCATION IN MALIBU, CALIF.

Patrick Dempsey is bouncing up and down. Not with excitement, mind, but because somehow, we’ve convinced him to get on a trampoline in the name of art (the “we” in question being mainly “she” — his wife, celebrity makeup artist Jillian, who has some seriously magical powers of persuasion). Currently, he’s jumping high in the sky, a picture-perfect, postcard-like view of the Pacific Ocean in the background, his trousers rolled up and Tag Heuer timepiece glinting sharply in the afternoon sun. Yet, despite his resistance to jump, he’s laughing, eyes crinkled, smile wide.
And although the 58-year-old heartthrob (referred to as such because what other way could People’s reigning Sexiest Man Alive be described?) may not have wanted to jump around House of Pain-style even a little bit, the point is, he did it — and seemed to enjoy himself in the process.

This particular moment serves to highlight Dempsey’s mindset: about his life, the future, and — certainly — his career. He felt a freedom in choosing his latest project, the upcoming Dexter prequel Dexter: Original Sin, in that it was something much darker than his norm. The OG show, which aired on Showtime from 2006 to 2013, followed Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a forensic technician specializing in blood spatter analysis by day, who, by night, transforms into a vigilante serial killer.

In the reboot, a 10-episode series courtesy of Showtime/Paramount+ from showrunner Clyde Phillips (who helmed the first four seasons of Dexter, as well as its 2021 follow-up, Dexter: New Blood), focuses on the titular character’s (now played by Shadow and Bone star Patrick Gibson) early years with the fictional Miami Metro as a forensics intern, and his transition from normal crime fighter to avenging murderer.

For Dempsey, the part is a transition of sorts, too. “I don’t think I’ve ever played a detective before, plus the show itself has so much more edge than what I’ve done in the past,” he admits of his scene-stealing turn as Aaron Spencer, captain of the Miami Metro Homicide Department. Of his character, he says, “[Aaron] oversees all investigations; that’s my role. I’ve had a long-standing relationship with Dexter’s father, Harry, a homicide detective [played now by Christian Slater], that goes back to the very beginning of my career; we do flashbacks from the 1970s up until present day, which is 1991. I’ve known Dexter since he was a baby.”

There’s a lot of buzz about the series, which will debut this fall, but not much that is actually known. Dempsey, who prepared for the part by watching videotapes and police department training videos from the ‘70s, as well as the first season of Dexter itself, is confident that fans of the show will be happy with the prequel. “Tonally, we’re very similar to the original,” he discloses. “There’s a darkness to it, but at the same time, a sort of gallows humor as well — and more humor than you might expect. Plus, all of the original characters are revisited at the very beginning, and I think the way we get into it will be very satisfying for hardcore fans.”

Similarly, devotees will be pleased to note that Michael C. Hall will also return to narrate the inner voice of his younger self, giving the show a full circle feel. “This,” explains Dempsey, “is the origin story. It’s where the Dark Passenger visits for the first time; Dexter’s whole backstory — why he is and who he is.” [For those unfamiliar with the series, the Dark Passenger is Dexter’s alter ego, a killer born after witnessing the monstrous murder of his mother by chainsaw.]

‘Monstrous murder’ and ‘Patrick Dempsey’ are not two phrases I’d ever have imagined going together, but there you have it. At least he’s still the Dempsey we’ve come to know and love — the good guy. That said, despite its gory subject matter, Dempsey is more than content with his latest project. “I’m having a great time,” he insists. “I like my character, which is why I ended up taking [the role]. Plus, I think this is the first time I’ve worked in Los Angeles in the last 10 years — everything else has been overseas or in Canada.”

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin

Work-wise, Dexter is the sole focus for moment — and Dempsey is OK with that. It not only gives him time to work for his non-profit, the Dempsey Center, but also to enjoy his twin sons’ (17-year-olds Darby and Sullivan) last year at home before they head to college; his daughter Talula, 22, fled the nest years ago and even recently opened her own Los Angeles-based pâtisserie, Talula’s Kitchen, with her dad’s support.

He explains, “A lot of things have been pushed to 2025, and I think that people are really grateful to be working because there’s not a lot going on right now. We’re still recovering from the strike, and there’s also a realignment with a lot of the streaming services and networks. It’s been very quiet, but I’ve been able to keep busy.”

With 39 years of acting under his belt — his first role being in the 1985 dramedy Heaven Help Us — suffice it to say, Dempsey deserves a break. But first, can we take a beat to boggle at 39 years? The man looks 40 (or less); he’s still totally giving dreamboat vibes. Which is, incidentally, how his career first started: as a walking thirst trap in ‘80s films such as Can’t Buy Me Love and Loverboy. He is best known, perhaps, for his decade-long portrayal of Dr. Derek ‘McDreamy’ Shepherd on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy from 2005 to 2015, a performance that earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2007 and Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama in 2006 and 2007. [Other credits include the Disney feature The Art of Racing in the Rain and The Orchard documentary Hurley via his production company, Shifting Gears Entertainment, as well as Bridget Jones’s Baby, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Valentine’s Day, Made of Honor, Enchanted, Freedom Writers, Sweet Home Alabama, Scream 3, With Honors, Outbreak, Hugo Pool, The Treat, The Emperor’s Club, Happy Together, Some Girls, Coupe De Ville, Run, Mobsters, and In the Mood. His most recent credits include the portrayal of racing icon Piero Taruffi in Michael Mann’s Ferrari, Eli Roth’s horror film Thanksgiving, the Disney+ film Disenchanted, opposite Amy Adams, whom he starred with in 2007’s Enchanted, as well as the Sky television series Devils, and the EPIX mini-series The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair.]

So clearly, though he’s popularly known for playing the dream dude, that isn’t all there is to Patrick Dempsey. “I certainly think the first part of my career was focused on playing the leading man, but I’m transitioning into a different lane, where I’m doing more character-driven stuff,” he says, while simultaneously admitting that, ultimately, he’d be happy to repeatedly revisit playing the metaphorical modern Prince Charming.

“I would love to be able to do more romantic comedies, but they’re much harder to find these days. When I started my career, it was all about romantic comedies. And now, what? We’ve seen maybe one or two in the last year. I think it would be nice to be able to do something that’s based on a sophisticated, older romance. But at the same time, it’s fun playing these darker characters, or a different type of character, to stretch myself as an actor.” He pauses. “Though I do have to say, McDreamy had a huge impact. There are a lot of people who started watching that show who have gone into medical school and come out the other side as doctors or nurses — and to me, that is the most rewarding part of the entire experience.”

Though rewarding, there isn’t one project he can put his finger on — including Grey’s — that he’d personally want to repeat. He’s happy in the here and now: shooting Dexter, producing, and otherwise.

“I’ve produced a few documentaries, and I’m working on another one. Writing and directing truly aren’t focuses; I’d much rather produce at this point. [That being said], honestly, I’m really having a great time on Dexter and happy to be focusing on that. I think the entire cast is very appreciative of the opportunity that we have, as is the crew. We’re in a time right now where people are struggling to work, and we’re very fortunate in coming out of the strike to have a project this good, this fun. I’m really loving the culture that I’m in. And so, moving forward, that’s what I want to look for in all of my future projects. Who am I working with? What’s the material? Is it challenging? Where does it shoot? So, we’ll see. I feel like I’m entering into a different chapter in my career, so I can only hope that I get the opportunity do more things like Ferrari, like Thanksgiving, like Dexter, where each character is slightly different. And if there’s a good romantic comedy that could come along, that would be great, too.”

I mean, obviously. When one has been named the Sexiest Man Alive, a romantic comedy should almost be a prerequisite. Yet, the man I see today, gamely giving the trampoline his all, snickering at our photographer’s bawdy comments, seems fully ready to expand his reach — and there’s beauty in that, too.

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin

SPEAKING OF SEXIEST MAN ALIVE… well, if Patrick Dempsey must relinquish his crown, he knows exactly who it should go to.

