What's Next For Patrick Dempsey?

Warning: Grey's Anatomy spoilers ahead! If you're a fan of Grey's Anatomy, chances are high that you are devastated right now, and you have my sympathies. For those who are just tuning in, the 11 seasons running show just killed off a major character, Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepard. And McDreamy lovers are understandably upset. Sadly, no one can bring Patrick Dempsey's character back to life on the show, but perhaps there will be some level of consolation in knowing that post-Grey's Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey is planning on bringing new characters to life.

Dempsey revealed that he already has two projects lined up, in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly. One project he has on the horizon is a drama called The Limit. It will be for SundanceTV, and he describes the work as “Mad Men in the racing world in the 1960s.” Another project he has coming up is a travelogue spy thriller called Fodors.

And Dempsey's future plans don't just include acting. He also revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he is interested in developing and doing work as a producer. Work aside, he seems to also want to pay more attention to his personal life. He wants to focus more on racing, along with, of course, taking care of his family. So the actor obviously has a lot mapped out for his future, even with Grey's no longer in the mix. It could potentially be a positive thing career-wise for him. But is Hollywood ready for this big change in his future plans?

Dempsey is clearly ready to move on, and he is not shy about admitting that and explaining where his priorities lie right now. But at the same time, he seems to realize that Hollywood may have some difficulty accepting his change of path right away. He told Entertainment Weekly,

I want to try something different. But will I be allowed to do something different? Is Derek so identifiable that I can’t go on and be someone else? That will be the challenge. To see if people embrace me as someone else.

Dempsey is not alone with being typecast. When you play a certain character for so long — and the character is as beloved as McDreamy — people begin to identify you with the character and may have trouble separating you from the role. Take Jennifer Aniston's Rachel Green character, for example. Hopefully Dempsey fans will be comforted by the fact that he has other acting opportunities lined up. But at the same time, the fans may be too hurt by the character's death now to even consider what he would be like playing another role, let alone producing and developing. After all, some are threatening to cease watching the show altogether in his absence.

And Dempsey gets how emotionally hard-hitting it will be for them. He said,

People don’t want to lose him. He’s been in their lives for over 10 years. But it goes on, and it will evolve.

Let's hope it does!

Image: Getty Images