Eric Dane Height, Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography
Quick Info→
Wife: Rebecca Gayheart
Death Cause: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Age: 53 Years
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Birth Name | Eric William Dane |
| Nickname | McSteamy |
| Profession | Actor |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height (approx.) | 6' 1" (185 cm) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Grey |
| Career | |
| Debut | TV: Saved by the Bell (1991) as 'Tad Pogue' (NBC)![]() Film: The Basket (2000) as 'Tom Emery' ![]() |
| Awards | 2006: Outstanding Television Ensemble award for 'Grey's Anatomy' at the 11th Satellite Awards 2007: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for 'Grey's Anatomy' at Actors Awards 2021: Best Actor and Best Ensemble awards for the film 'The Ravine' at Los Angeles Film Awards |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 9 November 1972 (Thursday) |
| Birthplace | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Date of Death | 19 February 2026 (Thursday) |
| Age (at the time of death) | 53 Years |
| Death Cause | Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Nationality | American |
| Hometown | San Francisco, California |
| School | • Sequoia High School, Redwood City, California (1987-1990) • San Mateo High School, California (1990-1991) |
| Educational Qualification | High School Graduate |
| Controversy | Private Tape Scandal: In 2009, Eric Dane found himself in controversy when a private nude video featuring him, his wife Rebecca Gayheart, and former Miss U.S. Teen Kari Ann Peniche was published online by Gawker.com. The footage, filmed several years earlier when they were close friends, showed them nude but not engaging in sexual acts. The edited clip, taken from a 12-minute recording made in Peniche’s Los Angeles apartment, showed the trio in a hot tub joking about "porn names" and appearing intoxicated. Gayheart was heard saying she felt "so high" she needed to lie down. Peniche's manager later claimed the video was stolen property, and the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed it was investigating the leak. Dane and Gayheart's lawyer stated the recording was a private, consensual video never meant for public release and warned of legal action against further distribution. [1]People |
| Social Media | |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status (at the time of death) | Married |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | • Rebecca Gayheart (actor, model) (early 2000s)![]() • Priya Jain (actor, model) (2024) (rumoured) ![]() • Janell Shirtcliff (filmmaker, photographer) (2025) ![]() |
| Marriage Date | 29 October 2004 |
| Marriage Place | Las Vegas, United States |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Rebecca Gayheart (actor, model) (m. 2004; until his death in 2026)![]() |
| Children | Son- None Daughter(s)- 2 • Billie Beatrice Dane • Georgia Geraldine Dane ![]() |
| Parents | Father- William Dane Melvin (navy officer, architect, interior designer) (deceased) Mother- Leah Dane (Leah Geraldine Cohn) (homemaker) |
| Siblings | Brother- Sean David Melvin Sister- None |
| Money Factor | |
| Assets/Properties | • A house in Los Angeles (bought with Rebecca Gayheart for $949,000 in 2000) • A farmhouse in the Beverly Hills Post Office, Los Angeles (bought with Rebecca Gayheart for $2.4 million in 2010) |
| Net Worth (approx.) | $7 million (as of 2026) |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Eric Dane
- Eric Dane grew up in Northern California.
- He was raised in his mother’s Jewish faith and had a bar mitzvah as part of his religious upbringing.
- Dane was seven years old when his father died by suicide as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
- Eric studied at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California (1987 -1990) and San Mateo High School in San Mateo, California (1991).
- During his school years, he was actively involved in sports and competed on the boys’ varsity water polo team.
- His interest in acting started in high school after he appeared in a school production of ‘All My Sons’ by Arthur Miller, which motivated him to pursue acting as a career.
- In 1993, Eric Dane moved to Los Angeles to build his acting career.
- He went on to appear in television series like ABC’s ‘The Wonder Years’ (1993), CBS’s ‘Silk Stalkings’ (1996), and The WB’s ‘Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane’ (2000).
- In 1995, Dane played the role of ‘Matt’ in the television film ‘Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story,’ which aired on NBC.
- He appeared in many other television films, such as ‘Seduced by Madness: The Diane Borchardt Story’ (1996), ‘Helter Skelter’ (2004), and ‘Wedding Wars’ (2006).
- Eric married actress Rebecca Gayheart on 29 October 2004. In February 2018, she filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. However, in March 2025, she reportedly asked to dismiss the divorce petition.
- Eric Dane started dating filmmaker Janell Shirtcliff years after separating from Rebecca Gayheart. Eric and Janell made it official in June 2025, walking the red carpet together, though insiders say they’d been on-and-off for over three years.
- Before dating Janell Shirtcliff, Eric Dane was involved with actress Priya Jain. They were together from late 2024 to early 2025; however, problems arose between them in June 2025 when Dane was seen with Janell at the red carpet.
- In 2005, Eric appeared as ‘Dr. Mark Sloan’ in an episode of ABC’s series ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ The role became so popular that he was made a regular cast member from season three.

- His first scene in Grey’s Anatomy season 3, where he appeared wearing only a towel, drew a lot of attention and called a “watercooler moment.”

- Eric left ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ after season 8; however, he briefly returned in season 9. In 2021, he came back for a special appearance, even though his character had died on the show years earlier.
- In 2006, Eric played ‘Jamie Madrox’ (Multiple Man) in the film ‘X-Men: The Last Stand.’

- He appeared in various other films, such as Sean Jackson in ‘Valentine’s Day’ (2010), Duke in ‘Redeeming Love’ (2022), Derek Stipes in ‘Dangerous Waters’ (2023), James McGrath in ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ (2024), and Bell in ‘Borderline’ (2025).
- In June 2011, Eric Dane went to a California rehab center to treat a prescription drug addiction caused after an injury.
- Eric played the role of ‘Tom Chandler’ in TNT’s series ‘The Last Ship’ (2014-2018).
- In April 2017, Eric took a break from filming ‘The Last Ship’ as he was struggling with depression, causing production to be put on hold until Memorial Day.
- Dane appered as ‘Cal Jacobs’ in HBO’s series ‘Euphoria’ (2019-2026). In an interview, he shared that filming certain scenes on the show was challenging, especially those that required him to wear a prosthetic.
- He worked in many other series, including Quibi’s ‘Wireless’ (2020), Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Countdown’ (2025), and NBC’s ‘Brilliant Minds’ (2025).
- Eric Dane was a motorcycle enthusiast and owned several bikes over the years, but he reportedly sold them after starting a family.
- In early 2024, Eric Dane started experiencing sympomts of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which he revealed publicly in April 2025. By June, he could no longer use his right arm and hand, and by October 2025, he was fully reliant on a wheelchair.
- Eric Dane passed away on 19 February 2026.
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