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Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey

Actor, also producer and director · Born January 13, 1966 (60) · Lewiston, Maine, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee

Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and race car driver. He is best known for his role as neurosurgeon Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in Grey's Anatomy. He had early success as an actor, starring in a number of films in the 1980s, including Can't Buy Me Love (1987) and Loverboy (1989). In the 1990s, he mostly appeared in smaller roles in film, such as Outbreak (1995) and television. Dempsey was also in Scream 3 (2000) where he played the role of Detective Mark Kincaid. He was successful in landing a lead role in Sweet Home Alabama (2002), a surprise box office hit. He has since starred in other films, including Brother Bear 2 (2006), Enchanted (2007), Made of Honor (2008), Valentine's Day (2010), Flypaper (2011), Freedom Writers (2007), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016). Dempsey, who maintains a sports car and vintage car collection, also enjoys auto racing in his spare time. He has competed in pro-am events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car race, and Ensenada SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. Prior to the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dempsey declared that he would "walk away" from acting if he could and dedicate himself full-time to motorsports.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 13, 1966 (60)
From
Lewiston, Maine, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer and director
Titles
55 on Motif · 80 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 16% in 30 days

What are Patrick Dempsey's films like?

Across their 48 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy21 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
28%
Self
27%
Morality
17%
Survival
11%
Society
9%
Power
7%
Ideas
0%
Romantic love16 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth8 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 42 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 24 · Serious 12 · Dark 6

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 24 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 19 · Charged 16 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 23 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 12

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 20 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 5

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 26 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 35 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

30 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 15 of 30 analyzed roles.

Hero
15 of 30
Ally
4 of 30
Shadow
4 of 30
Trickster
3 of 30
Shapeshifter
3 of 30
Mentor
1 of 30
Show the 30 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Warm
13
Melancholic
15
Joyful
12
Hopeful
13
Other
53

How their films linger

Feel-good17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet19
  • Ambiguous10
  • Other2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Patrick Dempsey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 40 of their 55 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Patrick Dempsey's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

80 credits, 55 with a Motif page; 27 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Threshold(2026)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Memory of a Killer(2026)

    Show 10 episodes · as Angelo Doyle

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Dexter: Original Sin(2024)

    Show 10 episodes · as Aaron Spencer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Ferrari(2023)

    as Piero Taruffi

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Thanksgiving(2023)

    as Sheriff Eric Newlon

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Disenchanted(2022)

    as Robert Philip

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • SurrealEstate(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Quincy

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Devils(2020)

    Show 18 episodes · as Dominic Morgan

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Art of Racing in the Rain(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Hurley(2019)

    Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · as Harry Quebert

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Red Nose Day Actually (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    as (US version)

  • Bridget Jones's Baby(2016)

    as Jack

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Flypaper(2011)

    Producer · as Tripp

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon(2011)

    as Dylan

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Boys of Bonneville: Racing on a Ribbon of Salt(2011)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Valentine's Day(2010)

    as Harrison Copeland

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Made of Honor(2008)

    as Tom

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Enchanted(2007)

    as Robert Philip

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Private Practice(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Derek Shepherd

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Freedom Writers(2007)

    as Scott Casey

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Brother Bear 2(2006)

    as Kenai (voice)

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 248 episodes · as Derek Shepherd

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Iron Jawed Angels(2004)

    as Ben Weissman

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Karen Sisco (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lucky 7 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    as Peter Connor

  • The Emperor's Club(2002)

    as Older Louis Masoudi

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Sweet Home Alabama(2002)

    as Andrew Hennings

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Caroline Rhea Show (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Revealed with Jules Asner (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Blonde (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Cass

  • Scream 3(2000)

    as Mark Kincaid

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Once and Again (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

  • Me and Will(1999)

    as Fast Eddie

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice) · as Patrick Dempsey (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Bible Collection: Jeremiah(1998)

    as Jeremiah

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Life in the Fast Lane(1998)

    as The Stranger

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Crime and Punishment (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Rodya Raskolnikov

  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 3 episodes · as Matthew

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • The Treat(1998)

    as Mike

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Denial(1998)

    as Sam

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Escape (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Clayton

  • Ava's Magical Adventure(1994)

    Director · as Jeffrey

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Hugo Pool(1997)

    as Floyd Gaylen

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Pierre Arronax

  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 3 episodes · as Dr. Paul Stewart

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • E! True Hollywood Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • A Season in Purgatory (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    as Harrison Burns

  • A Season in Purgatory (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Harrison Burns

  • The Right to Remain Silent(1996)

    as Tom Harris

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Bloodknot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    as Tom

  • Outbreak(1995)

    as Jimbo Scott

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • With Honors(1994)

    as Everett Calloway

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Bank Robber(1993)

    as Billy

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • J.F.K.: Reckless Youth(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as John F. Kennedy

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Face the Music(1993)

    as Charlie Hunter

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • For Better and for Worse(1992)

    as Robert Faldo

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Mobsters(1991)

    as Meyer Lansky

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The General Motors Playwrights Theater (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as James

  • Run(1991)

    as Charlie Farrow

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Word (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Coupe de Ville (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    as Robert 'Bobby' Libner

  • The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as The Plant

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Happy Together(1989)

    as Chris Wooden

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Loverboy(1989)

    as Randy Bodek

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Some Girls(1988)

    as Michael

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • In a Shallow Grave(1988)

    as Potter Daventry

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Out of This World (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Associate Producer

  • In the Mood(1987)

    as Ellsworth "Sonny" Wisecarver

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Can't Buy Me Love(1987)

    as Ronald Miller

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Meatballs III: Summer Job(1986)

    as Rudy

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • A Fighting Choice (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    as Kellin Taylor

  • Fast Times (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 7 episodes · as Mike Damone

  • The Stuff(1985)

    as Underground Stuff Buyer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Heaven Help Us(1985)

    as Corbet

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • American Playhouse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Potter Daventry

  • Entertainment Tonight (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Nightline (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Household Guide to Dying (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 80 titles, 79 of them dated from 1980 to 2026; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

$1.1B worldwide

Highest rated

Freedom Writers (2007)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Grey's Anatomy (2005)

Film career

MilestoneAward win
19802026

Peak 2007 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 21 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting76 of 80: 74 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thDirecting1 of 80: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing5 of 80: 4 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s16 · 15 acting · 1 crew1990s31 · 31 acting · 1 crew2000s15 · acting2010s9 · 7 acting · 3 crew2020s8 · 7 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 35% of 31 roles
8590000515

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Screen Actors Guild Award from 7 major nominations, 2001–2008.

WinNomination
  1. 2008
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  2. 2007
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  3. 2006
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  4. 2001
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Patrick Dempsey's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 48th percentile, the median of all 43; across their 42 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 42

Midcredits score across 55 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

23 of their 55 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic4
  • Crowd Pleaser23
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · actor, director

Ava's Magical Adventure (1994)

91st percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Freedom Writers (2007)

Midcredits 96th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 33 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Patrick Dempsey's work okay for kids?

Across up to 24 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore18 titles10–84 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity24 titles12–61 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity19 titles14–87 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs16 titles11–53 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense16 titles7–78 · median 45 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Patrick Dempsey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Patrick Dempsey's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Neal H. Moritz shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles