Eric Dane, 'Grey's Anatomy' star, dies at 53 following ALS battle

Eric Dane, who played the cheeky Dr. Mark Sloan, aka "McSteamy," in the ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," has died following a battle with ALS. He was 53.

His representative, Melissa Bank, confirmed the news in a statement to USA TODAY on Thursday, Feb. 19.

"With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," the statement said. "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."

It continued, "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," the statement concluded. "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."

People was first to report the news.

Despite ALS symptoms, Eric Dane was 'grateful that I can still work in any capacity'

Three weeks before his death, Dane dropped out of an ALS Network gala "due to the physical realities of living with ALS," the organization said in a Jan. 25 statement to USA TODAY. The actor was to be honored with the Dean and Kathleen Rasmussen Advocate of the Year Award.

Prior to this, Dane had to miss a scheduled appearance at the 2025 Emmy Awards alongside former costar Jesse Williams for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Shonda Rhimes show.

"ALS is a nasty disease," Dane told The Washington Post in an October interview. After a fall in his kitchen, he "was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head."

"I missed an opportunity I was really looking forward to," Dane said. "It would have been great to see Jesse and get reunited with some of my peers, and to be able to present in front of my colleagues I thought would have been a special moment. So I was a really upset about it, but you know, there was nothing I could do about it."

Speaking at an I Am ALS-hosted panel in December, Dane expressed his dedication to continue working despite the physical symptoms of the progressive degenerative disease.

"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," he said. "I'm grateful that I can still work in any capacity."

He added, "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."

Eric Dane's standout role in 'Grey's Anatomy'

Dane was best known for playing Dr. Mark Sloan, the charismatic and flirtatious plastic surgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial, on "Grey's Anatomy" from 2006 to 2012 (including a brief reprisal in 2021).

He first appeared in the medical drama as a guest star in Season 2, portraying the plastic surgeon whom the medical interns nicknamed "Dr. McSteamy," opposite former best friend Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), nicknamed "Dr. McDreamy."

He was later cast as a series regular from seasons 3 to 8, during which his character fell in love with Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) and had a child with Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). Dane's character died in the Season 9 premiere following injuries from a plane crash in the Season 8 finale. 

After his exit, he starred in the TNT action drama "The Last Ship," in which he played Captain Tom Chandler, for five seasons between 2014 and 2018. His career, which began with modest appearances in "The Wonder Years," "Married… with Children" and "Roseanne," later led to more notable appearances in "Charmed," "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Marley & Me," "Burlesque" and "Bad Boys: Ride or Die."

The late actor lost use of his right arm due to ALS

Dane revealed his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in a People interview that was published in April 2025. He later revealed he had lost use of his right arm.

The rare degenerative disease does not have a known cause and affects nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord, which control voluntary muscles, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine. ALS is progressive, and symptoms worsen over time as nerve cells start dying. Well-known people who have battled ALS include Stephen Hawking and R&B singer Roberta Flack. Sandra Bullock's longtime partner, Bryan Randall, died after a 3-year ALS battle in 2023.

Dane met with Rep. Eric Swalwell in September to discuss ALS. In footage that the California congressman shared to TikTok, Dane can be heard vowing to fight until the end.

"I'm going to ring every bell," Dane said. "I have two daughters at home. I want to see them graduate college, get married, maybe even have grandkids. I want to be there for all that so I'm going to fight until the last breath on this one."

Dane received a standing ovation after 'Brilliant Minds' performance

Dane continued working in Hollywood after he went public with his diagnosis. He's portrayed Cal Jacobs on HBO's "Euphoria" since the show's 2019 debut and reprises his role in the upcoming third season, due April 12.

In one of his final roles, Dane played a firefighter diagnosed with ALS on NBC's "Brilliant Minds."

Speaking with USA TODAY ahead of the episode's release in November, creator Michael Grassi opened up about an "emotional" scene in which Dane's character, Matthew, recorded a message about his evolving thoughts on asking for help.

"I have never seen this happen in my entire career, but he essentially got a 10-minute standing ovation after shooting that scene, because it was so beautiful and so honest and so real," Grassi said. "Also, while his character's finding bravery, there's a lot of bravery in Eric to tell the story as well. To come out and share this part of yourself is vulnerable but also really important, and I think raises awareness and shows people that they're not alone."

Dane is survived by his wife, actress and model Rebecca Gayheart and their daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.

Contributing: Erin Jensen and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY