Patrick Dempsey used to be cast as the loveable geek in roles such as "Can't Buy Me Love" but with the incredible success of "Grey's Anatomy" the hunky actor is taking his turn at being a "bankable" star.
In a recent interview with Star magazine, Patrick talked about how the hit show has affected his career: "It's a brutal industry and I've worked through years of rejection and fought very hard to get to this point. And now this show is opening so many other doors for me."
"There's so much money at stake in film and TV that they're trying to go with whomever is the most bankable, and since I'm in people's houses every week right now, that's me!"
"Grey's" has landed repeatedly among the top 10 rated shows every week, pulling in more than 20 million viewers. Patrick plays Dr. Derek Shepherd who is involved in a love triangle with his estranged wife and intern Meredith Grey.
But the actor refuses to give anyone a clue about what might happen next. "I don't even tell people close to me what's going to happen!" he said. "For my character, it's about the ring and the commitment that he made to his wife. He feels like he needs to work through his marital problems because he made a vow to her. But there's going to also be a lot more between him and Meredith."
Away from work, the actor is a car fanatic and part owner of a NASCAR racing team. His "every day" car is a classic 1959 356 Porsche, the kind James Dean drove. He got a silver 1969 Mercedes as a 40th birthday gift from his wife and says he spent the special day cruising around in it. "My daughter loves it. She calls it the princess car."
As for leaving the Dr. McDreamy gig anytime soon, Patrick says he knows better. "I will stay with the show as long as I can," he said. "I have no intention of biting the hand that feeds me!"
Patrick is currently filming "Freedom Writers" with Hilary Swank.
