Eric Dane, best known to TV audiences as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and Cal Jacobs on HBO’s “Euphoria,” died on Thursday, February 19, less than one year after going public with his ALS diagnosis. He was 53.
Tributes are pouring in from those who were lucky enough to work with Dane, including former co-stars and creatives from “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Euphoria,” and The WB’s “Charmed.”
“Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson is “heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric,” he said in a statement. “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.”
HBO also released the following statement: “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.”
Alyssa Milano, who was romanced by Dane for multiple seasons on “Charmed,” recalled the actor’s “razor-sharp sense of humor,” saying, “He loved the absurdity of things. He loved catching people off guard. And when it came to his daughters and Rebecca [Gayheart], everything in him softened. He carried them with him even in rooms where they weren’t present. You could see it in the way his voice changed when he said their names. … The spark. The mischief. The tenderness he kept guarded but never totally hidden.”
According to Milano, Dane even convinced her to get her infamous pixie cut from the show’s sixth season, as well as her nose piercing. “My heart is with the people who were lucky enough to be his home,” she added.
Kevin McKidd, who plays fellow “Grey’s” doc Owen Hunt, kept it simple. Over a picture of Dane in his scrubs, McKidd wrote in an Instagram story, “Rest in Peace, Buddy.” Sarah Drew, who played Dr. April Kepner on “Grey’s,” shared the same photo in an instagram story, writing, “Rest in peace.”
“I learned so much from Eric,” Travis Van Winkle, who starred opposite Dane on TNT’s “The Last Ship,” wrote in an Instagram story. “He was a great man. I’m sad to see him go in this way. I’m sending love to his family. Thanks for the memories my friend.”
How will you remember Dane? Drop a comment with your favorite performances from the actor below.
