In 1987, at the age of 21, Dempsey's career seemed strapped to a rocket after his breakout role as the enterprising loser Ronald Miller in the geek-redemption comedy Can't Buy Me Love made him an instant teen heartthrob. But the Maine native, who'd once dreamed of being a professional skier before turning to juggling and regional theater, wasn't equipped to handle his sudden fame. ''I was just doing the movie for the sake of doing it,'' says Dempsey.