Australian audiences have received a sobering and heartfelt update from actor Eric Dane, who has spoken candidly about his ongoing battle with the neurodegenerative disease ALS. The 53-year-old star, best known for playing Dr Mark 'McSteamy' Sloan on the hit series Grey's Anatomy, participated in a virtual panel this week, where noticeable changes in his speech underscored the disease's progression.
An Emotional and Physical Struggle
During the online event hosted by the advocacy group I Am ALS on Tuesday, Dane did not shy away from discussing the profound emotional weight of his condition. He admitted that the diagnosis, which he revealed publicly in April, could easily have led him to retreat from the world.
"I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day," the actor stated with raw honesty. "I don't think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying."
However, Dane shared a surprising personal discovery amidst the hardship. "[But] I was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realised that I wasn't built like that, because I thought for sure that was gonna be me." He finds it "very encouraging" to maintain a "buoyant spirit in the face of something so horrible."
A New Direction for His Acting Career
The physical limitations imposed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are now directly shaping Dane's professional choices. The disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, progressively impacts the ability to move, speak, swallow, and breathe. There is currently no known cure.
Dane confirmed that his future roles will be dictated by his reality. "I'm fairly limited in what I can do physically as an actor, but I still have my brain, and I still have my speech, so I'm willing to just do about anything. I'll take on any role," he explained.
"From here on out, it's going to have to be ALS-centric," Dane declared. "It's going to be very difficult for me to play any other role." He expressed gratitude for being able to "still work in any capacity."
Becoming a Voice for the ALS Community
Since his diagnosis, Eric Dane has transformed into a prominent ambassador for I Am ALS. He is using his platform to push for greater awareness, improved patient support, and accelerated research. The actor recently portrayed a firefighter with ALS in an episode of Brilliant Minds, a role that now carries profound personal significance.
Dane is determined to cut through the red tape that often hinders progress. "I make sure that people are aware of what ALS is and what it's about, and more importantly, what we can do to combat it and improve the landscape," he said. "It's so rocky and littered with hurdles and bureaucracy and all this other nonsense that we're trying to sift through so we can get to a place where we go, start working on solution."
The actor's journey with the disease has included significant physical challenges; he has previously shared that his right arm and hand had "completely stopped working." Despite this, his resolve remains strong. Alongside his acclaimed role on Grey's Anatomy from 2006 to 2012, Dane's recent credits include the film Bad Boys: Ride or Die and his portrayal of Cal Jacobs in the HBO drama Euphoria.
