‘Euphoria,’ ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Actor Diagnosed With ALS

Actor Eric Dane, best known for his roles on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria,” announced this week that he has ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” the 52-year-old told People in an interview. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”

“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to [the] set of Euphoria next week,” he added. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

Dane has been married to actress Rebecca Gayheart since 2004. The couple has two children, the outlet noted: Billie Beatrice, aged 15, and Georgia Geraldine, who is 13. 

Gayheart previously filed for divorce in 2018 but called it off in March 2025. “We are best of friends. We are really close. We are great coparents,” the actress told E! News earlier this week. “We really figured out the formula to staying a family and I think our kids are benefiting greatly from it and we are as well.”

“I think it’s important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure. It’s just a season. It wasn’t a failure. It was a huge success,” Gayheart added without clarifying the status of their relationship right now. “We were married for, I mean, we are still married, but together for 15 years and we had two beautiful kids so I think that’s a successful relationship, and that’s how we look at it.”

The popular teen drama “Euphoria” is scheduled to begin production for season 3 next week. The Emmy Award-winning HBO series includes Dane as Cal Jacobs, patriarch of the Jacobs family. Dane became nationally known thanks to his role as Dr. Mark Sloan, nicknamed “McSteamy,” on six seasons of the ABC medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control. Over time, individuals with ALS may lose the ability to speak, move, eat, and breathe independently.

ALS has no cure, and people who receive this diagnosis usually live three to five years after symptoms start, however, some people live for decades following their diagnosis. Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking lived with ALS for more than 50 years after being diagnosed at the age of 21 until he died in 2018.