Hollywood actor, Dane has di£d aged 53, less than a year after he revealed he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

 

Dane di£d on Thursday afternoon, February 19, his representatives announced in a statement.

 

He first revealed in April 2025 that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a type of motor neurone disease.

 

“He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife [actor Rebecca Gayheart] and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world,” the statement read.

 

“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. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”

 

ALS is the most common form of motor neurone disease, which means the terms are often used interchangeably. It is a terminal degenerative disorder that causes people to lose the use of their limbs and ability to speak, swallow and eventually breathe independently. There is no cure.

 

Dane played Dr Mark Sloan, or “McSteamy”, in Grey’s Anatomy. He most recently appeared in the HBO drama Euphoria as Cal Jacobs, the father of Jacob Elordi’s character.

 

Dane will appear in the upcoming third season of Euphoria, having filmed it in a wheelchair due to his health.

 

“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week,” he told People in April after announcing his diagnosis. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

 

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson paid tribute to Dane on Thursday, telling Variety: “I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing.”

 

Dane appeared in films including X-Men: The Last Stand, Marley & Me, Valentine’s Day, Burlesque and Bad Boys: Ride or Die.

 

He also starred in and produced five seasons of The Last Ship, a post-apocalyptic drama in which he played the captain of a US Navy warship looking for a cure to a global pandemic. The show went on hiatus in 2017 to give Dane time to address his depression.