Jeffrey Dean Morgan Reveals the Role That Gave Him a Career

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is looking back at the role that changed his life: Denny Duquette on “Grey’s Anatomy“. Nearly 20 years ago, the now 59-year-old actor won hearts as the charming heart transplant patient who fell in love with Dr. Izzie Stevens, played by Katherine Heigl.

Fans still remember the gut-wrenching moment when Denny, hooked up to monitors, asked Izzie to marry him.

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It was raw, emotional, and unforgettable—one of those scenes that stayed with you long after the credits rolled.

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Jeffrey Dean Morgan Shares How ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Opened Doors to His Career

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Morgan shared how playing Denny opened doors he had been knocking on for years. The actor—best known today for his role as Negan on “The Walking Dead”—credits “Grey’s Anatomy” for giving him a real shot in Hollywood.

“That show honestly gave me a career,” he said. “I was doing that, Weeds and Supernatural simultaneously… I’ve auditioned zero times since playing Denny Duquette.”

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‘Grey Anatony’ Star Reveals How He Went From a Nobody to a Star

Morgan was already in his 40s when he played Denny, after years of playing bit parts and appearing in short-lived TV shows. But that one role changed everything.

“I’d been kicking around Hollywood for a long time, but nobody certainly knew who I was. My whole career launched out of that character,” he said. The exposure led to major roles—both on TV and the big screen.

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From Grey’s to ‘P.S. I Love You’ and ‘Watchmen’

Morgan said his role in the 2007 film P.S. I Love You came directly from his Grey’s Anatomy performance.

“P.S. I Love You I got because of that show,” he shared.

Even Zack Snyder, the director of “Watchmen”, was influenced by Denny. “[Director] Zack Snyder told me that he cast me in Watchmen because he saw me as Denny. How you watch Denny and go, ‘Well, that’s the nihilistic Comedian right there,’ is beyond me,” Morgan joked.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s story is proof that one role—at the right time—can change a life. After years of grinding, Grey’s Anatomy gave him the platform he needed. And the rest, as they say, is history.