Eric Dane, the actor known for his roles on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria,” who used his diagnosis to advocate for awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, died Feb. 19. He was 53.
Mr. Dane’s representatives said he died of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in a statement shared with media outlets.
“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,” the statement said.
Mr. Dane was diagnosed with ALS in 2024. The neurodegenerative disease strikes at muscle control and progressively limits the ability to move, walk, speak and breathe. While drugs can manage symptoms, there is no known cure, and most people die within three to five yearsof symptoms appearing.
Mr. Dane publicly shared his diagnosis in April 2025. He told The Washington Post later that year that sharing the news was something he felt like he had to do, as it “was getting increasingly difficult to hide what was going on.”
“I’ve never experienced a bigger outpouring of love and support than I have after I announced that,” he said at the time.
Mr. Dane said he realized that speaking about ALS could help others in the same situation feel less alone and that he could use his fame to help raise money for a cure. In September, ALS Network named him Advocate of the Year for his commitment to raising awareness of the disease.
“He has turned his ALS journey into a catalyst for progress, uniting people with his voice, his heart, and his determination,” Sheri Strahl, president and CEO of the ALS Network, said in a statement at the time. “The ALS community is stronger, more visible, and more hopeful because of him.”
Born on Nov. 9, 1972, in San Francisco, Eric William Dane was an athlete in high school, where he began amateur stage work. He moved to Los Angeles and made his television debut in 1993 on “The Wonder Years.” He also appeared on sitcoms such as “Married … with Children” and “Roseanne,” as well as “Gideon’s Crossing” and “Charmed.”
In 2006, Mr. Dane shot to national attention when he first appeared as Mark Sloan, also known as McSteamy, in Season 2 of the ABC hospital drama “Grey’s Anatomy.” His role was intended as a one-time guest appearance, but he played the plastic surgeon until 2012, when the character was killed in a plane crash.
One scene in particular, in which he emerged from a shower wearing only a towel as steam billowed behind him, became etched in pop culture lore. Mr. Dane told Diane Sawyer in 2025 he had “no idea” the scene would become memorable.
“I just remember walking out of a bathroom with a very nice gentleman kind of blowing smoke toward me,” he said.
He appeared in movies including “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “Valentine’s Day,” and was introduced to Gen Z through his role as Nate Jacobs’s father on HBO’s teen nightmare-fuel drama “Euphoria.”
He also played a Navy commander in dystopian TV series “The Last Ship” from 2014 to 2018, although production was temporarily halted in 2017 while Mr. Dane battled depression.
Despite his high profile, Mr. Dane appeared to try to wear his fame lightly. In 2015 he told Conan O’Brien he did not take it seriously and “it’d be awkward if you did.”
“The show I’m on now, within five seasons, I’ll be 310 pounds with a meatball in one hand and a baguette in the other, sitting at the helm barking orders at people,” he said about his role in “The Last Ship.”
“I’m going to let it all go,” he added. “I just don’t care any anymore.”
Mr. Dane had also been candid about his addiction issues and went to rehab in 2011 over pain medication. His memoir, “My Book of Days,” covering his early acting career and life-changing diagnosis, is set to be publishedthis year.
Dane is survived by his wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, and their two teen daughters.
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