Chris Carmack Reveals How Fatherhood Inspires ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Character: ‘Makes You More Caring’

Chris Carmack reveals how being a father in real life has inspired his character on Grey’s Anatomy and guides the roles he accepts during an exclusive interview with Closer.

Fans of Grey’s Anatomy are currently watching Chris’ character, Dr. Atticus “Link” Lincoln, prepares to welcome twins with partner Dr. Jo Wilson (played by Camilla Luddington), while he also shares a son Scout with ex Amelia Shepherd (played by Caterina Scorsone).

“I think being a father in real life affects how I would play any character, to be honest,” Chris, 43, exclusively tells Closer while discussing his and wife Erin Slaver’s partnership with Autotrader to promote their Private Seller Exchange. “Becoming a father, it just kind of cracks open your heart in a way that I didn’t experience personally before.”

Chris – who shares daughters Kai and Cielle Estee with Erin, 36, adds that being a parent “makes you more vulnerable” and “makes you more caring.”

“I think it would affect any role I play, as far as being a father on the show or being a father as a character. I think it’s very easy to transfer the love and fears and worries, and concerns and excitement that you have for your own children to your on screen children,” Chris continues. “In fact, I think it would be probably more difficult to play somebody who wasn’t a parent and was closed off than it is to play a parent, now that I am one.”

Not only did Chris reveal how fatherhood has changed him as an actor, but he also opens up about his and Erin’s partnership with Autotrader. Private Seller Exchange is the brand’s used-car marketplace that facilitates the private buying and selling process.

He explains that he’s “been trying to get a new used car” and has “been perusing Autotrader” for himself. “They’ve helped me to understand that their process is much easier, and it’s safer because they vet the buyers and the sellers. You’re not showing up to some dark alley with an envelope of cash and leaving with nothing,” the Washington, D.C. native says. “So, we’re very excited to partner with Autotrader. We did a really fun reel about surprises.”

Chris also opens up about why he loves working with Erin, and he reveals how creating social media videos together has strengthened their marriage.

“It’s been very interesting. I think it’s helped our marriage a lot, believe it or not. Because we’ve learned a lot of conflict resolution that I don’t think would happen if we weren’t meeting heads in a creative space,” he explains of their decision to start making silly videos together, including the reel they made for their Autotrader partnership. “I think it’s very easy to sort of shrug things off … But when you both have a goal and a deadline and a creative endeavor that you want to put together, and you both have your opinions, you have to find compromise. You have to find ways through.”

He adds, “So I think doing social media with Erin has 100 percent made our marriage stronger.”