{"id":493508,"date":"2026-02-27T11:14:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T11:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/493508\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T11:14:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T11:14:10","slug":"greys-anatomy-airs-eric-dane-tribute-of-dr-mcsteamy-montage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/493508\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Airs Eric Dane Tribute of Dr. McSteamy Montage"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tGrey\u2019s Anatomy<\/a> is still reeling from the loss of one its own. Eric Dane<\/a>, who famously played plastic surgeon Dr. Mark \u201cMcSteamy\u201d Sloan on the long-running ABC medical drama, died Feb. 19<\/a>, less than a year after publicly disclosing his battle with ALS. He was 53.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the first episode since Dane\u2019s passing that aired on Thursday night, the cast and creative team behind Grey\u2019s paid tribute to the actor with a 60-second montage. Set to Tommee Profitt and Fleurie\u2019s cover of Snow Patrol\u2019s \u201cChasing Cars,\u201d which was also used in an emotional montage for the show\u2019s milestone 400th episode in 2022, the tribute included a collection of some of Mark Sloan\u2019s most iconic moments and one-liners.<\/p>\n

\n\tDane was first introduced as a guest star in the season two episode titled \u201cYesterday,\u201d as the estranged best friend of neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey<\/a>) who had an affair with Derek\u2019s neonatal surgeon wife, Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh<\/a>). After becoming a series regular the following season, Dane remained a steadfast presence on the medical drama until the season nine premiere when Mark, along with his primary love interest Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh<\/a>), died of injuries sustained in a plane crash in the season eight finale. Mark and Lexie\u2019s presence, however, has remained on the show, with Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital being renamed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in the characters\u2019 memory.<\/p>\n

\n\tDane reprised the role once more in the show\u2019s 17th season<\/a>, when protagonist Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo<\/a>) reunited with Mark and Lexie \u2014 among many other dearly departed cast members \u2014 in a series of dream beach sequences.<\/p>\n

\n\tHere are the moments that were included in the tribute to Dane\u2019s legacy on Grey\u2019s:<\/p>\n

Mark\u2019s iconic entrance in season three, where he comes out of a hotel bathroom donning only a towel and surrounded by steam after a shower. Mark walks out to find a fully dressed Derek sitting next to Addison in a bath robe, as the couple reflect on the end of their marriage. \u201cOh, this is awkward,\u201d Mark says in the understatement of the century.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re the dirty mistresses,\u201d Mark says to Meredith in his first guest appearance in season two. Meredith famously slept with Derek before the start of her intern year \u2014 all without realizing until the end of season one that he was still married to Addison. Mark and Meredith had more in common than they realized. And who could forget Meredith\u2019s three rules<\/a> for the \u201cdirty mistresses club\u201d?<\/p>\n

\u201cI bet you wish you\u2019d taken the stairs right about now,\u201d Mark whispers in Derek\u2019s ear as they are surrounded by three of Derek\u2019s love interests in one elevator: Meredith, Addison and a nurse named Rose.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Plastics Posse\u201d was the name of the plastic surgery team formed by Mark and his prot\u00e9g\u00e9, Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams<\/a>). \u201cKicking surgical ass and taking names\u201d was their tag line.<\/p>\n

Mark\u2019s close relationships with his friend-with-benefits-turned-baby-mama, orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres (Sara Ram\u00edrez<\/a>), and Callie\u2019s ex-wife Arizona (Jessica Capshaw)<\/a>. Mark walked Callie down the aisle at her wedding to Arizona, and the three of them raised a daughter named Sofia together until Mark\u2019s death. (Mark also showed Callie \u201cthe Sloan method\u201d when she was first navigating the prospect of sleeping with another woman.)<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you love someone, you tell them, even if you\u2019re scared that it\u2019s not the right thing. Even if you\u2019re scared that it\u2019ll burn your life to the ground, you say it and you say it loud.\u201d Mark tells Jackson on his death bed. That is the lesson Mark learned the hard way with Lexie, who was truly the love of his life.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

