We’re so used to seeing Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, and Eric Dane as Mark “McSteamy” Sloan, that it’s pretty weird to imagine them take on any other role. But many of them have starred on the silver screen. Some have even worked together before becoming Grey’s doctors.
Can you imagine Cristina Yang and Addison Montgomery as a couple? Or McSteamy and McDreamy in the same romantic comedy? We’re not making this up. Scroll through this list to find out where your favorite doctors have starred.
Moonlight Mile – Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo stars alongside Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon, and Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2002 romantic drama Moonlight Mile. In the film, Pompeo plays Bertie Knox, a woman who develops a relationship with Gyllenhaal’s character, Joe Nast, as he mourns the death of his fiancé.
When Gyllenhaal recalled seeing Pompeo audition for the role, he said, “she blew the audition out of the water.” Interestingly, the two actors met a couple of weeks before the start of the movie. Jake bumped into her on the street and said she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Catch Me If You Can – Ellen Pompeo
Pompeo stars in another great film: 2002’s Catch Me If You Can. The movie has an incredible cast, including Tom Hanks, Amy Adams, Martin Sheen, and Leonardo DiCaprio. If you’ve watched the movie before and had no clue she was in it, no worries.
She appears briefly as a flight attendant in one of the scenes as DiCaprio boards his plane. But despite how small the role was, Pompeo recalled how excited she felt when she was offered the part, “I graciously accepted. And screamed all the way home.”
Mambo Café – Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo had a minor role in Mambo Café, a 2000 film centered around a Puerto Rican girl who comes up with a sneaky plan to attract more customers to her family’s restaurant. Pompeo’s role isn’t too significant, as it was only the start of her career, so we get why she went for it.
The wild comedy wasn’t a huge success, so we’re unsure how much Pompeo’s career benefited from the movie. Still, at least she gained some onset experience, right? Bottom line, if you’re in the mood for something light and fun, you should give the movie a go and see young Pompeo shine on screen for a few moments.
Art Heist – Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo took center stage in the 2004 film Art Heist when she starred as Sandra Walker, a woman tasked with solving an art heist mystery. After a while, Pompeo’s character dramatically discovers she’s being framed for the crimes.
With the help of her estranged husband, a New York police officer, Pompeo attempts to clear her name and crack the case. The action thriller was first released in Spain in 2004 and a year later became available on DVD.
Sweet Home Alabama – Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey stars as Reese Witherspoon’s dreamy fiancé, Andrew Hennings, in the 2002 romantic comedy, Sweet Home Alabama. As Witherspoon’s character, Melanie Smooter, works on divorcing her “country” husband, Andrew Hennings waits for her in the big city.
There was talk of a possible sequel in 2019, but nothing has been made official yet. Witherspoon mentioned she would “happily make Sweet Home Alabama 2.” Dempsey’s character might appear in the film’s sequel but just for a few brief moments.
Enchanted – Patrick Dempsey
Dempsey starred in the 2007 magical comedy Enchanted as a single dad named Robert Phillip. In the film, Dempsey’s character meets a woman who comes straight out of a fairy tale world, and the two (of course) fall in love.
The film’s main actress was supposed to be Reese Witherspoon, which would have been an interesting reunion after their Alabama gig, but it ended up being Amy Adams. If you’re in the mood to see Patrick Dempsey take on the role of a real-life Disney prince, this is the movie for you.
There’s recently been some talk about a sequel titled Disenchanted!
Bank Robber – Patrick Dempsey
In 1993’s Bank Robber, Patrick Dempsey stars as a hopeless romantic who will do anything for love, even if that means robbing a bank. He plays Billy, a man who believes his girlfriend Selina is only with him for the thrill his criminal acts have to offer.
Dempsey plays alongside the beautiful Lisa Bonet, and although the film’s storyline is attractive, the film received mixed reviews. Some called it a dull romance with an unsatisfying conclusion, and others said it was pretty decent and worth the watch.
