Patrick Dempsey’s True Accent Unveiled in ‘Thanksgiving’

THE BIG REVELATION
Patrick Dempsey, renowned for his iconic roles in “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” unveils his genuine accent for the first time in the spine-chilling slasher flick “Thanksgiving.” Director Eli Roth, who despises poorly executed Boston accents in movies, stumbled upon the surprising fact that Dempsey hails from Maine but had to shed his accent to chase after acting opportunities. In “Thanksgiving,” Dempsey graces the screen as Sheriff Eric Newlon, embroiled in the investigation of a series of Thanksgiving-themed homicides in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

On this fine day, we’ve discovered that Patrick Dempsey, the beloved star of “Grey’s Anatomy,” has been keeping a secret from us all along. As he graces the screen in Eli Roth’s latest horror slasher, “Thanksgiving,” viewers have been introduced to a facet of Dempsey that has remained hidden, or should we say unheard, until now – his true accent. It turns out that the way we’ve heard him speak through over 200 episodes of the ABC medical drama, in Disney’s “Enchanted,” and his iconic role in “Can’t Buy Me Love” is not how he naturally sounds.

This revelation comes straight from the mouth of Eli Roth, who shared with MovieWeb that one of his cinematic pet peeves is poorly executed Boston accents, which can mar the overall movie-watching experience. It was during this process that Roth stumbled upon the fact that Dempsey originally hails from the Pine Tree State but was instructed to shed his accent to open up broader acting opportunities. Roth, as surprised as the rest of us, exclaimed:

“Boston guys, we love the accent. And even if you don’t have it, you still love it, or you grew up with it. Certain kids had it like wicked hardcore, other kids less so. And when Patrick Dempsey reached out to me about being in the film, he said, ‘Should I do a New England accent?’ I was like, ‘Well, one of my pet peeves, I hate movies where someone tries to do a Boston accent and fails, it ruins the movie for me.’ And he goes, ‘No, no, I grew up in Maine. I got like a light accent.’ And I’m like, ‘Are you? That’s perfect.’ He goes, ‘I had to lose that accent when I became an actor.’ This is the first time Patrick Dempsey ever used his real accent in a film. He really talks like that.”

So, there you have it – “Thanksgiving” is the cinematic debut of Patrick Dempsey’s authentic accent. A momentous occasion for fans who will now be listening closely whenever he graces our screens. In the movie’s narrative, the Emmy-nominated actor takes on the role of Sheriff Eric Newlon, the Plymouth lawman tasked with unraveling a series of gruesome murders, all committed with Thanksgiving-themed weapons and attire.

Besides Dempsey, the ensemble cast of “Thanksgiving” includes Nell Verlaque (“Big Shot”), Ty Olsson (“Fire Country”), Addison Rae (“He’s All That”), Jalen Thomas Brooks (“Walker”), Milo Manheim (“School Spirits”), Rick Hoffman (“Suits”), and Gina Gershon (“New Amsterdam”). The screenplay was co-authored by Roth and Jeff Rendell, with Rendell originally conceiving the story as a faux trailer for the “intermission” segment in 2007’s “Grindhouse.”

“Thanksgiving” is currently screening in theaters, offering you the perfect opportunity to witness Patrick Dempsey’s true accent for yourself. Check out the trailer below:

[Watch the “Thanksgiving” Trailer](insert trailer link)

Thanksgiving
After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the infamous holiday.

Release Date
November 17, 2023

Director
Eli Roth

Cast
Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon, Patrick Dempsey, Milo Manheim, Addison Rae

Runtime
107 minutes

Genres
Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Writers
Jeff Rendell, Eli Roth

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