It has been almost two decades since Patrick Dempsey hit the small screen as neurosurgeon Derek on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.”

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His status as a heartthrob created such a frenzy among his fans that he graced many magazine covers over the years. Now he takes the “crown” of the sexiest man alive, according to “People”.

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I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life,” the 57-year-old actor from Maine tells the magazine. “It’s nice to have the recognition and it definitely takes a bit of a hit on my ego, but it gives me the stepping stone to use it for something positive».

Closer to his heart is the Dempsey Center, which he founded in honor of his blessed mother, to support cancer patients and their loved ones.

The most important “asset” in his life, he says, is his family, his wife Jillian and their children, Talula and 16-year-old twins Sullivan and Darby.

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As for his award as… “sexy man” for 2023, probably, it was something he didn’t expect. “I never thought I would be in this position. So my ego is running at a good level“, he says smiling.

When asked how his children will react to this particular… title, Dempsey insists that “they’ll just make fun of me and tease me and find every reason why I shouldn’t be the sexiest man alive“, he says. “Which is good, they keep me young».

In December, he’ll show off his racing skills in the Michael Mann-directed biopic “Ferrari” (which received an interim deal from SAG-AFTRA amid the actors’ strike), playing Italian driver Piero Taruffi. The film taught him a lesson in risk-taking, but off the track.

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I had been watching the movie for years, so I called Michael and said, “I want to talk about being in this.”,” Dempsey recalls. “This taught me that if you really want something, you have to do it yourself».

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Now the actor is learning that good things really do come to those who wait. “I have the stickers, the t-shirts, the posters,” he jokes about his new title. Does this mean he has reached his peak? “I have been at my peak for many years“, he says laughing. “But I’m still here».

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