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Patrick Dempsey Has Never Been ‘Comfortable’ in George Clooney’s Shadow: They’re ‘Intense’ Competitors
Patrick Dempsey is embracing his silver-fox status more than ever these days, an insider exclusively tells Closer, adding that the actor is on a mission to outshine longtime frenemy George Clooney after years of living in the former ER star’s shadow.
For years, the 63-year-old Oscar winner, who played Dr. Doug Ross on NBC’s ER from 1994 to 1999, has been compared to the Grey’s Anatomy star, 58 — from their roles on their respective medical dramas to their exceptionally good looks.
“Patrick and George are intense but friendly competitors, and it’s been like that between them for decades now,” says a source of the situation. “Even though some people mistake them for being members of separate generations, there’s only a five-year age difference there, and Patrick and George were competitors from a very early age, with Patrick initially having the much hotter career when they were in their 20s.”
Adds the insider, “Of course, George leaped ahead when ER made him a superstar, and when Patrick took up his own TV doctor role in Grey’s Anatomy a few years later, he welcomed the comparisons to George and actually used them to his advantage to build his own brand.”
Like George’s dip into the liquor business — in 2013, the Ticket to Paradise actor cofounded Casamigos Tequila with Rande Gerber and Michael Meldman — Patrick “faces a lot of skepticism when he went all-in on motorsports,” the source says of Patrick’s auto-racing aspirations.
The actor has competed in events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 at Daytona as well as the Ensenada SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race.
“Over the last seven years,” the insider notes, “Patrick’s racing efforts have paid off, and he’s become something of an elder statesman in the sport, especially in Europe.”
Still, it hasn’t always been easy for Patrick to go head-to-head with George’s superstardom. “I can’t say that [Patrick has] ever been completely comfortable running in George’s shadow, and especially when it comes to acting, Patrick has more he wants to do and is at the right age to make that happen,” including the upcoming Dexter prequel series Original Sin, the source says.
“Patrick’s doing that again right now as he finally gets back into U.S. television with his new role in the Dexter franchise plus his very lucrative side businesses in the racing world,” the insider adds.
It was announced in June that Patrick has joined the Paramount+ Showtime show as a series regular alongside actor Christian Slater. Christian will play Harry Morgan, and Patrick will portray Aaron Spencer, the captain of the Miami Metro Homicide who has a decades-long relationship with Morgan.
Should George be watching his back? “Everybody knows he has an insecure streak, even if he laughs it off most of the time,” the source says. “Patrick is looking to make more movies, and he’s ready to rebrand himself as an aspirational figure for men on the doorstep of turning 60. Don’t count this guy out because whenever he puts his mind to something, he usually gets a big result!”
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