Eric Dane’s co-stars have paid tribute to the popular actor after his death at age 53.
The star of the ABC hospital drama Grey’s Anatomy died on Thursday in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends, after losing a battle with ALS.
Dane played Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on the hit drama between 2006 and 2012 and also had a key role in HBO’S Euphoria as Cal Jacobs, the bisexual father of Jacob Elordi’s character Nate.
Euphoria’s creator, Sam Levinson, told The Hollywood Reporter, “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.”
The Euphoria Instagram account posted, “We are deeply saddened by the news of Eric Dane’s passing. He was incredibly talented and HBO was fortunate to have worked with him on three seasons of Euphoria. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time.”
Kevin McKidd, who played Owen Hunt in the hospital drama, wrote “Rest in Peace, Buddy” on his Instagram stories.
Sarah Drew, who played Dr. April Kepner also posted “Rest in peace.”
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease for which there is currently no cure. Dane, who announced his ALS diagnosis in April last year, was also remembered by support groups for what is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Dane was a member of I AM ALS, which called him “a fierce advocate, a generous spirit, and a true champion in the movement to end ALS.”
The group said in a statement, “Eric used his platform not for attention, but for action. From the moment he joined I AM ALS, he showed up with courage and conviction, asking how he could use his superpowers to help the movement grow.”
It continued, “It was an honor to brainstorm with him, to walk alongside him in the halls of Congress on behalf of our community, amplify the urgent need for ACT for ALS and research funding, and drive toward treatments and, ultimately, a cure. He understood that ALS is not just a diagnosis; it is a call to action for families, for answers, and for change.”
Maria Shriver also paid tribute to Dane, noting it was “heroic the way he handled his diagnosis.”
Last December, Dane was seen in NBC drama Brilliant Minds, his first on-screen role since announcing his diagnosis.
His character was a firefighter struggling to share his ALS diagnosis with his wife. In a panel hosted by I AM ALS in December, Dane said, “I’m fairly limited in what I can do physically as an actor, but I still have my brain, and I still have my speech, so I’m willing to just do about anything. I’ll take on any role.”
At the time, Dane said he had surprised himself with how well he was dealing with ALS. “I don’t think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying,” he said. “And I was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realized that I wasn’t built like that, because I thought, for sure, that was gonna be me.”
The actor said he was keen to inspire other people, noting, “It’s imperative that I share my journey with as many people as I can because I don’t feel like my life is about me anymore.”
