Eric Dane

He went on to appear in films such as X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) as Multiple Man, Marley & Me (2008), Valentine's Day (2010), Burlesque (2010), and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024). Dane also played Captain Tom Chandler in the TNT series The Last Ship (2014–2018), Cal Jacobs in the HBO drama series Euphoria (2019–2026), and FBI Special Agent Nathan Blythe in the Amazon Prime Video crime series Countdown (2025). In 2025, he announced that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which led to his death in 2026 at the age of 53.

• Name — Eric Dane • Birth Name — Eric William Melvin • Born — 9 November 1972 • Birthplace — San Francisco, California, U.S. • Died — 19 February 2026 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1991–2026 • Children — 2

Eric William Melvin was born on November 9, 1972, in San Francisco, California. He had a younger brother. They were raised in their mother's Jewish faith, and Dane had a bar mitzvah ceremony. When he was seven, his father died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dane was an athlete in high school, playing on the boys' varsity water polo team. He decided to pursue acting after appearing in a school production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.

In 1993, Dane moved to Los Angeles, where he played small roles in the television series Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years, Roseanne, and Married... with Children, among others. In 2000, he was cast in a recurring role on Gideon's Crossing, followed by a two-season run as Jason Dean on Charmed. His made-for-television film credits included two biopics, Serving in Silence (1995), about Margarethe Cammermeyer's experiences in the military, and Helter Skelter (2004), in which he portrayed Charles "Tex" Watson of the Manson family. • Illustration — Dane speaking in March 2015 Dane's first major feature film appearance was in The Basket. He also appeared in Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane, Sol Goode, Feast, X-Men: The Last Stand, and starred in Open Water 2. In 2005, he guest-starred as Dr. Mark Sloan in "Yesterday", the eighteenth episode of the second season of the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Positive audience reaction to the character led to his becoming a series regular in the third season. His first appearance that season—in which he walked out of a bathroom soaking wet and wearing only a strategically placed towel—was described as a "watercooler moment". Dane left the series after the end of season 8 but appeared in the first two episodes of season 9. In 2021, he returned to the show for the first time in nine years, despite his character having been killed off. In December 2006, he starred in the A&E television film Wedding Wars as the brother of a gay man (played by John Stamos) who goes on strike in support of same-sex marriage. Dane, alongside Grey's Anatomy co-star Patrick Dempsey, appeared in the 2010 romantic comedy Valentine's Day, directed by Garry Marshall, which followed five interconnecting stories about Los Angeles residents anticipating—or dreading—the holiday. In October 2012, Dane joined the main cast of the Michael Bay–produced TNT drama series The Last Ship. He starred as Tom Chandler, and the series ran from 2014 to 2018. In 2017, Dane starred in the feature film Grey Lady. His wife, Rebecca Gayheart, also appeared in the film. Dane later starred as Cal Jacobs in Euphoria, which premiered in 2019. In 2023, he discussed the challenges of performing scenes that required him to wear a prosthetic penis, describing them as "very difficult to shoot".

Dane married actress Rebecca Gayheart on October 29, 2004. They had two daughters. In February 2018, Gayheart filed for divorce after 14 years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences". On March 7, 2025, she reportedly filed to dismiss the divorce petition after seven years of separation. After their separation, Dane was in a relationship with Priya Jain for several years and at the time of his death was in a relationship with Janell Shirtcliff. In 2009, a video in which Dane, Gayheart, and Kari Ann Peniche appear nude and using drugs was released on Gawker. In June 2011, Dane entered a California treatment center to recover from a dependency on prescription drugs that he developed after an injury. In April 2017, production on The Last Ship halted through Memorial Day because Dane was suffering from depression.

In April 2025, Dane announced that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He said his symptoms had begun roughly eighteen months earlier. By June 2025, he could no longer use his right arm. By October 2025, he was using a wheelchair. Dane died on February 19, 2026, at the age of 53 from respiratory failure related to ALS. The day after his death, Dane's final televised interview was released as part of the Netflix series Famous Last Words, which he had recorded three months earlier.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 1991 — Saved by the Bell — Tad Pogue — Episode: "The Game" • 1992 — Renegade — Jimmy Warren — Episode: "Mother Courage" • 1993 — The Wonder Years — Brett — Episode: "Nose" • 1995 — Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story — Matt — Television film • Married... with Children — Oliver Cole — Episode: "Radio Free Trumaine" • 1996 — Silk Stalkings — Justin Whalen — Episode: "Private Dancer" • Seduced by Madness — Nick — Television film • Roseanne — Bellhop — Episode: "Disney World War II" • 1997 — Crisis Center — Mark Kelly — Episode: "He Said, She Said" • 2000 — Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane — Alec — Episode: "Kiss of Death" • 2000–2001 — Gideon's Crossing — Dr. Wyatt Cooper — Recurring role; 4 episodes • 2002 — The — Rob Goodwin — Recurring role; 3 episodes • 2003–2004 — Charmed — Jason Dean — Recurring role (seasons 5–6); 9 episodes • 2004 — Helter Skelter — Charles "Tex" Watson — Television film • Las Vegas — Leo Broder — Episodes: "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" & "The Count of Montecito" • 2005 — Painkiller Jane — Nick Pierce — Television film • 2006 — Wedding Wars — Ben Grandy • 2006–2012, 2021 — Grey's Anatomy — Dr. Mark Sloan — Guest star (season 2), Main role (seasons 3–9), Special guest star (season 17); 139 episodes • 2009–2010 — Private Practice — Episodes: "Ex-Life" & "Another Second Chance" • 2014–2018 — The Last Ship — Captain Tom Chandler — Main role; 56 episodes • 2015 — The Fixer — Carter — Miniseries; 4 episodes • 2018 — Family Guy — Himself — Voice role; Episode: "Veteran Guy" • 2019–2026 — Euphoria — Cal Jacobs — Main role; 15 episodes, posthumous release (season 3) • 2020 — Wireless — Officer T.C. Kirschner — Episode: "100%" • 2025 — Countdown — Nathan Blythe — Main role; 13 episodes • Kabul — Martin — Miniseries; 6 episodes • Brilliant Minds — Matthew Ramati — Episode: "The Fire Fighter" • 2026 — Famous Last Words — Himself — Interviewee; posthumous release

Eric Dane is recorded as actor and film producer.