How Patrick Dempsey's Kids Feel About His McDreamy Reputation

Grey's Anatomy Patrick Dempsey Derek McDreamy Shepherd ABC
(Image credit: Adam Taylor / ABC)

How do Patrick Dempsey’s kids feel about his McDreamy reputation? They are taking it in stride and having a little fun with their dad in the process, according to Dempsey. The actor hit pop culture phenomenon status as Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd on Grey’s Anatomy. The series debuted in 2005, and his on-screen nickname of McDreamy has made a lasting impression both on and off-screen.

After eleven seasons on the medical drama, Patrick Dempsey left in 2015. A moniker like McDreamy will never fade, though. So, his kids have had to deal with the unusual side effects of the world calling their dad dreamy! Dempsey revealed how his three kids handle his McDreamy reputation, telling ET:

Oh yeah, they make fun of me. They don't let me take my stuff too seriously, which is good. I mean, I'm just Dad, so... either you're 'Cool Dad' or not. It depends on where they're at in their development and age. Yeah, it's funny.

Patrick Dempsey’s kids are at different stages in their lives, dealing with their dad’s McDreamy-ness. The former Grey’s Anatomy star’s oldest child is a teenager, while the others are on the verge of their teen years. Dempsey’s daughter Tallula is 17-years-old, while his twin sons Sullivan and Darby are 12.

When your dad is a TV star and his being dreamy merits a nickname, you have a unique set of things to deal with. It sounds like Patrick Dempsey’s kids have found the humorous side in teasing their dad about it. He seems to also be handling it well. Dempsey points out that his kids do not let him take himself too seriously.

It has been a while since Patrick Dempsey was on Grey’s Anatomy. However, re-runs and Netflix streams have helped immortalize his time on the drama and kept it current. Who needs an entire episode to remember all that was McDreamy? Sometimes a recap video is enough to recall what has been lost since Dempsey exited the show.

Patrick Dempsey has remained active since leaving the long-running series. Fans are still having a tough time adjusting to Grey’s Anatomy without Derek/McDreamy. Derek’s wife, Meredith, has been trying to move on. Her post-McDreamy relationship with DeLuca has been met with its share of detractors.

To think that Patrick Dempsey could have missed out on playing McDreamy! Rob Lowe previously opened up about the millions he believes he lost because he turned down the role.

How would Rob Lowe’s kids have handled his being one of the most famous television docs? We will never know. Of course, Grey’s Anatomy is not going anywhere any time soon, so he could theoretically scrub in at any minute. As for Patrick Dempsey, his days on the medical drama are over. His McDreamy reputation will continue to live on!

You can currently stream Patrick Dempsey’s time as McDreamy during Grey’s Anatomy’s past seasons on Netflix, along with upcoming premieres. Grey’s Anatomy will return among many other fall premieres. Season 16 premieres Thursday, September 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Britt Lawrence

Like a contented Hallmark movie character, Britt happily lives in the same city she grew up in. Along with movies and television, she is passionate about competitive figure skating. She has been writing about entertainment for 5 years, and as you may suspect, still finds it as entertaining to do as when she began.