Interview for People Magazine

Ina recent interview for People, Patrick Dempsey discusses how his mom’s cancer woke him up to the impact the disease has on the family, Scream 7 talks and working on Dexter: Original Sin.

When talking about the Dempsey Center, Patrick Dempsey always says that his mom’s cancer diagnosis is what started it all. In this new interview, the actor speaks up about her diagnosis and how his family was impacted:

“My mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the late nineties, and she had over 12 re-occurrences over 17 years, and passed away in 2014. So that really woke me up to the impact it has on a family.”

He goes on explaining that he “felt helpless” and “wanted to be able to contribute in some way”. That is why it comes as no surprise that he is joining forces with Pfizer and the American Cancer Society in the “Change the Odds: Uniting to Improve Cancer Outcomes” initiative, which addresses cancer care disparities and aims at improving health outcomes in underserved communities across the United States.

“I think people need the support. There needs to be a sense of community, and we need to be able to talk about this openly without any shame, and to be loving and supportive to people that we come in contact with who have a cancer diagnosis — and also the family. The whole family is impacted, and they need to be understood, and they need to be cared for as well.”

“I grew up in a small town in Maine, a rural community, and this really spoke to me. It’s like, how can we get the messaging out there to encourage people to get screened, [despite] the barriers that come up. Especially in the remote areas, it’s almost like a medical desert. You can drive two, three hours to get to a hospital. … That’s a very long period of time. The irony is that you’re called a patient because you have to be patient. So I think it’s all part of our plan. We work from prevention into survivorship and everything in between, while also supporting caregivers and children… And with the American Cancer Society, they have rides, so if you can’t get yourself to a hospital or a clinic, there are opportunities there. If you need a place to stay, there’s a place to stay. There’s so much information on their website that can be helpful and remove those barriers.”

He also opens up about his own health and emphasises the fact that people are their own best advocate:

“The numbers are just staggering that one in three women will have a diagnosis in their lifetime and one in two men will. You can have a long life if you get the screening done. I had one of mine done this week, and I have one coming up in a month.”

“Listen to yourself. I think people need to listen to their body. They know what is right for them. Keep asking the questions and listen to yourself, and then find out what’s best for you — you’re your own best advocate. You understand your body, you have instincts, so you got to listen to that voice and see where that takes you.”

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Later on, Patrick Dempsey reveals that there has been talks about his possible return to the Scream franchise. The actor first appeared as Detective Mark Kincaid in Scream 3 (2000).

“Well, they’ve been talking to me about it, and I think they’re still working on the script. And, of course, Neve [Campbell] has signed on, so I think we’ll see. I’m waiting to read the script and to see if it actually goes. In this business, you never know what’s going to happen. But if the opportunity opens itself up and it becomes a reality, then I’ll definitely take it seriously.”

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In a third part, the actor shares his experience of working on Dexter: Original Sin.

“It’s going great. … I’ve had a great time working on it. The culture within the filming itself has been one of great celebration, joy and fun. […] It is an ensemble, so we all have our days where we’re carrying the workload, and then we have some time off to balance our life. It’s a wonderful, really safe, creative environment, and Clyde Phillips, our creator, has created a beautiful culture for us to work in that’s really collaborative.”

He also reflects on what it is like to be in the industry for so long and especially after the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

“I think coming out of the strike, we’re all truly grateful that we have employment, because the business hasn’t really come back to where it was before. I’m just really grateful to have a job, and I’m really enjoying it. We’ve been in the business long enough now, over 30 years, where we really appreciate it and look at it differently.”