‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Eric Dane Shows Signs Of ALS Diagnosis, But Will Start Filming ‘Euphoria’ Anyway

Baila Eve ZismanApril 16, 2025, 4:32 pmHome Featured, News >

Eric Dane is beginning to show the effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Dane, 52, revealed last week, “I have been diagnosed with ALS.”

Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a fatal degenerative illness that affects the brain and spinal cord. It gets its name from the famous baseball player who was diagnosed in 1939.

“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” Dane told People.

The Grey’s Anatomy actor has been married to Rebecca Gayheart since October 2004. The couple share two children, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.

Last month, Gayheart filed to dismiss her divorce from Dane, following a seven-year separation, and declared to E! that they were “The best of friends.”

This last week, Dane was seen with his family visiting a friend in Los Angeles. Photos of the actor prompted a slew of comments, remarking that the effects of the scoliosis diagnosis were prominent, as Dane presented noticeably thin and frail.

Early symptoms of ALS include weakness, weight loss and muscle twitching, a result of the steady decline of motor neurons (which control muscle movement) in the brain. The condition does not presently have a cure, and the majority of diagnosed individuals die within three to five years.

Despite his ailing appearance, Dane has assured that he plans to reprise his role as Cal Jacobs in HBO’s Euphoria, season three of which began production on April 14.

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

It’s assumed that Dane’s ALS diagnosis was in some part responsible for the couple’s reunion, but Gayheart emphasized that she and Dane always had a strong family dynamic.

“We are really close,” she said. “We are great co-parents. 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.”