Eric Dane, the celebrated actor best known for his roles on Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria and who later in life became an advocate for ALS awareness, died Thursday, the AP reports. He was 53. His representatives said Dane died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known also as Lou Gehrig's disease, less than a year after he announced his diagnosis. "He 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," reads a statement that requests privacy for his family.
"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." Dane developed a devoted fanbase when his big break arrived in the mid-2000s: He was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy, a role he would play from 2006 until 2012 and reprise in 2021.
Although his character was killed off on the show after a plane crash, Dane's character left an indelible mark on the still-running show: Seattle Grace Hospital became Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. In 2019, he did a complete 180 from the charming McSteamy and became the troubled Cal Jacobs in HBO's provocative drama Euphoria, a role he continued in up until his death. In April 2025, Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body. ALS gradually destroys the nerve cells and connections needed to walk, talk, speak and breathe. Most patients die within three to five years of a diagnosis.
A memoir by Dane is scheduled to be published in late 2026. Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments will be released by Maria Shriver's The Open Field, a Penguin Random House imprint. According to Open Field, Dane's memoir covers key moments in his life, from his first day at work on Grey's Anatomy to the births of his two daughters and learning that he had ALS. Dane is survived by his wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, and their two teen daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine. Gayheart and Dane wed in 2004 and separated in September 2017. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, but later filed to dismiss the petition. She called their dynamic "a very complicated relationship, one that's confusing for people." She said they never got a divorce, but dated other people and lived separately.
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