Back in September 2023, when he was in Venice for the film festival, Patrick Dempsey gave an interview to a German newspaper, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Read the translation below.
“I found my home on the racetrack”
Venice in September 2023. The man who will be named “Sexiest Man Alive” a few weeks later is sitting under a pergola made of wisteria: tanned, white polo shirt and dark blue trousers, a hint of stubble on his face, black sunglasses. Plus thick gray, slightly rebellious hair. An exquisite hotel within sight of the Doge’s Palace, and Patrick Dempsey doesn’t seem to be aware of how well he fits into this setting with his nonchalance. In any case, it comes effortlessly for the 58-year-old. His greeting is warm, he exudes naturalness, character, openness. And he wants to talk. After all, it’s about a heartfelt project that premiered at the Lido as part of the Venice Film Festival and in which the screen favorite plays a supporting role. Yes, a supporting role. The main role of Enzo Ferrari in this biopic, directed with force and elegance by Michael Mann, is played by Adam Driver, who also argues with his film wife Penélope Cruz. But Dempsey is the one who drives. And motor racing is his passion. Just as the world of television learned to love the actor as “McDreamy” in Grey’s Anatomy, he fell deeply in love with racing. Since 2006, he has owned his own racing team, Dempsey Racing, and competes in international races. So, Ferrari is the perfect opportunity to get to know a side of this McDreamy/Sexiest Man Alive that might reveal a lot about him.
Mr. Dempsey, is a film called Ferrari only for die-hard Formula 1 fans or also for someone who knows nothing about motor racing?
Of course! It’s not just about the races, but also about the personal stories behind them: the battles that a team boss fights, the huge amounts of money that this sport consumes, but also the glamor and the romance – precisely because this sport is so dangerous. For me, this film was a dream because it combines what I love most: motorsports and film. That’s why I literally begged Michael Mann to be allowed to be there, even though I’m actually too old to be a professional race car driver.
You now play Piero Taruffi, a gentleman driver who, at the age of 50 and with white hair, achieved memorable victories, for example in the Mille Miglia.
And I was allowed to drive my own car! I sometimes sat in the cockpit for 15 hours a day or hung out with the stunt drivers. That was heaven on earth for me.
Was the white hair real?
I was first told to wear a wig and then my hair was dyed. But then they started falling off because I was always wearing a helmet. Towards the end of the shoot I had almost only a fringe of hair left and looked like a tonsured monk. But that was also part of the fun, changing physically. For me it was the smallest role I’ve played in a long time, but the biggest role I’ve ever had in my life. It was perfect.
Weren’t you worried about your hair? That’s your trademark!
I was already thinking about doing a remake of Kojak (laughs)…
… The crime series from the 1970s about a bald police officer…
… But I don’t have his distinctive skull.
Can you tell us when and how your passion for cars and racing came about? What was your first contact with this world?
To be honest, I never wanted to be an actor. I was determined to become a ski racer; I even won the slalom championship in my native Maine. My great idol was the Swede Ingemar Stenmark. One day, when I read that he rode a unicycle in the summer to train his balance, I wanted to do the same thing. And I worked for weeks to save up the money for it.
Which job did you fulfill your dream with?
Back then I sold seeds for flowers and plants. I think I rang every doorbell in the state of Maine to sell my goods and finally be able to order the unicycle from the catalog (laughs). When it finally arrived, I of course drove around non-stop with it. At some point a troupe was passing through our city, they saw me and asked: “Do you want to join us?” So I started to perform – and that was it.
So you only got into acting by chance.
Exactly. My first great love was always racing. I inherited that from my father; he bought me the first matchbox cars and I always watched ski and car races with him on TV.
What does your wife Jillian think of your “first great love”? Did she always have patience for your hobby?
Well, when we started dating, she quickly got tired of spending Sundays on the sofa with me to watch Formula 1 races. So for my birthday she gave me a three-day introductory racing course with Skip Barber, a great American racing veteran. But with that she opened Pandora’s box!
And she shot herself in the foot!
(laughs) When I started racing cars, I immersed myself deeper and deeper into the subject. That coincided with the start of Grey’s Anatomy, the moment my career took off. But it was right there, on the racetrack, that I found my home. This is my home, this is my world and far away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood.
Not the film industry?
I never felt completely comfortable in the film industry. I never felt like I really belonged. It’s something completely different on the racetrack, with the camaraderie and solidarity.
Isn’t this “home” more of a tough place where supposed comrades push each other off the track?
Well, you can feel the deep connection and brotherhood between drivers when you sit with a team at dinner and laugh. It’s like an invisible bond. Nothing is more exciting than competing in a fair competition, wanting to get down on the race track and then giving each other a warm hug at the finish. These experiences are priceless, and they shape you for the rest of your life.
Racing and adrenaline – can you explain this rush? What attracts you to flirting with danger? Is there something appealing in playing with death?
No, that is a prejudice and totally wrong. Too much adrenaline could kill you in a race car! It’s not about the thrill or the risk at all. In the cockpit, what counts during an overtaking maneuver is precision, knowing when to push the limit and when to shift down or up a gear to get the most out of the engine.
Did you ever stop racing?
Yes, in 2015. At that time I had achieved my goal in racing: to be on the podium at Le Mans once, and I had achieved that. I came second. Therefore, the effort and sacrifices that this sport demanded, especially from my family, were no longer compatible with my conscience. I wanted to spend more time with Jillian and my children, who had so often missed me. And because I had also achieved my sporting goals, my motivation dwindled.
In 2015 you also spoke of a major marital crisis, even divorce. You have now been married for almost 25 years. Did you miss anything about racing?
When I went to the classic Road America racetrack for a test drive last August, it felt like I was coming home again after a long time. As soon as you get back in, it’s like you never stopped. You are gripped by this old addiction like a junkie, the chemistry in your brain changes, you are mentally concentrated, as if you were in a tunnel, and you find complete inner peace.
Peace?! Isn’t racing at 300 km/h or more rather exciting or stimulating?
Peace is the most important thing for me. Yes, really: racing calms the mind and allows for deep concentration. This is particularly true for people with ADHD, which many racing drivers have: their senses are sharpened, they perceive the track, they see the big picture and yet every detail. Endurance racing is so stimulating – there’s nothing better. You become one with the vehicle. It becomes an expansion of the mind, of feeling. You transfer what you feel to the car through your hands. It’s like you’re merging with the vehicle.
Like skiing: all you think about is the next turn?
That’s it! Skiing is the perfect comparison, especially slalom. It’s about skill, flexibility, rhythm. And focus.
Do you also experience this intensity, this joy, this kick in acting?
No. This happens much less often and when it does, it only happens with outstanding filmmakers. It has only happened to me twice: once here with Michael Mann.
What did you find outstanding about working with a master director like Mann?
We have known each other for a long time, through car racing and other events. Yes, our shared passion for engines brought us together. I have known about this film project for 15 years, so we kept talking about it. When I heard that he was actually making Ferrari, I called him immediately. The main thing was that I wanted to be part of it even if ut was just as an assistant. The man is even more impressive on set than he is in life. First of all, because at over 80 years old, his mind is as sharp as others are at 20. Then he taught me patience. Because he repeats every take up to 20 times.
Do you have a favorite Formula 1 driver and racetrack?
I know many of them personally, so I like many of them. Through my connection to Red Bull and Tag Heuer, I have witnessed Max Verstappen’s rise up close. I admire Fernando Alonso’s versatility. The dedication and sacrifices each of them makes deserve deep respect. So it’s hard for me to single one out. From Fangio to Senna and of course Michael Schumacher, they have all written their own history and deserve admiration.
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