WILL'S BOYFRIEND CAST

It looks like Will & Grace's central gay character, Will (Eric McCormack), is getting a leading man of his own: It's Patrick Dempsey, most recently seen in Scream 3, but best known for playing charming geeks in '80s teen flicks like Can't Buy Me Love and Loverboy. Dempsey guest stars in the Nov. 9 episode as Matthew, a Banana Republic shopper who catches the eye of salesboy Jack (Sean Hayes). Expect the storyline to take a Cyrano-style turn, with Jack using Will's well-chosen words to impress his crush, who — you guessed it — ends up taking a shine to Will himself. The actor's spokesperson says Will & Grace has only hired him for a single episode, but reserves the option to bring him back for two more. Dempsey, meanwhile, will also reprise his role as Sela Ward's mentally disabled brother in the Thanksgiving episode of ABC's Once & Again, which airs Nov. 21. And early next year, he'll co-star with Ann-Margret and Kirstie Alley in the CBS miniseries Blonde, based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel about Marilyn Monroe.