Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Euphoria’ star, dies at 53 nearly 1 year after revealing ALS diagnosis

Actor Eric Dane died of complications related to ALS on Thursday afternoon. He was 53.

Dane’s family confirmed his death with a statement to multiple outlets, sharing that he had “spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”

The actor, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, revealed his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in April 2025. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative disease. It’s rare, with about 5,000 Americans being diagnosed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight,” the statement continues. “He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”

In a June 2025 interview with Diane Sawyer, Dane opened up about his early symptoms, noting that he initially experienced weakness in his right hand. “I didn’t really think anything of it at the time — I thought maybe I’d been texting too much, or my hand was fatigued,” he said. However, after nine months and multiple visits to hand specialists and neurologists, the actor received the diagnosis. By June 2025, he had lost use of his right side. Symptoms vary from person to person; the disease, which is progressive, targets neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle control issues. Eventually, muscles atrophy, which impacts breathing.

“I’m angry because, you know, my father was taken from me when I was young, and now, you know, there’s a very good chance I’m going to be taken from my girls while they’re very young,” Dane told Sawyer of his dad. “I mean, really at the end of the day, all I want to do is spend time with my family and work a little bit if I can.”

Dane began his acting career in the ‘90s with guest roles on TV shows Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years and Married…with Children.

In 2006, he joined ABC’s medical drama Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Mark Sloan, nicknamed “McSteamy.” He joined the main cast in Season 3 and appeared until his character’s death in a plane crash in Season 9. He briefly returned as a guest star in a dream sequence in Season 17.

Dane went on to star in The Last Ship post Grey’s Anatomy, which was followed a crew on a Navy ship that must find a cure for the pandemic that wiped out humanity. It aired on TNT from 2014 to 2018.

In 2019, he took on the scene-stealing role of badly behaving suburban father Cal Jacobs in HBO’s Euphoria. He appeared on the show for its first two seasons, which aired in 2019 and 2022. He then returned to set for the show’s long-awaited third season in 2025.

Though best known for his TV work, Dane’s film roles included X-Men: The Last Stand, Marley & Me, Dangerous Waters and Bad Boys: Ride or Die. He reunited with Euphoria co-star Sydney Sweeney for the 2025 release Americana.

Dane was married to actress Rebecca Gayheart, with whom he shared daughters Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13. The spouses filed for divorce in 2018; however, in March 2025, Gayheart called off the proceedings.

In an essay she wrote for The Cut, Gayheart called their relationship “complicated,” explaining that they decided to halt the divorce so that they could manage Dane’s disease as a family.

“Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love. Eric knows that I am always going to want the best for him. That I’m going to do my best to do right by him. And I know he would do the same for me,” she wrote. “So whatever I can do or however I can show up to make this journey better for him or easier for him, I want to do that.”

Gayheart shared that she knew little about ALS when Dane was diagnosed, except for the fact that there wasn’t a cure. Her knowledge expanded as she took on a caregiver role.

“We went to have sushi one night, and it was the first time I had to unload the wheelchair and open it and get Eric into it on my own. And oh my God, I was sweating bullets and there were people watching and taking pictures and I was so upset because I was really struggling,” she said. “I had a flashback from when I was a new mom and I didn’t know how to open the car seat — panicking and the baby’s crying and I’m trying to do this. It was that kind of a feeling, just awful. But I’ve now mastered that thing. And we are really much more careful about where we go out and when we go.”

Dane told Sawyer of their relationship, “We have managed to become better friends and better parents, and she is probably my biggest champion, my most stalwart supporter.”

In December, it was announced that the actor would publish a memoir in 2026 about living with ALS. “I want to capture the moments that shaped me — the beautiful days, the hard ones, the ones I never took for granted — so that if nothing else, people who read it will remember what it means to live with heart,” he said in a statement. “If sharing this helps someone find meaning in their own days, then my story is worth telling.”