Jeffrey Dean Morgan can’t bear to watch the heart-wrenching ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ scene that shows his character Denny Duquette dying.
The actor, 58, played the role in 2006 during a season two finale of the hit medical drama, and has now revealed its lasting impact on his emotions and life.
He told People about the emotionally charged moment: “It makes me cry… one, because it was so awesome, and two, it was f****** incredibly sad to watch.”
The death scene in question remains one of the most iconic and tear-jerking moments in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ history.
It features the tragic death of Jeffrey’s Denny after his relationship with Katherine Heigl’s Dr. Izzie Stevens captivated audiences.
The two actors reconnected virtually for the 20th anniversary of the show, discussing the scene in which Denny dies, with People reporting on the exchange.
Jeffrey added in the chat: “I don’t see myself in there, which I take is a good sign, if I can watch myself acting and not see myself.”
He added working with Katherine and under the direction of series creator Shonda Rhimes was “pretty special”.
Katherine, 46, opened up about the emotional depth required for the scene, revealing how personal experiences shaped her performance.
She said: “I remember that scene when Denny died, how stressed out I was to perform that and just wanting to give it my absolute best.
“I was sitting alone a lot, listening to really sad music, thinking about my dead brother, which was fun.” Despite the heavy emotional toll, Katherine admitted she put immense pressure on herself to capture the grief of the moment authentically.
Jeffrey said: “I remember having so much empathy for what you were going through because it was rough.”
Reflecting on the doomed romance between Denny and Izzie, Katherine added: “One of my favourite things about Shonda as a writer is how beautifully she does these tortured love stories… it was doomed from the start.
“It wasn’t like I had some big lead-up to, ‘This is coming for Izzie’.
“It’s always secretive there and they don’t want to spill the beans too soon. So you’re finding out as it’s going.”
Now in its 21st season, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ remains American TV’s longest-running primetime medical drama.