Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria stars lead tributes to Eric Dane after he dies aged 53

Tributes have been flooding in for Euphoria and Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane after he tragically passed away aged 53.

The actor died on Thursday (19 February), his representatives announced in a statement.

He died less than a year after announcing he was diagnosed with ALS, a type of motor neurone disease.

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

It continued: "He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife [actor Rebecca Gayheart] and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.

"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. 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."

Born in San Francisco on 9 November, 1972, Dane moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19 and made his onscreen debut in a 1991. Landing his first onscreen role in teen sitcom Saved By The Bell, in which he played Tad Pogue, Dane appeared in 145 episodes between 2006 and 2021, before going on to star in The Wonder Years, Roseanne, Charmed and Gideon’s Crossing.

However, it's for his roles as Dr. Mark Sloan – who was given the affectionate nickname 'McSteamy' by interns at the hospital – in Grey's Anatomy and dysfunctional father Cal Jacobs – one of the show's most disliked characters – in Euphoria that he remains best know for.

Dane filmed scenes for the upcoming third and final season of Euphoria ahead of his death and will appear in the upcoming instalment.

"It's been freeing for me to play this role," he told Men’s Health of his part in the hit HBO show back in 2022. "There's a lot asked of me in this role, and the expectations are high. It’s incumbent on me to hit every note because Cal lives such a fragile kind of existence.

He added: "This guy teeters on what is morally acceptable and what is legally acceptable. So it's important that I hit all the notes because otherwise he can so easily be misunderstood. There's a humanity to this character that I hope comes out."

Meanwhile, film credits include X-Men: The Last Stand, Marley & Me, Valentine’s Day, Burlesque and Bad Boys: Ride or Die.

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson paid tribute to Dane following the news of his passing, saying in a statement shared with Variety: "I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing."

The official Instagram account for Euphoria and HBO Max said in a joint post: "We are deeply saddened by the news of Eric Dane’s passing. He was incredibly talented and HBO was fortunate to have worked with him on three seasons of Euphoria. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time."

Meanwhile, Kevin McKidd, who played Dr. Owen Hunt in Grey’s Anatomy, penned in a tribute on his Instagram story: "Rest in Peace buddy".

In a similar tribute, Sarah Drew, who played Dr. April Kepner, wrote "Rest in peace" over a picture of Dane her Instagram story.

Nina Dobrev, who starred alongside Dane in 2022’s Redeeming Love, also wrote on her Instagram story: "Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Eric. He was warm, generous, prepared, and so passionate about what he did. He led with kindness and made everyone on our set feel seen. ALS is a cruel and unforgiving disease.

"May his memory inspire more research, awareness, and progress toward a cure. He will be deeply missed. Sending love and heartfelt condolences to his family."

Actor Patrick Dempsey, who starred alongside Dane on Grey’s Anatomy, also paid tribute to the late star.

Speaking on Virgin Radio UK on Friday morning, Dempsey said: “I just woke up this morning and it was very sad to read the news. It’s hard to put into words. I feel really so sad for his children. I was corresponding with him, we were texting so I spoke to him about a week ago and some friends of ours went in to see him and he was really starting to lose his ability to speak."

He continued: "He was bedridden and it was very hard for him to swallow so the quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly. He was the funniest man - he was such a joy to work with and I want to just remember him in that spirit because any time he was on set, he brought so much fun to it.

"He had a great sense of humour. He was easy to work with, we got along instantly. First scene was him, you know, in all his glory, coming out of the bathroom with the towel on looking amazing, making you feel completely out of shape and insignificant…"

Dempsey added: “We hit it off because it was never really any competition. There was just this wonderful mutual respect, he's wickedly intelligent and I'm always going to remember those moments of fun that we had together and celebrate the joy that he did bring to people's lives and the real loss is for us who don't have them anymore."

Dane is survived by his daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine, and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.