“Grey’s Anatomy” star Patrick Dempsey graced PEOPLE’s cover story as the Sexiest Man Alive, the magazine announced Wednesday, Nov. 8.

“I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life,” Dempsey told the magazine.

“It’s nice to have the recognition, and certainly my ego takes a little bump, but it gives me the platform to use it for something positive,” he added.

Dempsey noted that the news came in as a shock, and he thought it was a joke.

“I was completely shocked, and then I started laughing, like, this is a joke, right? I’ve always been the bridesmaid!” he said.

The actor will play Italian driver Piero Taruffi in the biopic “Ferrari” which earlier received an agreement from SAG-AFTRA during the actors’ strike.

Dempsey also starred in iconic films, “Enchanted,” “Bridget Jones Diary,” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”