Interview & Photoshoot for Haute Living

Back in August, Jillian Dempsey teased an upcoming photoshoot for Haute Living by sharing a behind the scenes photo of Patrick on her Instagram story. Good news, the photoshoot is finally available along with a delightful interview of Patrick.

In this recent interview, Patrick Dempsey opens up about his career, his vision of life, his work with the Dempsey Center and racing.

The actor starts by addressing his new role in Dexter: Original Sin (premieres December 13 on Paramount+) where he plays Captain Aaron Spencer. In a previous interview with Entertainment Weekly, he explained that he prepared for the role by watching tapes from the 70s and also shared how the look for the character came to be. Now talking to Haute Living, Patrick reveals that he also watched the first season of the original show.

“I don’t think I’ve ever played a detective before, plus the show itself has so much more edge than what I’ve done in the past. [Aaron] oversees all investigations; that’s my role. I’ve had a long-standing relationship with Dexter’s father, Harry, a homicide detective, that goes back to the very beginning of my career; we do flashbacks from the 1970s up until present day, which is 1991. I’ve known Dexter since he was a baby.”

Patrick also gives more details about what viewers and fans can expect from the prequel.

“Tonally, we’re very similar to the original. There’s a darkness to it, but at the same time, a sort of gallows humor as well — and more humor than you might expect. Plus, all of the original characters are revisited at the very beginning, and I think the way we get into it will be very satisfying for hardcore fans. This, is the origin story. It’s where the Dark Passenger visits for the first time; Dexter’s whole backstory — why he is and who he is.”

As for his time on the show, he says: “I’m having a great time. I like my character, which is why I ended up taking [the role]. Plus, I think this is the first time I’ve worked in Los Angeles in the last 10 years — everything else has been overseas or in Canada.”

The interview moves on to the film industry and his career in general. The thespian is aware that last year’s strike (SAG-AFTRA strike of 2023) has made things more or less difficult for actors lately: “A lot of things have been pushed to 2025, and I think that people are really grateful to be working because there’s not a lot going on right now. We’re still recovering from the strike, and there’s also a realignment with a lot of the streaming services and networks. It’s been very quiet, but I’ve been able to keep busy.”

He looks back on his career: what he has done, where it is at now and where he would like to see it going.

 “I certainly think the first part of my career was focused on playing the leading man, but I’m transitioning into a different lane, where I’m doing more character-driven stuff. I would love to be able to do more romantic comedies, but they’re much harder to find these days. When I started my career, it was all about romantic comedies. And now, what? We’ve seen maybe one or two in the last year. I think it would be nice to be able to do something that’s based on a sophisticated, older romance. But at the same time, it’s fun playing these darker characters, or a different type of character, to stretch myself as an actor. Though I do have to say, McDreamy had a huge impact. There are a lot of people who started watching that show who have gone into medical school and come out the other side as doctors or nurses — and to me, that is the most rewarding part of the entire experience.”

He reveals that he is happy with being in the here and now i.e. filming Dexter: Original Sin, producing and more.

“I’ve produced a few documentaries, and I’m working on another one. Writing and directing truly aren’t focuses; I’d much rather produce at this point. [That being said], honestly, I’m really having a great time on Dexter and happy to be focusing on that. I think the entire cast is very appreciative of the opportunity that we have, as is the crew. We’re in a time right now where people are struggling to work, and we’re very fortunate in coming out of the strike to have a project this good, this fun. I’m really loving the culture that I’m in. And so, moving forward, that’s what I want to look for in all of my future projects. Who am I working with? What’s the material? Is it challenging? Where does it shoot? So, we’ll see. I feel like I’m entering into a different chapter in my career, so I can only hope that I get the opportunity do more things like Ferrari, like Thanksgiving, like Dexter, where each character is slightly different. And if there’s a good romantic comedy that could come along, that would be great, too.”

With People‘s next Sexiest Man Alive about to be crowned it was impossible not to ask Patrick his opinion on who should be next and his thoughts on getting the title last year. According to him, Will Ferrell should be the next Sexiest Man Alive: “I support him wholeheartedly. I think he should get it; I really do. I think there is a sexiness in his wicked sense of humor.” Nearly a year after getting the title, he still finds himself surprised but appreciative nonetheless and he shares his secrets:

“At this point in my career, to get that kind of attention was very good for my ego. It definitely boosted my confidence, especially at 58, because your body changes — you’re aware of it — and it takes that much more work to stay in shape. But honestly, it’s not something I can take too seriously or worry about, especially at my age. You have to really stay consistent with your workouts. I eat right, I don’t drink, I’m pretty healthy, and very athletic in the sense that I move around quite a bit and am always on the go. You need to keep a balance, and you need to keep moving. If you sit for too long, you lose it. Plus [my wife] keeps me looking good with all of her products.”

Later in the interview, he takes the time to reflect on life.

“There’s this great saying [courtesy of Steve Jobs]: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?’ I think, what am I going to do with it? It’s not something I think about daily, but it’s certainly something that’s on my mind as a whole. I want to make sure that I’m spending time with the right people, with the right energy, and doing the right things. If I’m going to do a project, where am I going? What am I doing? Who is it with? That type of thing. I’m a lot more thoughtful about life, because time is precious. If it’s time away from your family, are you going to learn something new, or are you going to grow from that experience? You think about life in those terms. You have such a limited amount of time on this Earth; there are people my age that I grew up with who are very sick; some of already passed on. The older you get, the thought of your own mortality gets greater, and you realize how little time you have left on the planet. You want to make the most of it, and you want to think about what you’re going to do with it that’s positive.”

The thought leads him to talk about something that is very important to him, the Dempsey Center which he founded in 2008 and was inspired by his own experience with his mom’s cancer diagnosis.

“The Dempsey Center is what I really want to be remembered for. We don’t treat the disease; we treat the person holistically, with wraparound care. There have been so many great strides made with how we treat cancer, but there’s still work to be done on how we can compassionately and empathetically treat a person, because once they’ve finished their traditional treatment, they’re sort of left alone. More and more people are beating the disease because of early detection, but they’re still not healed. This is where we can help. Giving them agency in their recovery and support while they’re going through treatment — for the patient and the caregivers — is how we do that. And that came from my mom’s journey, feeling helpless and not knowing what to do for her.”

He explains that the next step is to reach more people both nationally and internationally; the Center has now reached 32 states and 4 countries.

In the interview, Patrick also discusses his practice of Stoicism, which he has embraced for years.

“[Stoicism] really helps you deal with everything that’s being thrown at you on a daily basis, and it makes you appreciate just being where you are in that particular moment, not worrying about the past or worrying about the future; just being present in the now. One of the greatest things that comes out of Stoicism is to be of service. I think there is nothing greater or more fulfilling when you’re working with a group of people who are doing something not for themselves or for the bottom line, but the betterment of other people. There is really nothing more satisfying. I find Stoicism to be very helpful and practical in the world we live in today. Stoicism and mindfulness really help you on a daily basis; they make you appreciate being where you are in that particular moment, not worrying about the past or worrying about the future.”

The last part of the interview focuses on Patrick’s return to racing after taking a break and how it was influenced by his work on Ferrari.

“I took a little break; I had achieved my goals with what I wanted to do, and I wanted to be home with my family more. I had been working nonstop and racing, so I made a conscious effort to focus on my family at that point. [About Ferrari] It just reignited my passion for racing, and I knew then that it was a part of who I am. I felt much more alive. There was definitely a chemistry change in my brain, in my psyche, and in my focus. I felt that it was something that I needed to do.”

He shares again what he loves about racing.

“I love the camaraderie, and the mental challenge of it. You are forced to be present. It also makes me appreciate being where I am in a particular moment, not worrying about the past or the future, but being present in the now. I think that racing really does help me remember to be mindful on a daily basis. Because things will happen — it’s just your reaction and how you choose to handle it that makes the difference. In racing, there’s the ‘A’ factor, which is what you’re in control of, and the ‘B’ factor, which is out of your control. If someone runs into you and takes you out of the race, that’s not necessarily your fault. But if you run into somebody, that’s the ‘A’ factor — you caused that problem. And what I think is that all of these things are great metaphors for life.”

All the photos and videos are available here.

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