09/17/2021 11:36 AM
Clarín.com
Shows
TV
Updated 09/17/2021 3:45 PM
For eleven seasons, Patrick Dempsey was one of the most popular actors in one of the most successful series, Grey's Anatomy.
But the behind the scenes of that production was, for many, stressful and traumatic, due to his behavior.
In
journalist Lynette Rice's
book
How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy
, he
is accused of "terrorizing" his companions
on set.
Throughout its 18 seasons, the protagonists of
Grey's Anatomy
became very popular with audiences around the world who were enthusiastic about the
stories of the intern doctors
.
However, in season 11 something happened that shocked the fans of the series: the neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey, died unexpectedly.
Now it has been revealed that the real reason for the departure of one of the leading characters had to do with the attitude of the actor towards his fellow cast members.
According to Rice's book, of which
The Hollywood Reporter
publishes a preview, Dempsey's aggressive and unpleasant attitude hastened the end of his character.
Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey. The actors had a strained relationship on the set of "Grey's Anatomy."
An unexpected murder
Among the testimonies collected that appear in the book is that of executive producer James D. Parriott who explained that
problems between the actors led to Dempsey's character being murdered
in 2015 during the season 11 finale. Journalist Lynette Rice added More than 80 sources and all agree that the actor's relationship with his colleagues was strained.
"
There were personal problems. Nothing of a sexual nature
. Somehow he was terrorizing the set, some members of the cast had all kinds of PTSD with him," he says in the book.
Dempsey's character, the doctor Derek Shepherd, became the star of the series when he established a relationship with another of the protagonists, Dr. Meredith Gray, played by Ellen Pompeo.
His figure became that of the favorite television heartthrob and he, apparently, used his influence.
According to Parriott, "I
was so in control that I knew I could stop production
and scare people away."
"Grey's Anatomy", a series about doctors that became very popular.
AP Photo
The relationship with Ellen Pompeo
Another former executive producer of the show, Jeannine Renshaw, agrees with this story and assures that there was a lot of tension between Dempsey and Pompeo.
"There were times when Ellen was frustrated with Patrick and mad because he didn't care," she said.
And he adds: "She liked things to be done well and did not like
Patrick complaining about her saying that she was too late
or that he had to wait for her when she, in each episode, had twice as many scenes as he".
Once it was
Dempsey
himself
who gave clues about the climate that was lived on the set
, remembering how exhausting the days were.
"It's ten months, fifteen hours a day, you never know what your schedule is, so your son asks you: What are you going to do on Monday? And you say, I don't know, because you don't know the schedule. Do that for eleven years it's a challenge, "he had said.
According to Renshaw, the last straw was the actor's complaints to the screenwriter and creator of the series, Shonda Rhimes.
According to the testimony that appears in the book, Rhimes summoned the ABC network, producer of the series, saying: "
If he doesn't leave, I'll go
."
As no one wanted the successful screenwriter to leave the project, the end of Dempsey's character and the actor's departure from the series were planned.
"
Nobody wanted the scriptwriter to leave
, she was the soul of the production. In this way they devised an ending for the doctor in a car accident."
Thus, while the public mourned the death of Derek, on set, they were relieved by the departure of Dempsey.
WD
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