Eric Dane on Grey\u2019s Anatomy in 2012.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tABC<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the wake of Dane\u2019s death, his former Grey\u2019s colleagues took to social media in droves to pay tribute to him. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on behalf of her production company Shondaland, series creator Shonda Rhimes called Dane \u201ca gifted actor whose portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan left an indelible mark on the series and on audiences around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe are grateful for the artistry, spirit, friendship and humanity he shared with us for so many years,\u201d Rhimes continued. \u201cOur hearts are with his family, loved ones, and all who were touched by his work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile doing press in the U.K. for his new Fox series Memory of a Killer, Dempsey revealed that he had been in touch with Dane about a week before his passing<\/a>. Dane was actually supposed to play Dempsey\u2019s Alzheimer\u2019s-afflicted brother in the series before the rapid decline of Dane\u2019s own health.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI was corresponding with him, we were texting, so I spoke to him about a week ago and some friends of ours went in to see him, and he was really starting to lose his ability to speak. He was bedridden and it was very hard for him to swallow, so the quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly,\u201d he told The Chris Evans Breakfast Show<\/a> on Virgin Radio UK.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHe was the funniest man \u2014 he was such a joy to work with, and I want to just remember him in that spirit because any time he was on set, he brought so much fun to it,\u201d Dempsey continued. \u201cHe had a great sense of humour. He was easy to work with, we got along instantly. First scene was him, you know, in all his glory, coming out of the bathroom with the towel on looking amazing, making you feel completely out of shape and insignificant. We hit it off because it was never really any competition. There was just this wonderful mutual respect, he\u2019s wickedly intelligent and I\u2019m always going to remember those moments of fun that we had together and celebrate the joy that he did bring to people\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWalsh, who recently revealed that she had reached out<\/a> to Dane to send her \u201clove and support and strength,\u201d wrote on Instagram<\/a> that she was \u201cat a loss for words to try to express the sadness around Eric\u2019s passing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI literally remember my very first scene with Eric\u2026an elevator scene at Seattle Greys. So, so long ago. I believe it was his first scene on the show too and he was nervous,\u201d she wrote in part. \u201cHe was so handsome and I thought \u2018but can this guy act?\u2019 and of course he could, and did, and the rest is history.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWalsh added, \u201cOne of the things I loved about Eric was his sensitivity and vulnerability, (and intelligence, of course) but he had the gravitas & old soul that made his work magnetic and made him a great friend off set. In those early days of Grey\u2019s, as with most network tv shows, we spent more time with each other than with anyone else and so we became a family of sorts and Eric was such a source of support and love. ALS is an awful disease & too many people have lost loved ones to it. I know it was Eric\u2019s mission to help find a cure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tLeigh issued a statement last week to E! News<\/a>, writing that \u201cthe last 48 hours\u201d since learning of Dane\u2019s passing \u201chave been devastating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI never thought I would be using the term \u2018had or was,\u2019 but here we are. And I hate it,\u201d she said. \u201cEric had a heart of gold. His humor and, especially, his laugh was infectious. He was a deeply intelligent man who could carry a philosophical conversation for hours even while we were on set. He was an amazing father and loved his girls FIERCELY. Incredibly passionate about his work and the causes he kept close to his heart. The Universe is undoubtedly holding Eric now, just as I will continue to do within my heart forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tCapshaw paid tribute to the beloved relationship between Dane\u2019s character and her pediatric and fetal surgeon Arizona Robbins<\/a>, who were united by their love of Callie. \u201cFor five seasons, Arizona and Mark shared witty banter, hard truths, big laughs (and cries), and so much of their hearts with one another. Beneath that confident charm lived a unique softness and a fierce love for his people that was rare and that only Eric could have brought to that character,\u201d she wrote on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cEric also had that same fierce and deep love for his family and my heart is with them during this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tRam\u00edrez, who chose to reactivate their own Instagram account to pay tribute to Dane, commented three emojis \u2014 a broken heart, a candle and a dove \u2014 under Capshaw\u2019s post. Ram\u00edrez then reposted a video from Alexandra Billings<\/a>, in which Billings recalled her experience of guest-starring on Grey\u2019s and Dane\u2019s \u201cextraordinary\u201d act of trans allyship.