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“Now I'm just known as McDreamy, I've lost all identity as Patrick Dempsey, I'm now McDreamy.” The decade of coming-of-age comedies and teenage dramas, the silver screen in the 1980s had a remarkable ability of transforming previously unknown actors into A-list stars. Among those stars was none other than Maine native Patrick Dempsey who, after spending four months touring with the stage production of Torch Song Trilogy, made his way to the silver screen. Only 21 years old at the time, he found instant success with his first starring role in the 1987 flick Can’t Buy Me Love before landing his last starring role of the decade in Loverboy.

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Over the next decade, Dempsey was frequently pushed out of the spotlight like so many other teen celebrities of his era but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his Hollywood dream. After years of minor appearances in films like Outbreak, Dempsey’s hard work and dedication finally paid off in the new millennium when he rekindled his celebrity status and sealed his fate as one of the sexiest men in Hollywood opposite Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama in 2002. Three years later, he became an even bigger star when he was cast as Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd on Grey’s Anatomy. Starring in films like Freedom Writers, Enchanted and Made of Honor along the way, Dempsey wrapped up his role as McDreamy after a decade as primetime television’s hottest star in 2015.

So, how exactly did a talented actor from the 1980s fade into the oblivion for several years only to return hotter than ever as McDreamy? With the world wondering the same thing as Dempsey wowed audiences with his charm, swagger and devilishly handsome good looks, the media went into a frenzy and suggested that Dempsey altered his look for his big comeback in the new millennium. Tabloids focused on the actor’s nose and suggested that he had a rhinoplasty since his nose was a bit wider in the 1980s as a young teenage star. By the time he returned to the spotlight, the bridge of his nose was narrower and the tip of his nose was miraculously turned upward, albeit slightly, as well!

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Looking at photos of Dempsey over the last three decades, there is a more definitive curve to his nose today than there was in the early 1990s, which has given him a more masculine look. It’s also hard to believe that the 50-year-old barely has any wrinkles especially after a lifetime in Hollywood, a successful auto racing career and a busy home life with his wife, Jillian, and their three kids. Many argue that Dempsey’s smooth face is the result of a few rounds of Botox injections (go figure), while others believe that it’s either the result of his healthy lifestyle or even laser treatments. Whatever the case, the wrinkles aren’t there so he must be doing something right!

When it comes to his lack of wrinkles, subtle changes to his nose and rumors of plastic surgery, Dempsey has been quick to deny the accusations and said that he’s only had his nose worked on for constructive issues. “My face is full of imperfections, and it is what it is,” he said. “I had my nose broken three times, so it’s a disaster area. It’s all bent. I guess it gives me character. But I usually try not to look in the mirror too much.”

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Whether Dempsey busted his nose that many times is still up for debate especially since there haven’t been many documented fights on the silver screen or on television, which leaves many to wonder if he’s fibbing to cover a rhinoplasty. After all, how could the sexiest man on primetime ever consider his face and nose to be a “disaster area?” Then again, McDreamy could have suffered a few injuries from his wild auto racing hobby that he frequently describes as “all-consuming.”

Although we may never know the truth about McDreamy’s nose or lack of wrinkles, we do know his opinion of plastic surgery and Hollywood. When his Bridget Jones’s Baby co-star Renee Zellweger faced widespread criticism about her changing looks, Dempsey proved to be a true gentleman and stepped up to defend her. “Hollywood can be unsparingly brutal, and it’s always worse for women…” he said. “I’ve never seen the maturation of a woman as a negative thing.”

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Despite some fans arguing that Dempsey was merely projecting and seeking a different kind of attention for himself, it’s safe to say that the plastic surgery rumors have only helped Dempsey’s career as he transformed from a lanky teen to a Hollywood heartthrob. Along the way, the 50-year-old has been ranked as the Sexiest Man Alive on numerous occasions with his run of fame in the last decade unprecedented thanks to his outstanding performance on Grey’s Anatomy. Perhaps being known as McDreamy isn’t so bad after all.