Actor Patrick Dempsey, widely recognized as Derek Shepherd, or 'McDreamy,' from the popular medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," has been crowned People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' for the year 2023. Dempsey takes over the title from last year's winner, Marvel star Chris Evans.
The 57-year-old actor, renowned for his roles in the "Enchanted" film franchise and "Made of Honor," has achieved this recognition more than three decades into his Hollywood career. In response, Dempsey stated, "I'm glad it's happening at this point in my life. It's nice to have the recognition, and certainly my ego takes a little bump, but it gives me the platform to use it for something positive," in an interview with the American publication.
The announcement was made on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday night. Dempsey, who is also a race car driver, will soon return to the silver screen in the biopic "Ferrari," directed by Michael Mann, where he will portray Piero Taruffi, an Italian Formula One driver. Notably, the film received a waiver from SAG-AFTRA amid an ongoing strike by the actors' body against studios and streaming services.
"I'd been following the movie for years, so I called Michael and said, 'I want to discuss being a part of this.' That taught me if you really want something, you have to do it yourself," added Dempsey.
Beyond his acting career, Dempsey founded the Dempsey Center, an organization based in Maine that provides support to cancer patients and their families, established in memory of his late mother, Amanda.
Previous recipients of People's 'Sexiest Man Alive' title include Paul Rudd, Michael B. Jordan, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Legend, Idris Elba, Chris Hemsworth, and Channing Tatum.