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tDane with Patrick Dempsey on Grey\u2019s Anatomy.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Photo by Danny Feld\/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\n\tIn her tribute to Dane, Katherine Heigl, who played Isobel \u201cIzzie\u201d Stevens in the first six seasons, penned a heartfelt letter<\/a> to Dane\u2019s wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters, Billie and Georgia. \u201cThere is so little, if in fact anything, one can say about a tragic loss like yours. All the \u2018I\u2019m sorries\u2019 and \u2018my prayers are with you\u2019 ring a bit hollow in the midst of so much pain and grief,\u201d she wrote. \u201cSo I will say the only thing that has ever brought me peace when I\u2019ve lost someone I love. It is Robert Frost\u2019s poem \u2018Nothing Gold Can Stay\u2019 of which I have tattooed on my body in my parent\u2019s handwriting so I will never forget that the moment of gold was worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI will never forget Eric\u2019s gold and I will forever be grateful I got to bask in it for even a brief moment in time,\u201d Heigl concluded. \u201cThank you for sharing him with us. God Speed my old friend\u2026here\u2019s to your next great adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tT.R. Knight, who played the late George O\u2019Malley from seasons one through five, wrote on Instagram<\/a>, \u201cEric, your generosity and humor will always be a guide, your courage and honesty, a beacon. My heart is a part of the vast circle that surrounds you and loves you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tJames Pickens Jr., one of the last three original cast members on Grey\u2019s who plays former chief of surgery Richard Webber, wrote on his Instagram Story, \u201cRest in Peace.\u201d Kevin McKidd, who has played trauma surgeon Owen Hunt from seasons five through 22, also wrote on his Instagram Story, \u201cRest in Peace Buddy.\u201d In addition to sharing a plethora of posts made in Dane\u2019s honor<\/a>, Sarah Drew, who played trauma surgeon April Kepner for 11 seasons, wrote, \u201cHeartbroken for this tremendous loss. Eric was an incredible presence as an actor and as a human and he will be profoundly missed. Sending so much love to his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tKim Raver, who has played cardiothoracic surgeon Teddy Altman for 12 seasons, remembered Dane as \u201ca light.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou\u2019d see it effortlessly shine from him on the set of Grey\u2019s as well as when he was with Rebecca and the girls,\u201d she recalled. \u201cDuring filming he\u2019d 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!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFormer Grey\u2019s showrunner Krista Vernoff, who was responsible for orchestrating the high-profile cameos in the dream sequences during the show\u2019s COVID-19 season, shared a behind-the-scenes image of Dane with Pompeo and producing director Debbie Allen<\/a>, as well as screenshots of her text messages with Dane.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI called Eric and he answered immediately. I said will you come back? I know it\u2019s a pandemic and shooting is a nightmare but we\u2019re gonna do it on the beach and keep our social distance because the world needs joy and Mark and Lexie are joy,\u201d she wrote on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cHe said where and when. When I came to set that day, he said, we\u2019re breaking the rules and hugging now right? What I will remember most about Eric Dane are his hugs. The best hugs. Oh my friend. I wish you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAllen, for her part, wrote on Instagram<\/a>, \u201cOur beloved brother Eric Dane made his ascension into the Light, leaving us with great memories of his powerful presence on and off screen. Adored by millions of fans as McSteamy, we will always speak his name with true joy, courage, and love. RIP, my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBy complete coincidence, Thursday\u2019s episode of Grey\u2019s also introduced Toni Wright, a new plastic attending surgeon played by Yellowstone alumna Jen Landon. According to Richard, Jackson even said that Toni was \u201cthe go-to for facial reconstruction.\u201d Toni went to medical school with Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone), the neurosurgeon who just returned from a monthslong sabbatical<\/a> following the death of her friend and colleague, Monica Beltran (Natalie Morales)<\/a>, in last season\u2019s hospital explosion.<\/p>\n

\n\tDespite initially giving Amelia the cold shoulder while working together on a patient, Toni confesses to Amelia in the hospital cafeteria that she had a \u201chuge crush\u201d on her. By the time they clock out at the end of the day, Amelia reveals that she, too, had a crush on Toni, even though Amelia did not fully understand her feelings at the time. In true Grey\u2019s fashion, the final moments of the episode show Amelia and Toni hooking up in an on-call room.<\/p>\n

\n\t***<\/p>\n

\n\tNew episodes of Grey\u2019s Anatomy air Thursdays at 10\/9c on ABC. Episodes stream the next day on Hulu.<\/p>\n