Former Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington recently made several allegations regarding the toxic nature of the long-running medical drama’s set, including Patrick Dempsey’s behavior and use of racist rhetoric.
As reported by Decider, Washington made several claims about Dempsey’s onset behavior, calling him a “total tyrant” with “no remorse.” According to Washington, series star Ellen Pompeo reportedly “took $5 million dollars under the table” while filming Grey’s Anatomy “to not tell the world how toxic and nasty Patrick Dempsey really was.” Washington left the series in 2007, after portraying Dr. Preston Burke for the first three seasons.
“At this point, I was the highest paid person on that show, next to Patrick Dempsey. Apparently, it got out, so there was a lot of resentment. I understand that but it was based on my roles and my resume. I can’t help that,” Washington said. “[Dempsey] was called Pilot Poison. No one wanted him on the show. They wanted Rob Lowe.”
Washington continued, “He was not a nice guy from day one. But he liked me and once I had a conversation with him, he said, ‘Isaiah, do you know that white men are the masters of the universe?’ And I said, ‘You really believe that?’ And he said ‘Absolutely.'”
Washington and Dempsey later got into an altercation after Washington confronted his co-star for consistently showing up late to work. Instead of apologizing, Dempsey “assaulted” Washington “three times,” which led to Washington’s use of a homophobic slur that would later lead to him being fired from the series.
“I did what I had to do as a man. And I cussed him out,” Washington said. “‘You’re not going to punk me, you’re not going to treat me like a B-word and you’re not going to treat me like an F-word,'” Washington recalled telling Demspey at the time. “I was speaking to myself as we refer to as a schoolyard taunt and weakness. Talking about myself. But I had already heard the abuse, that he threw Kate Walsh through a window out of anger. That he terrorized T. R. Knight.”
Washington’s problems seemingly started before he was even cast, as the actor claimed he was originally offered money to not audition for Grey’s Anatomy at all. “I originally went in to be Derek Shepherd, a brain surgeon. I was paid $10,000 not to take the audition. Or do any television. I took the money,” Washington said. However, Washington still auditioned for the role.
“I got called back, read with Ellen Pompeo. She made the executive decision [not to hire me] because she had a Black boyfriend, she didn’t feel comfortable,” he said. “Now she said that to me at catering once I was actually on the show as Dr. Burke. I was passed over, it was over.”
Pompeo, who was dating Chris Ivery at the time, addressed these rumors in a previous interview in 2013, saying that series creator Shonda Rhimes “really wanted to put a Black man in the mix.” She continued, “I didn’t think they were really going to put an interracial couple on the show and I didn’t want him. It was too close to home.”
Source: Decider
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