Eric Dane, star of Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, has died at age 53 after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), his family confirmed. “It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Eric Dane passed away Thursday afternoon after a courageous battle with ALS. 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 life,” the family said. “We will miss him deeply and always remember him fondly. Eric adored his fans and is eternally grateful for the outpouring of love and support he has received.” The family requests privacy during this difficult time.
Release Date
02/19/2026
Dane was a prominent actor best known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy and later co-starred in HBO’s Euphoria.
Dane was born in San Francisco on November 9, 1972, and raised in nearby San Mateo County. He passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
In April 2025, the actor revealed that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive and fatal disease of the nervous system that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. This, according to the Mayo Clinic, affects patients’ ability to breathe, speak, and move. There is no cure, although some patients can live for decades.
Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same struggle.
Dane moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduating from high school and quickly found work in television series and sitcoms. His first job was in 1991 on Saved by the Bell, as “Tad,” a self-absorbed heartthrob who gets hit on the head during a beach volleyball game.
Other early work includes appearances on The Wonder Years, Roseanne, Married… with Children, and Silk Stalkings. His first recurring (and prophetic) role was as Dr. Wyatt Cooper on the ABC medical drama Gideon’s Crossing, co-starring Andrew Braugher and Rubén Blades. Although the series only lasted one season, it allowed Dane to work regularly, including several episodes of the fantasy series Charmed, an appearance as “Tex” Watson in a 2004 adaptation of the Manson Family story, Helter Skelter, and a superhero role as Multiple Man, one of Magneto’s “bad” mutants in Brett Ratner’s 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand. As recently as 2024, Dane was hoping to suit up again as part of the ever-expanding and multifaceted Marvel Cinematic Universe, stating that “Multiple Man would be a great standalone film.”
But back in 2006, Dane debuted in the second season of Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Mark Everett Sloan, a plastic surgeon whose good looks and brash personality earned him the nickname McSteamy. (In fact, Dane’s death coincided with the 20th anniversary of his first appearance on the show.) By the third season of ABC’s hit medical drama, he was a series regular and made television history with a rather photogenic exit from the shower. In fact, the “terrible towel” moment topped Entertainment Weekly’s list of the greatest McSteamy moments.
During his first talk show appearance on The Ellen Show that year, Dane joked about the famous scene and the use of double-sided tape in front of a screaming female audience, clearly enjoying the meows and shouts of appreciation from the crowd.