“Will Ferrell has my vote,” he declares a few weeks after our August shoot. He’s at home in Malibu, delightfully low-key in a white T-shirt, thick-framed glasses, and a beanie. It’s Labor Day, and Dempsey has precisely one day off from shooting Dexter: Original Sin, a day of which involved a workout, errands, and pool time with his family — strategically timed to avoid the holiday madness of the ‘Bu. But work is work, which is why he’s stuck talking to me about being sexy — or, rather, about Ferrell, who’s campaigning hard for the title — being sexy, as it were.

“I support him wholeheartedly. I think he should get it; I really do. I think there is a sexiness in his wicked sense of humor,” Dempsey says.

This feels like something a friend would say to pump his pal up… except, well, the two have never met. Still: “I’m working on the inside to make sure it happens for him,” he jokes, deadpan.

That it happened to Dempsey still comes as a surprise — but one that he’s leaned into fully. “At this point in my career, to get that kind of attention was very good for my ego. It definitely boosted my confidence, especially at 58, because your body changes — you’re aware of it — and it takes that much more work to stay in shape. But honestly, it’s not something I can take too seriously or worry about, especially at my age.”

Clearly, he’s doing just fine. But how is he doing it? Dempsey claims that he owes his esthetics to clean living (though I’m pretty sure that genetics have something to do with it, too). “You have to really stay consistent with your workouts. I eat right, I don’t drink, I’m pretty healthy, and very athletic in the sense that I move around quite a bit and am always on the go. You need to keep a balance, and you need to keep moving. If you sit for too long, you lose it. Plus [my wife] keeps me looking good with all of her products.”

Dempsey might not look his age, but he’s certainly aware of how short life can be. “There’s this great saying [courtesy of Steve Jobs]: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?’ I think, what am I going to do with it? It’s not something I think about daily, but it’s certainly something that’s on my mind as a whole. I want to make sure that I’m spending time with the right people, with the right energy, and doing the right things. If I’m going to do a project, where am I going? What am I doing? Who is it with? That type of thing. I’m a lot more thoughtful about life, because time is precious. If it’s time away from your family, are you going to learn something new, or are you going to grow from that experience? You think about life in those terms.

“You have such a limited amount of time on this Earth; there are people my age that I grew up with who are very sick; some of already passed on,” he continues, confessing, “The older you get, the thought of your own mortality gets greater, and you realize how little time you have left on the planet. You want to make the most of it, and you want to think about what you’re going to do with it that’s positive.”

Making the world a better place is something he’s put a lot of thought into, the result of this being the creation of the Dempsey Center, the non-profit he founded in 2008 that provides personalized and comprehensive cancer care at no cost. It was a passion project for the actor who, after watching his mother’s journey with ovarian cancer, wanted to make a space where those impacted by the disease could find relief, comfort, and resources. There are currently three physical locations in his native state of Maine, as well as virtual assistance.

“The Dempsey Center is what I really want to be remembered for. We don’t treat the disease; we treat the person holistically, with wraparound care. There have been so many great strides made with how we treat cancer, but there’s still work to be done on how we can compassionately and empathetically treat a person, because once they’ve finished their traditional treatment, they’re sort of left alone. More and more people are beating the disease because of early detection, but they’re still not healed. This is where we can help. Giving them agency in their recovery and support while they’re going through treatment — for the patient and the caregivers — is how we do that. And that came from my mom’s journey, feeling helpless and not knowing what to do for her.”

He realized that counseling was paramount, as were things like wig fittings — which the Dempsey Center offers. “It just strips away your identity when you lose your hair, but any time I see someone who is bald or clearly going through treatment, I immediately think they’re absolutely beautiful. We give them a safe environment where they can mourn and process, but still feel like there’s going to be a tomorrow. [With the wigs in particular] there’s that saying that if you look good, you feel good — and we try to do things that allow people to feel better.”

