Patrick Dempsey plays a scheming CEO in the Irish banking crash in new Sky drama, 'Devils'
Devils:
In hospital drama 'Grey's Anatomy', US actor Patrick Dempsey captured television fans' hearts as Dr. Derek Shepherd, more commonly known as 'McDreamy' to series aficionados, before the character's passing in 2015.
But in a new drama presented by Sky and co-produced by the broadcaster's Italian network, his steely gaze and chiselled features take on a new complexity, as he portrays investment-banking CEO Dominic Morgan in 'Devils' - a tale of fraying loyalties and shocking twists set in the financial crash's 2011 depths, based on a book by Italian author Guido Maria Brera.
He stars opposite Italian actor Alessandro Borghi, portraying Massimo Rugero, an ambitious trader caught in the trap of circumstance around the time of the crash, after a ruthless campaign of self-advancement in his personal and professional lives.
What follows is a story of betrayal, soul-searching and open warfare in the ranks of the financial sector.
We won't go too much further into the plot, but one aspect of the drama that will generate debate among Irish viewers is the role of our own bank crash, bailout and subsequent economic trouble.
Still a sore spot for many Irish people still bearing personal and professional scars of the crisis' fallout, the bank crash is seen from the perspective of the international firms betting on our economic fate in two episodes, complete with archival footage of the event from Irish news broadcasters.
Says Borghi of the decision to splice newsreel in amid the tension: "Adding real news footage was key for the whole series, an extremely clever tool of using reality to tell a story.
"This allows us, as spectators, to immediately get in touch with the events that really happened. Episode 4 and the story of what happened in Ireland, it is a great example to understand how archive images create an indispensable connection with reality.
"As soon as the episode is over, you have the urge to check which events really happened, and a genuine curiosity to apply this understanding to your life now."
