Why did Patrick Dempsey leave Grey's Anatomy?
Patrick Dempsey left Grey's Anatomy back in 2015, before making a return cameo appearance in 2021. The actor, who played Derek Shepherd AKA McDreamy was a beloved fan favorite – with many devastated by his exit which saw him (spoiler alert in case you haven't yet watched) die following medical incompetency after a car accident.
Although fans were sad to see him go, the truth surrounding his exit was much more controversial, which is detailed in Lynette Rice's book, How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy. Speaking about the situation, former executive producer James D. Parriott admitted that there were "HR issues", adding: "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."
Patrick spoke about the situation himself, explaining: "Doing [a complicated schedule] for 11 years is challenging. But you have to be grateful, because you’re well compensated, so you can’t really complain because you don’t really have a right… It [was] hard to say no to that kind of money. How do you say no to that?
"It’s remarkable to be a working actor, and then on top of that to be on a show that’s visible. And then on top of that to be on a phenomenal show that’s known around the world, and play a character who is beloved around the world."
According to the book, Patrick was ultimately written out of the show after the show's creator Shonda Rhimes threatened to leave if he didn't.
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Patrick later admitted that his return to the show was a "healing process". He made a cameo as Derek to raise awareness on social distancing and wearing a mask during the COVID pandemic. He explained: " I think the whole atmosphere has changed, certainly working at the beach, and seeing everybody again was really a very healing process, and really rewarding, and a lot of fun."
Ellen Pompeo added: "I think we had the same idea, at the core, to want to help people and bring a smile to people’s faces. So, he loved the idea, and we were just so excited, and we had a ball filming it."
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