Scream 3 – Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey turns into detective Mark Kincaid in the terrorizing (not really) film, Scream 3. He attempts to solve the recent Ghostface murders and risks his life doing so! We don’t want to spoil the movie, so that’s all we will be saying about the storyline.
Dempsey was offered to come back and star in Scream 4, but he turned down the offer because he was busy filming Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. We have to admit, Scream 4 just wasn’t the same without Dempsey.
Face the Music – Patrick Dempsey
A young and adorable Dempsey joined forces with Mollie Ringwald in 1993 to star in the film Face the Music. They play a divorced couple and former music partners who spend a weekend together in the French countryside to write one last song together.
It’s one of Dempsey’s lesser-known films. Even though it didn’t receive the best reviews, we would still highly recommend it! ’80s icon Molly Ringwald and McDreamy on the silver screen together? Yes, please.
Freedom Writer – Patrick Dempsey
A drama about an inspiring young English teacher and her problematic yet talented students, Freedom Writer (2007) is definitely a movie worth watching. Hillary Swank plays the leading lady, Erin Gruwell, and Dempsey stars alongside her as husband Scott Casey.
For the most part, the movie received great reviews. And although the plot is pretty predictable, most people agreed that “Freedom Writers argues for listening to teenagers. That in itself makes it a rare and close-to-wonderful thing.” We couldn’t agree more!
Bridget Jones’s Baby – Patrick Dempsey
The Bridget Jones series is as cheesy as it gets. But Renee Zellweger is so lovable that it’s hard to resist. In the third film of the franchise, Bridget is unsure whether her baby’s father is Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) or Jack Qwant (McDreamy).
How did Bridget Jones’s life go from ice-cream binging nights to having two good looking and successful guys as her baby’s potential fathers? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out. The movie was a huge success and grossed over $221 million worldwide.
Can’t Buy Me Love – Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey plays the not so hot Ronald, who lives on the same street as Cindy, the most popular girl in the school. Ronald is desperate to boost his reputation, so he bribes Cindy into being his girlfriend. We got to admit, it’s funny seeing Dempsey play the unpopular nerd.
Who would have thought that years later we would see him as a dreamy doctor? Looks like Ronald aged well. If you’re in the mood for a light-hearted teen comedy from the ’80s, Can’t Buy Me Love is sure to satisfy you.
Made of Honor – Patrick Dempsey
Dempsey stars in the 2008 romantic comedy, Made of Honor, as Thomas “Tom” Bailey Jr., a womanizer who realizes he’s in love with his best friend after she decides to get married. When she asks him to be his “maid of honor,” he reluctantly agrees, but deep down knows that he must stop the wedding!
If you’re looking for a fun rom-com with McDreamy as the lead, then you’ll probably enjoy the film. Although reviews weren’t too favorable, some viewers claimed it was a “breezy fun” watch and had “enough sweetness to satisfy the cotton-candy addicts.”
Double Happiness – Sandra Oh
The 1994 Canadian drama, Double Happiness, showcases Sandra Oh as Jade Li, a struggling actress who finds it hard to balance her aspirations and her family’s’ traditional Chinese views on life. They expect her to go on dates with nice Chinese men, but Jade’s heart belongs to someone else.
Someone her family won’t approve of. The storyline is raw and heart-breaking. Sandra Oh acted brilliantly and won the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. The movie itself was nominated for Best Motion Picture.
Last Night – Sandra Oh
Sandra Oh stars in the apocalyptic comedy-drama Last Night, which was released in 1998. She plays the role of Sandra, a woman stranded in the city who’s looking for her husband Duncan. The movie revolves around a group of people waiting for the end of the world.
The movie received mostly positive reviews and was deemed “an engrossing, poignant film.” In 2002, people voted Last Night the ninth greatest Canadian film of all time! And Sandra Oh won the Genie’s Best Actress Award for her performance.
