The US actor died less than a year after publicly revealing he had been diagnosed with the disease
The US actor died less than a year after publicly revealing he had been diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disease.
His passing was confirmed by his representatives in a statement to the Associated Press, who said he had been surrounded by friends and family.
The statement said: “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the centre of his world.
“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. 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.”
Eric Dane as Mark Sloan in Grey’s Anatomy in 2010. (Photo by Bob D’Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Dane’s career took off when he joined long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy as fan-favourite Dr Mark “McSteamy” Sloan.
He played the suave surgeon from 2006 until 2012, returning to the show for a guest appearance in 2021.
Dane later reached a new generation of viewers when he was cast as Cal Jacobs, the conflicted antagonist of the HBO hit Euphoria.
Other screen credits include roles in Charmed, Burlesque, Marley and Me and Valentine’s Day.
Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey and Eric Dane as Mark Sloan in a 2006 episode of Grey’s Anatomy (Photo by Scott Garfield/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Between 2014 and 2018 he played Tom Chandler in post-apocalyptic action series The Last Ship.
Dane married actress Rebecca Gayheart in 2004 and the pair share two children.
Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018 but later filed to have the petition dismissed.
In December, she wrote for US magazine The Cut that while the two lived separately and dated other people, they shared “a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love”.
Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart arrive at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2007 (Kevork Djansezian/ AP)
In 2025, Dane went public with the news he had been diagnosed with ALS, later using his platform to advocate for greater awareness of the disease.
ALS is the most common form of motor neurone disease, a terminal condition that progressively robs people of muscle control.
“My left side is functioning; my right side has completely stopped working,” he told American journalist Diane Sawyer in June 2025, but added he was “very hopeful” for the future.
Most people live three to five years after diagnosis.
Dane later drew on his own experience for a guest role on the TV series Brilliant Minds in November 2025, portraying a firefighter diagnosed with ALS who struggles to share the news with his family
Tributes
Kevin McKidd, who portrays trauma surgeon Owen Hunt on Grey’s Anatomy, posted a picture of Dane to his Instagram stories, writing “Rest in Peace, Buddy”.
Kim Raver, who stars as McKidd’s on-screen wife Teddy Altman, called Dane a “light”.
“You’d see it effortlessly shine from him on the set of Grey’s as well as when he was with Rebecca and the girls,” she captioned an Instagram photo of the pair.
“During filming he’d get this twinkle in his eye and with a mischievous look, he would deliver with perfect comedic timing, a line of dialogue that would floor you! You will be missed.”
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Similar sentiments were echoed by Sarah Drew, who played April Kepner, and James Pickens Jr, who portrays Richard Webber.
In a statement to Variety, Euphoria creator Sam Levinson said: ” I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honour. Being his friend was a gift.
“Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing.”
Alyssa Milano, who acted alongside Dane during his recurring role in the fantasy TV series Charmed, told her Instagram followers she could not stop thinking about the “spark in Eric’s eye right before he’d say something that would either make you spit out your drink or rethink your entire perspective”.
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She wrote: “He had a razor-sharp sense of humor. He loved the absurdity of things. He loved catching people off guard.
“And when it came to his daughters and Rebecca, everything in him softened. He carried them with him even in rooms where they weren’t present. You could see it in the way his voice changed when he said their names. A breathtakingly beautiful family.”
Dane portrayed Jason Dean – a love interest of Milano’s character – for nine episodes in the show’s fifth and sixth seasons.
Ashton Kutcher, John Stamos, Nina Dobrev, Robert Patrick and Maria Shriver were among the celebrity friends who also paid tribute to Dane.
“The Franklin strip fanatics fantasy football league will miss Mr. Eric Dane,” Kutcher wrote in a post on X.
“We know you’ll be watching from the booth. Miss you, buddy. Let’s keep fighting the fight to solve ALS.”
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Dobrev, who appeared alongside Dane in 2022’s Redeeming Love, remembered the actor as “warm, generous, prepared, and so passionate about what he did”.
“He led with kindness and made everyone on our set feel seen. ALS is a cruel and unforgiving disease,” she wrote on her Instagram stories.