He discovered this holistic type of healing while working with Amgen’s Tour of California, a professional road cycling race on the UCI World Tour; it’s an initiative that continues to raise awareness of the important resources available to people impacted by cancer. There, Dempsey learned about the benefits of acupuncture, Reiki, nutrition, and mindfulness, which he feels are necessary and particularly impactful when paired with oncology.

His goals, he says, are “certainly to be able to reach more people,” and that means globally. “When I was working in Ireland on [2022’s live action musical fantasy/comedy] Disenchanted, I ran into a very like-minded center, so we’re trying to collaborate and build a network nationally and internationally where we can all work together. Using my platform and visibility to get the word out that, yes, you can get this treatment in a hospital, but there are also other options that go along with that, and that can help you improve the quality of your life.”

Providing these acts of service are certainly improving his. For many years, Dempsey has been practicing Stoicism, a philosophy of life that maximizes positive emotions, reduces negative emotions, and helps those who practice it to hone their virtues of character. Basically, to keep calm and carry on.

“[Stoicism] really helps you deal with everything that’s being thrown at you on a daily basis, and it makes you appreciate just being where you are in that particular moment, not worrying about the past or worrying about the future; just being present in the now. One of the greatest things that comes out of Stoicism is to be of service. I think there is nothing greater or more fulfilling when you’re working with a group of people who are doing something not for themselves or for the bottom line, but the betterment of other people. There is really nothing more satisfying.”
This is a fairly recent development in Dempsey’s psyche and life; he says it started while he was working in Rome on 2020’s Devils for Sky television. He came across a meditation by Marcus Aurelius that opened the door, so to speak, for him to take a deeper dive into the practice, which was then honed by author Ryan Holiday. Now, it’s a way of life that extends to all aspects of his life.

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin

“I find Stoicism to be very helpful and practical in the world we live in today. Stoicism and mindfulness really help you on a daily basis; they make you appreciate being where you are in that particular moment, not worrying about the past or worrying about the future.”

This is partially why Dempsey got back into race car driving this year; he had been on a temporary hiatus since 2015. In the past, as a Porsche driver, he scored a fourth-place result in his first year in the GTE-Am class at Le Mans 24 Hours, moving up two podium placings that year during the American Le Mans Series, taking home second from Laguna Seca and third from Austin.

“I took a little break; I had achieved my goals with what I wanted to do, and I wanted to be home with my family more. I had been working nonstop and racing, so I made a conscious effort to focus on my family at that point,” he says. But now, things have changed. His daughter is an adult, and his sons are about to head off to college.

Plus, after working on Michael Mann’s 2023 film, Ferrari, he realized that racing wasn’t — and likely never would be — out of his system. Prepping for that film fueled his fire for it. With Porsche and longtime partner Tag Heuer, he tested for the Carrera Panamericana — a border-to-border, notoriously dangerous sedan rally event on open roads in Mexico, similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy.

“It just reignited my passion for racing, and I knew then that it was a part of who I am. I felt much more alive. There was definitely a chemistry change in my brain, in my psyche, and in my focus. I felt that it was something that I needed to do,” he confides.

But that need has never been about risk: Dempsey would not refer to himself by any means as a risk taker — if anything, he’s the opposite. “It’s a calculated risk, certainly. I’m pretty thoughtful about what I’m doing, especially the older I get.”

In a nutshell, that’s what he truly loves about driving — the mindfulness, the focus, the ability to carpe diem. “I love the camaraderie, and the mental challenge of it. You are forced to be present. It also makes me appreciate being where I am in a particular moment, not worrying about the past or the future, but being present in the now.”

On that note, he says, “I think that racing really does help me remember to be mindful on a daily basis. Because things will happen — it’s just your reaction and how you choose to handle it that makes the difference. In racing, there’s the ‘A’ factor, which is what you’re in control of, and the ‘B’ factor, which is out of your control. If someone runs into you and takes you out of the race, that’s not necessarily your fault. But if you run into somebody, that’s the ‘A’ factor — you caused that problem. And what I think is that all of these things are great metaphors for life.”

And when in doubt? Well, there’s always trampolines.

Photo Credit: Randall Slavin