Actor Eric Dane, best known for his roles as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy and Cal Jacobs, dad to Jacob Elordi’s character Nate, on Euphoria, has passed away at 53. The actor was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) last year, becoming an advocate for those struggling with this disease until his passing.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” his family shared in a public statement. “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. 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.”
Born in San Francisco in 1972, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting after gradating high school. Throughout the 90s and the early aughts, he had small roles in Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years, Roseanne, Married… with Children, and Charmed, where he worked for two seasons, as well as the movies X-Men: The Last Stand and Marley & Me.
His big break came in 2005, with Season 2 of Grey’s Anatomy. There, he played the heartthrob surgeon Dr. Mark Sloan, best known as “McSteamy.” Becoming a fan favorite in no time, his character was turned into a main player by the following season. Although he was written off in a plane accident in Season 8, he still appeared in some later episodes—cementing his legacy as one of the most beloved characters in the series’ history.
In 2019, he landed the role of Cal Jacobs on HBO’s Euphoria, which allowed him to showcase the depth of this acting talents. There, he played a strict, demanding father who held secret sexual encounters with young men and trans women. About this role, he told Variety, “I’ve always had a profound respect for the craft of acting, but I never considered myself an artist. I could never admit it, until I started making Euphoria. That’s when I gave myself the allowance to feel like I was an artist.” Dane was still able to tape the show’s third season, which will premiere in April of this year.
One of his final appearances was on the show Brilliant Minds, where he played a firefighter with ALS who struggles to make his family fully comprehend his diagnosis. Off camera, he worked on legislation and fundraising to help eradicate this disease. “I don’t really have a dog in the fight, per se, when it comes to worrying about what people are going think about me. This is more of a: ‘How can I help? How can I be of some service?’” he told Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America in June 2025. “Not to be overly morbid, but you know, if I’m going out, I’m gonna go out helping somebody.”
His Grey’s Anatomy co-star Patrick Dempsey, who visited him in his final days, said, “He was the funniest man—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. He had a great sense of humor. 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.”
The day after his passing, Netflix premiered a posthumous interview as part of its Famous Last Words series. There, he left some words of wisdom to his children, who he he called his “everything.” In the video, Dane says, “Live now. Right now. In the present. It’s hard, but I learned to do that. For years, I have been wandering around mentally and lost in my head for long chunks of time, wallowing and worrying in self-pity, shame, and doubt. I’ve replayed decisions, second-guessed myself. ‘I shouldn’t have done this. I never should’ve that.’ No more. Out of pure survival, I am forced to stay in the present. But I don’t want to be anywhere else. The past contains regrets. The future remains unknown. So you have to live now. The present is all you have. Treasure it. Cherish every moment.”
Eric Dane, best known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan (aka McSteamy) on Grey’s Anatomy, has passed away at 53.
The actor was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) last year, becoming an advocate for those struggling with this disease until his passing.
Here is his final message to his daughters:
Sources: Eric Dane, McSteamy on ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ Dies at 53; Patrick Dempsey Texted Eric Dane a Week Before ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Co-Star’s Death: ‘He Was the Funniest Man’ and ‘Such a Joy to Work With’; Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Euphoria’ Star, Dies at 53; Eric Dane says he has lost use of his right arm amid ALS battle; In an Exclusive Interview, Eric Dane Leaves Behind His Last Words
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