Sideways – Sandra Oh
The 2004 comedy-drama Sideways was a huge success. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. Sandra Oh plays Stephanie, a woman who works at a local winery.
The film was so heavily praised that Fox International Productions joined forces with Japan’s Fuji TV to release a Japanese remake of it titled Saidoweizu. Fans of the original film were hoping for a sequel, but director Alexander Payne ultimately decided not to move forward with an additional film.
The Princess Diaries – Sandra Oh
The Princess Diaries centers on Anne Hathaway’s journey from a frizzy-haired geek to an elegant princess. And even though Sandra Oh’s role in the movie was small, it was still a great contribution to the film. She played vice-principal Gupta, whose most memorable line is probably “The Queen is coming.”
The movie won the Young Artist Award for Best Family Feature Film (comedy) and was nominated at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards for Best Family Film – Live Action. Hathaway received numerous awards for her role. But let’s be real, vice-principal Gupta was the real star of the show!
Hard Candy – Sandra Oh
Sandra Oh stars as Judy Tokuda in the 2005 thriller Hard Candy. The film centers around a disturbing relationship between a 14-year-old girl, Hayley Stark (played by Elliot Page), and a 32-year-old photographer, Jeff Kohlver.
Sandra Oh plays the neighbor who unfortunately witnesses the duo’s disturbing game of victim and persecutor. The film was well praised and received three awards at the 2005 Sitges Film Festival and four awards at the Málaga Film Festival. It was also awarded Overlooked Film of the Year at the 2006 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.
Under the Tuscan Sun – Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh
Before Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh starred together in Grey’s Anatomy, they played a loving couple in Under the Tuscan Sun, a 2003 film about a woman (Diane Lane) who impulsively decides to purchase a villa in Tuscany.
Hard to imagine Cristina Yang and Addison Montgomery as a couple, right? Good thing they’re such good actors because they seem perfect for each other in the film. The movie was described as “a sweet little morality tale calling viewers to never give up on life.”
Girls Trip – Kate Walsh
Girls Trip is a comedy centered around four childhood friends who travel to New Orleans for an annual festival. Kate Walsh was happy with the outcome of the film and described the light-hearted comedy as a way to combat how serious we take life sometimes.
“I think that [comedies] can concurrently get to the very serious business of solving problems with race in our culture and also laugh about it,” Walsh told People Magazine. While Kate appreciated the film, viewers were less positive and described the movie as extremely cringy and embarrassingly bad. Our advice? You be the judge.
Wish Upon a Star – Katherine Heigl
A young and preppy Katherine Heigl stars in the 1999 drama, Wish Upon a Star. She plays the pretty big sister who is envied by her tomboy little sister, who wishes upon a star to switch places with her. After the wish comes true, the two must adapt to their new identities.
The sisters more or less sabotage each other’s lives until they realize they’re going to have to work together if they want to swap back. The movie received great reviews and was rated an 8 out of 10 by Fox Weekly.
27 Dresses – Katherine Heigl
In 27 dresses, Katherine Heigl stars as Jane Nichols, a woman who is everyone’s bridesmaid but nobody’s bride. And when her sister gets engaged to her boss (who is also her crush), Jane finally loses it. It’s a fun romantic comedy with a predictable storyline but still worth the watch.
Heigl is an incredible actress, and it’s always fun seeing her on-screen. Some of the film’s dialogues are actually funny, and the flirtatious exchanges between Heigl and her costar James Marsden are pretty entertaining.
Jackie and Ryan – Katherine Heigl
Heigl plays a single mom who is struggling to escape her past. She’s desperate to divorce her husband and win full custody when she meets a handsome guitar-strumming nomad who charms her to death. The two develop a stormy relationship, and the whole movie centers around whether they’ll be able to make it work.
Not all reviews were favorable, calling it a bit dull and cheesy. But Screen International looked beyond the lovey-dovey aspect of the movie and said that if you focus more on the women in the film, you’ll realize that it deals with a lot more than just romance.
