Patrick Dempsey Named People's Sexiest Man Alive 2023

Patrick Dempsey attends a red carpet for the movie "Ferrari" at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2023 in Venice, Italy. — (Image credit: Getty)

After a decades-long acting career, Patrick Dempsey has finally been named People's Sexiest Man Alive for 2023, taking over from 2022's Chris Evans.

Dr. McDreamy responded to the fun news in the sweetest way.

"I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life," he told People. "It’s nice to have the recognition, and certainly my ego takes a little bump, but it gives me the platform to use it for something positive."

This "something positive" is namely the Dempsey Center, which works to support those living with cancer and their loved ones—and which he founded in his late mother's memory.

Asked how he reacted when he first learned he was being given this honor, Dempsey joked, "I was completely shocked, and then I started laughing, like, this is a joke, right? I’ve always been the bridesmaid!"

This choice of idiom is an especially funny one if you consider the actor's iconic role in 2008's Made of Honor, in which he acted as his best friend's "maid of honor" although he was in love with her.

"I’d completely forgotten about it and never even contemplated being in this position. So my ego is good," the Grey's Anatomy star added.

He also commented on his kids' impending reaction, saying they are "just going to make fun of me and pick on me and figure out every reason why I shouldn’t be. Which is good, they keep me young."

The actor and wife Jillian, a makeup artist, share daughter Talula, 21, and twins Sullivan and Darby, 16.

Dempsey joked that he's really leaning into the new title, saying, "I’ve got the bumper stickers, t-shirts, posters."

But, at 57, he doesn't consider this his peak. "I peaked many years ago," he said. "But I’m still here." Yeah he is!

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.