So here’s the thing: there is no shortage of men who fit Hollywood’s “tall, dark, and handsome” stereotype. I just never realized how many men fit that bill in my own head, all currently pushing 50, until I started sorting out who I thought were Dylan McDermot and Dermot Mulroney. Turns out, dear readers, I was very confused (a shock, I know).

When I think of Dylan McDermot, I picture him in a suit with piercing blue eyes. This, it turns out, is a pretty accurate way to remember him.
Born: 1961
Television Roles: Currently, American Horror Story; Past, The Practice.
Movies: Steel Magnolias, and um, a few others. Not as many as you think. In the Line of Fire, ‘Til There was You, and a movie in 2005 called The Tenants, which also features Snoop Dogg. I’ll admit it, I’m curious.

When I think of Dermot Mulroney, I always think of My Best Friend’s Wedding. That movie had a good time in the spot light back in the late ’90s, didn’t it?
Born: 1963
Movies: My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Wedding Date, Georgia Rule, About Schmidt
TV Shows: Currently, New Girl; he also played a recurring character on Friends toward the end of its grand run.
So how do we tell these two fine men apart? If you’re watching a movie, chances are it’s Dermot Mulroney. If you’re watching television, it’s more than likely Dylan McDermot. When in doubt? Look at their eyes. They’ll speak to your soul, and well, if they are blue as the bluest water, it’s our friend Dylan. If they are a rich brown, then Dermot is your man.
How else can we decipher these two, dear readers? Who else would you like me to sort out?
6 replies on “Sorting the Stars: Dylan McDermot and Dermot Mulroney”
Oh that’s Dermot Mulroney! He’s a big feature in my I Know Your Face But Will Never Remember Your Name category.
I was not aware that these were two separate people. Like, at all.
Oh man, this is one I am so guilty of. I can connect their faces to their roles but the names might as well be gibberish. As for Dermot Mulroney I really enjoyed guest arc on New Girl! Mr. Fancyman!
This does clear some things up and the eye color trick will help, however, I will forever refer to the both of the as the singular entity of Dylan McDermont Mulroney.
Oh, The Wedding Date. That was not a movie that I expected to give me the feelings that it did. I still get teary when he tells Debra Messing that he’d miss her even if he never met her, and I definitely get a case of the vapors when he whispers in her ear.
I am pretty sure I still won’t be able to tell them apart. Thankfully, there is IMDB.