100 Girls – Katherine Heigl
The 2000s romantic comedy 100 Girls is your typical college movie. It’s about a student who desperately searches for the girl he had sex with during a blackout. Katherine Heigl plays Arlene, an assertive girl, unlike the others he has met before (who’s also really good at foosball).
The film wasn’t received all too well and was described as “one hell of an oddity.” But, you know, if you’re into stereotypical college films (like American Pie), you’ll probably get a good kick out of it. It’s a feel-good movie that doesn’t require too much thinking.
Jenny’s Wedding – Katherine Heigl
In the 2015 romantic comedy Jenny’s Wedding, Heigl stars as Jenny, a woman who hasn’t told her conservative family about her girlfriend, Kitty (played by the gorgeous Alexis Bledel). After she proposes to Kitty, she decides to let her family know the truth.
The movie was pretty controversial at the time of its release, with The Guardian stating, “good intentions can’t save this lesbian drama.” Some found the storyline extremely relatable, and others thought it was an awkward misrepresentation of what coming out really feels like.
Knocked Up – Katherine Heigl
Heigl took on yet another rom-com when she agreed to star in Knocked Up, a fun film about a woman who accidentally gets pregnant after a one night stand with a man she barely knows. She ends up keeping the baby, and the two try to make things work.
Heigl and her costar, Seth Rogan, have great onset chemistry, and their characters bring out the best of each other (and at times, the worst). Reviewers described the film as “an instant classic that captures the sexual confusion and moral ambivalence of our moment.”
Frankie & Alice – Chandra Wilson
Chandra Wilson stars alongside Halle Berry, Stellan Skarsgård, and Phylicia Rashad in the 2010 drama Frankie & Alice. The movie centers on a dancer living with a multiple personality disorder. Wilson dished that she took the role because of the incredible cast.
She jokingly mentioned that it didn’t even matter what the project was going to be. And once she saw the actors involved, she knew she had to take the part. Wilson shot the film as she was working on Grey’s Anatomy and had to juggle both projects.
Valentine’s Day – Eric Dane and Patrick Dempsey
McSteamy AND McDreamy in one film? Yes, please. Eric Dane and Patrick Dempsey both star in the film Valentine’s Day, a movie about … well, the title is pretty straightforward. Dane plays a closeted gay football star who is in a relationship with boyfriend Bradley Cooper.
And Dempsey plays a surgeon who’s dating Jennifer Garner’s character, Julia. The film follows them and a few other couples as they navigate their relationships between the ups and downs of life. The large number of lead actors in this film made some viewers feel like they’re on a dizzying merry-go-round.
The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations – Chris Carmack
If you’ve watched the first film of the Butterfly franchise with Ashton Kutcher, you probably know what this movie is about. But for those who haven’t, the third film centers around Chris Carmack’s character, Sam Reide, a man who travels back in time to solve the mystery of his girlfriend’s death.
Reviewers described the film as “corny but cool.” But many agreed that it wasn’t as good as the first one. Either way, Grey’s Chris Carmack is always fun to look at, so we suggest you give this psychology thriller a try.
The November Man – Caterina Scorsone
Grey’s Caterina Scorsone plays a CIA official in the 2014 action film The November Man. She stars alongside Pierce Brosnan, whom many agree is the person who makes the film worth watching. So you might find the storyline to be a bit cliché, but the cast is great!
The spy thriller came out around the same time that Grey’s spinoff, Private Practice, had ended. Scorsone had a lot on her hands that year and seemed to pull it all off like the talented and hardworking actress she truly is.
Night at the Museum – Kim Raver
Grey’s Kim Raver joined Ben Stiller in 2006 to film the family comedy Night at the Museum. Stiller plays a security guard at a museum that magically comes to life at night, and Raver plays his ex-wife. She wasn’t yet part of the Grey’s Anatomy cast, but she was starring in a different series, 24.
