McDreamy Goes Belly Up

Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy‘s Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd) is this week’s coverboy for Life Magazine‘s latest issue. Here are a couple of choice quotes:

• On fatherhood: “Now making money is about providing for my children. And being a father makes you look at yourself. You look at your marriage and go, ‘How do I improve this? How do I keep growing and create a stable environment for my children?’”
• About tensions on the set of Grey’s Anatomy: “I was talking [on the phone] to Grey’s executive producer Mark Gordon’s office. I honestly didn’t know that everybody was ready. It could have been dealt with. Say “Hey, I have a problem with you coming late to the set.” There was some insecurity about a lot of things that were happening, and it came out inappropriately. We discussed it and were ready to move on. Then it broke on a national level… What we learned as a cast is that we really need to take care of ourselves, communicate with one another. You’re there 15, 16 hours a day. You’re not going to be Mr. Nice Guy or Mrs. Nice Lady all the time.”
• On buying a home in Maine: “When I did it, I felt a huge shift in my psyche. I got the keys, and I walked through the empty house and thought, If it all goes to hell, I have a place to live. It gives you peace of mind. I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve come a long way.’”
• On auditioning alongside Ellen Pompeo: “They didn’t offer me the part. I got it because Rob Lowe turned it down. But first I had to test with her, so she had all the cards. She was very attentive during my audition, and I felt . . . welcomed. Also, she had a Boston accent, and I’m from Maine. I found that endearing.”

Pictured below: Ellen DeGeneres giving baby scrubs inscribed with the words “McCutie” and “McCudlie” for Patrick‘s twin boys due later this month.