Grey’s Anatomy: Producers reveal Patrick Dempsey was a terror on set before his exit

Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd on the long-running Grey’s Anatomy was nicknamed “McDreamy” due to the actor’s TV-ready good looks and his fan-favorite pairing with the series’ main character Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). Dempsey appeared on Grey’s for eleven seasons before his character was shockingly killed off and now new details have been unearthed about Dempsey’s exit the reveal that, despite that nickname, he was no dream to work with during those final days.

Author Lynette rice has written a book called “How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey’s Anatomy” that examines the long history of the popular series. One chapter focuses on the importance of Derek’s character and his relationship with Meredith but it then segues into details regarding Dempsey’s exit from the show. According to the book, it was HR issues that stemmed from his behavior on set that brought about the decision to have him leave the show. The book interviews former executive producers James D. Parriott and Jeannine Renshaw to back up these claims and, even though the issues weren’t sexual in nature in any way, they certainly paint a portrait of Dempsey as someone who was growing tired of the show and became a detriment on set because he desperately wanted out. Here is what Parriott and Renshaw had to say below:

Parriott: “He sort of was terrorizing the set. Some cast members had all sorts of PTSD with him. He had this hold on the set where he knew he could stop production and scare people. The network and studio came down and we had sessions with them. I think he was just done with the show. He didn’t like the inconvenience of coming in every day and working. He and Shonda were at each other’s throats.”

Renshaw: “There were times where Ellen was frustrated with Patrick and she would get angry that he wasn’t working as much. She was very big on having things be fair. She just didn’t like that Patrick would complain that “I’m here too late” or “I’ve been here too long” when she had twice as many scenes in the episode as he did. When I brought it up to Patrick, I would say, “Look around you. These people have been here since six thirty a.m.” He would go, “Oh, yeah.” He would get it. It’s just that actors tend to see things from their own perspective. He’s like a kid. He’s so high energy and would go, “What’s happening next?” He literally goes out of his skin, sitting and waiting. He wants to be out driving his race car or doing something fun. He’s the kid in class who wants to go to recess.”

Dempsey appeared as Derek Shepherd in well over 200 consecutive episodes and when his exit was announced in 2015, the actor explained that he was tired of the rigorous filming schedule and wanted to focus on other projects. He gave the diplomatic TV answer that most performers give when they leave a long-running series and while that may have pleased the general public, fans of Grey’s Anatomy knew there was more at play here. This depiction of him painted in the book has been the subject of murmurs since it was announced that he was leaving. The decision to kill him off only added to the rumors that he wasn’t leaving on the best of terms.

In fairness to Dempsey, other quotes from the book from those involved with the show at the time, paint the actor in a slightly more favorable light. Some note that he’d long felt frustrated with the show and the actor himself admits that he had thought about leaving along with Sandra Oh a few years earlier. Despite the alleged tension surrounding his exit, things must have been worked out in the years since because Dempsey recently reprised the role of Derek in a high-profile guest arc that had him returning in Meredith’s dreams as she recovered from a life-threatening case of COVID-19. Perhaps time and space allowed some of that tension to become a distant memory.

What are YOUR thoughts about the claims regarding Patrick Dempsey’s behavior on Grey’s Anatomy before his exit?