Night at the Museum is a funny and enjoyable film, but don’t expect the graphics to be too great. We probably still didn’t have the proper technology in 2006 to recreate dinosaurs and make them look believable.
Lakeview Terrace – Justin Chambers
Grey’s Justin Chambers stars in the 2008 crime thriller Lakeview Terrace. The movie revolves around an interracial couple who’s viciously stalked by their neighbor, a former LAPD officer. The couple suffers harassment because they listen to hip hop and other ridiculous reasons.
Critics stated, “This thriller about a menacing cop wreaking havoc on his neighbors is tense enough, but threatens absurdity when it enters into excessive potboiler territory.” Some critics weren’t as polite: “The movie might have something to say about black racism, but the conversations go nowhere, and the clichés of the genre take over.”
Southern Belles – Justin Chambers
The 2005 comedy Southern Belles is a story of two best friends who live together in a simple trailer park in Georgia. Justin Chambers stars as a handsome police officer named Rhett Butler, who gets intertwined with Bell and Belle’s lives.
The movie is a bit cliché, but even so, it has its funny moments, and some viewers went so far as to say it was a pleasant surprise! So if you’re missing Alex Carev and need a movie for a lazy Sunday afternoon, Southern Belles is the movie for you.
Clockers –Isaiah Washington
In the 1995 crime drama, Clockers, Washington plays Victor Dunham, the older brother of a drug dealer, Strike, who finds himself in a messy ordeal when he’s ordered to kill a fellow drug dealer. Washington’s character is brave and tries to help his brother out.
The movie is an adaptation of a novel by the same name from 1992. Some viewers (who have probably read the book) claimed it was a bit difficult to follow, and there was a lot of jumping around between scenes. Bottom line, the film received mixed reviews, but people were generally satisfied.
Blue Caprice – Isaiah Washington
In the drama based on the 2002 D.C. Sniper Attacks, Isaiah Washington plays John Allen Muhammad, a man who trains a young boy to become a skillful and deadly sniper. Mark Olsen from the Los Angeles Times stated, “Isaiah Washington gives a searing, intense performance.”
The movie received great reviews, with viewers describing it as “Smart, sobering, and quietly chilling, Blue Caprice uses its horrible true-life story — and some solid performances — to underscore the dreadful banality of evil.”
X-Men: The Last Stand- Eric Dane
From McSteamy to a Marvel villain, Eric Dane proves time and again that he’s a great and diverse actor. In 2006’s X-Men 3: The Last Stand, Dane took on the role of Multiple Man, a man who is capable of, you guessed it, multiplying himself.
The superhero film received mixed reviews. The overall consensus was that it was a bit too fast and lacked a slow atmospheric buildup. Director Matthew Vaughn stated, “They didn’t let the emotions and the drama play in that film. It became wall-to-wall noise and drama.”
P.S. I Love You – Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Not sure how popular this opinion is, but the REAL McDreamy in Season One was really Denny Duquette. And his death was probably one of the most heart-breaking moments. But don’t worry. You can meet Jeffrey Dean Morgan again on the silver screen, in the romantic drama P.S. I Love You.
He stars as William Gallagher, the dreamy musician who plays “Galway Girl” and charms his way into Hillary Swank’s grieving heart. Jeffrey referred to the film as his “first big movie” and said he had a great time filming it in Ireland.
Watchmen– Jeffrey Dean Morgan
In 2009, Jeffrey starred in Watchmen, a superhero based on an ’80s comic series by the same name. He played the comedian Edward Blake. But Morgan was hesitant to take the part at first because his character dies pretty early on. But his agent urged him to keep reading the comics because despite Edward Blake’s early death, the character still had a huge impact on the storyline.
Director Zack Snyder said he knew Morgan was perfect for the role the moment the actor stepped into the audition: “It’s hard to find a man’s man in Hollywood. It just is. And Jeffrey came in and was grumpy and cool and grizzled, and I was, like, ‘OK, Jeffrey is perfect!'”