Patrick Dempsey pays tribute to ‘funniest man’ Eric Dane after death aged 53
Dane announced last year that he had been diagnosed with ALS.
Actor Patrick Dempsey has paid tribute to his Grey’s Anatomy co-star Eric Dane, following his death aged 53, describing him as the “funniest man”.
Dane, who also starred in Euphoria, died less than a year after publicly revealing he had been diagnosed with the progressive neurodegenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Speaking on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio, 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 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 went on to say he “hit it off” with Dane, as there was “never really any competition”, adding the pair had a “wonderful mutual respect”.
He added: “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.
“He did an incredible job at bringing awareness to this horrible disease and those remaining days and it just reminds us that we all have to celebrate every day like it’s our last day.
“It’s something that we have to remember and certainly in a world where there is just so much crisis and there is so much tragedy that we really need to be grateful for every moment that we have.”
The US actor’s death was confirmed by his representatives in a statement to Associated Press that said he had been surrounded by friends and family.
The statement said: “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the centre 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.”
Dane’s career took off when he joined long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy as fan-favourite Dr Mark “McSteamy” Sloan. He played the suave surgeon from 2006 until 2012, returning to the show for a guest appearance in 2021.
The actor later reached a new generation of viewers when he was cast as Cal Jacobs, the conflicted antagonist of the HBO hit Euphoria.
Other screen credits include roles in Charmed, Burlesque, Marley & Me and Valentine’s Day, and between 2014 and 2018 he played Tom Chandler in post-apocalyptic action series The Last Ship.
Dane married actress Rebecca Gayheart in 2004 and they have two children.
Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018 but later filed to have the petition dismissed.
In December, she wrote for US magazine The Cut that while the two lived separately and dated other people, they shared “a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people, our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love”.
Ashton Kutcher, John Stamos, Nina Dobrev, Robert Patrick, Maria Shriver and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson are among the celebrity names who have also paid tribute to Dane.
Kutcher wrote in a post on X: “The Franklin strip fanatics fantasy football league will miss Mr Eric Dane.
“We know you’ll be watching from the booth. Miss you, buddy. Let’s keep fighting the fight to solve ALS.”
Kevin McKidd, who portrays Owen Hunt on Grey’s Anatomy, posted a picture of Dane to his Instagram stories, writing “Rest in Peace, Buddy”.
In 2025, Dane went public with the news he had been diagnosed with ALS, later using his platform to advocate for greater awareness of the disease.
ALS is the most common form of motor neurone disease, a terminal condition that progressively robs people of muscle control.
“My left side is functioning; my right side has completely stopped working,” Dane told American journalist Diane Sawyer in June 2025.
Most people live three to five years after diagnosis.
Dane later drew on his own experience for a guest role on the TV series Brilliant Minds in November 2025, portraying a firefighter diagnosed with ALS who struggles to share the news with his family
