Today, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is well-known for his wide range of roles.
From playing the hardened John Winchester in “Supernatural,” to the lovable Denny Duquette on “Grey’s Anatomy,” and even the murderous Negan in the “Walking Dead” franchise, Morgan is well-loved by viewers across many different genres.
However, Jeffrey Dean Morgan didn’t receive his big break until he was nearly 40. In fact, his agent fired him, believing that he was never going to make it in Hollywood.
In a new interview, Morgan, now 60, remembers the heartbreaking disappointment and how he rose to overnight success shortly after.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Had His Big Break After Getting Fired
Though Jeffrey Dean Morgan is widely loved by television viewers today, he struggled to secure acting roles in his 30s. Sadly, his agent eventually fired him, noting that he was “too old” to build a career in Hollywood.
“I’d been with her forever,” the actor admitted during an episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast. “She was like, ‘You’ve aged out, bro.’”
Thankfully, Morgan didn’t listen to his agent and kept going. Though disheartened and frustrated, he found success shortly after. He remembers booking three of his biggest roles at the same time, including “Supernatural,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Weeds.”
But until fame came, Jeffrey Dean Morgan took on handyman jobs to make ends meet.
“I would, you know, build fences or whatever. Usually, it had involved hammers. There was always something to build for somebody,” he remembered. “The problem was, I was in my mid-30s and I didn’t have an education and I didn’t know what else to do.”
Everything changed when Morgan landed the role of Denny Duquette on “Grey’s Anatomy.” It was a limited role that eventually resulted in the character’s death. However, Denny’s arc in the show was the catalyst for many other plot devices down the line.
“I think I did, like, 10 or 11 episodes before I died,” Morgan remembered about the role. But even after all this time, it’s still a role that fans recognize him for.
“I walk through Washington Square Park, you know, NYU, and I’ll get stopped by kids that are just watching ‘Grey’s’ for the first time,” the actor added, noting how important the show was to his entire career.
The Actor Skyrocketed to Overnight Fame
During the interview, Jeffrey Dean Morgan acknowledged he knew that his “Grey’s Anatomy” character would die. However, it was one of the hottest shows at the time, which would help put him on the map.
“I could pay my rent and then as that built, I remember when it all was airing because they were all airing at the same time,” he remembered. “‘Grey’s’ was airing and ‘Supernatural’ was airing at the same time, and it was two totally complete audiences with very little bleed over. But people realized that I could do two things. It was doing two different things. All of a sudden, where did this actor come from?”
Jeffrey Dean Morgan stars in “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” currently airing on AMC.
