Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey have cute red carpet moment at star-studded D23 Expo in Anaheim

Grey’s Anatomy originals, Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey, had a reunion of sorts when they shared the same red carpet during the D23 Expo in Anaheim on Saturday.

Realizing the massive impact their characters –  Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek ‘McDreamy’ Shepherd – had during their 11 season run together, the two stars seized the moment and played up their onscreen identities and chemistry.

With striking new blonde locks, Dempsey grabbed a microphone from Yahoo’s Kevin Plowly and then proceeded to play the role of journalist by asking Pompeo a series of questions, according to People.

Reunited! Ellen Pompeo and former Grey’s Anatomy co-star Patrick Dempsey had a reunion of sorts when they crossed paths on the red carpet at the D23 Expo in Anaheim on Saturday

‘There’s someone missing from the show, I can’t think of who it is,’ Pompeo, 52, joked to Dempsey during the impromptu Q-and-A, as seen in a viral clip. ‘Someone is missing from the show that was a big part of the show, and it’s not the same.’

Going along with the light banter, Dempsey shot back, ‘Justin Chambers’, in a reference to the actor who only just left Grey’s Anatomy in 2020 after playing Dr. Alex Karev for 16 seasons.

Moments later, Pompeo confessed to Extra TV that she would like to work with Dempsey again in the future, and that they may have already texted about it at one point.

‘We’ve done some of our greatest work together. Both of us are very proud of the work we did, Pompeo shared, adding, ‘We had a great time doing it, and we created something really iconic.’

Chemistry: While on the red carpet for the D23 Expo, Dempsey played the role of journalist and did a Q-and-A with Pompeo; the two stars are pictured during a romantic moment in Season three of Grey’s Anatomy

Dempsey, 56, would go on to confirm that he does in fact have ‘a couple of ideas’ that they could work on together, which includes being back onscreen together.

‘It’s always been a really special relationship Ellen and I have had together in front of the screen and behind it as well,’ the actor said of his longtime co-star. ‘I remember the first time I met her, she had a Boston accent, and I’m from Maine originally, so it was very endearing and had that connection right away.’

After admitting he too feels much of the show’s success was due to their onscreen chemistry, Dempsey acknowledged that ‘people want to believe in love,’ so much so that many fans wished they were real-life couple.

‘People around the world, too, were wishing we were actually together. But she’s got Christopher [Ivery] and I have Jillian [Fink], and they’re incredible people, so fortunately they have that with us,’ he shared of their personal lives.

Teaser: Pompeo told Extra TV that she would like to work with Dempsey again in the future, and that they may have already texted about it; they are seen in season five of Grey’s Anatomy

Mutual admiration: ‘It’s always been a really special relationship Ellen and I have had together in front of the screen and behind it as well,’ Dempsey said; they are pictured in season 10 of Grey’s Anatomy

While both stars were on hand to be honored as Legends at the Ultimate Disney Fan Event and for Grey’s Anatomy, Dempsey was also there to promote the Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted, with some of his co-stars.

All this mutual love and respect between the former colleagues comes about 10 months after former Grey’s Anatomy co-star Isaiah Washington claimed Pompeo was paid $5 million in hush money to keep quiet about Dempsey’s questionable behavior on the set.

During an interview on KBLA Talk 1580 with Tavis Smiley, Washington said Pompeo took the payout and in return she would not talk publicly about ‘how toxic and nasty Patrick Dempsey really was’.  

Some of those years he was on the set of the medical drama happened when dozens of high-profile Hollywood names were accused of workplace misconduct amid the #MeToo movement. 

Washington went on to maintain that he was ‘used as a scapegoat’ when he was let go from the series in 2007 after being accused of using a homophobic slur at castmate T.R. Knight. 

So far, Dempsey and Pompeo have stayed silent on the claims. 

Legends honoree: Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer of Disney, joined Pompeo when she was honored at the 2022 Disney Legends Awards during Disney’s D23 Expo

Season 19 of Grey’s Anatomy is scheduled to premiere on ABC on October 6. Pompeo is scaling back her onscreen time and will only be appearing in eight of the episodes.  

Some of the new faces in the cast include the likes of Adelaide Kane, Alexis Floyd, Niko Terho, Midori Francis and Harry Shum Jr.

The medical drama series premiered back in March 2005 on ABC as a mid-season replacement. 

It has since gone on to become the longest-running scripted primetime show currently airing on the network, as well as the longest scripted primetime series carried by ABC.

Double duty: While Dempsey was also honored at the Disney Legends Award, he also was on hand to promote the Enchanted sequel, Disenchanted, with some of his co-stars