Kate Walsh Says She Never Chose Between McDreamy and McSteamy

Kate Walsh says she never picked a favorite between Grey’s Anatomy fan favorites McDreamy and McSteamy.

Speaking to Woman’s World, Walsh, 58, said it was impossible to choose between Patrick Dempsey’s Dr. Derek Shepherd (McDreamy) and the late Eric Dane’s Dr. Mark Sloan (McSteamy). “I couldn’t decide,” she said. “It was all so fiction, but it was a great time.”

Walsh played Dr. Addison Shepherd, who was introduced as Derek Shepherd’s estranged wife and later became involved with Mark Sloan, creating one of the show's biggest love triangles. She joined Grey’s Anatomy in 2005 before leading the spin-off Private Practice from 2007 to 2013, while making occasional returns to the original series.

Looking back, Walsh said the cast shared a unique experience as the show became a major hit. She recalled the season 2 bomb episode drawing about 24 million viewers after the Super Bowl and said the success was especially meaningful because it was creator Shonda Rhimes’ first television series.

Walsh also said she would be open to returning to Grey’s Anatomy if there is a suitable role for Addison. The medical drama has been renewed for its 23rd season, which is expected to premiere in fall 2026.