NEED TO KNOW
- In April 2025, actor Eric Dane revealed that he had been diagnosed with ALS
- Two months later in June 2025, Dane got emotional while discussing his condition
- He told Good Morning America‘s Diane Sawyer that he doesn’t “feel like this is the end of me”
Eric Dane is doing his first sit-down interview since revealing his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis.
In a preview of his upcoming June 16 interview with Good Morning America, the Euphoria actor got emotional while reflecting on his health.
“I wake up every day and I’m immediately reminded that this is happening,” he told correspondent Diane Sawyer. “It’s not a dream.”
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive degenerative disease that affects the nerve cells and leads to eventual paralysis of the muscles, per the Mayo Clinic.
People diagnosed with ALS slowly lose their ability to speak, eat, walk and breathe independently because the disease specifically affects nerve cells, or motor neurons, in the spine and brain. There is no cure for ALS, but there are medications and forms of physical therapy to slow the progression.
Despite the change in his health, Dane has continued working, returning to filming season 3 of Euphoria just days after sharing his personal update. Here’s everything Eric Dane has said about his ALS diagnosis.
Dane first shared his ALS diagnosis in April 2025
Dane announced his ALS diagnosis in a statement to PEOPLE on April 10, 2025.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” he said. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
Dane added, “I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
The Grey’s Anatomy actor is married to actress Rebecca Gayheart. They share two children, daughters Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine.
He has continued to work amid his diagnosis
Since announcing his diagnosis, Dane has continued to act. Just four days after revealing his diagnosis to PEOPLE, he returned to the Euphoria season 3 set on April 14.
Dane has starred on the hit HBO series as Cal Jacobs since its 2019 premiere. His character’s fate remains up in the air, since season 2 ended with his son Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) turning his dad into the police over his past crimes.
After the season 2 finale aired in February 2022, Dane confirmed that his character would return for a third season.
“There’s gonna be redemption,” he told Variety. “I mean, that’s the trajectory he’s on. I can’t imagine Cal’s life from solitary confinement. It’s tough to work Cal into the storyline when he’s behind bars.”
In May 2025, Dane appeared in the trailer for the Prime Video series Countdown, which also stars Jensen Ackles and Jessica Camacho. The show marked the first project Dane has appeared in since sharing his diagnosis.
Dane did his first sit-down interview about his diagnosis in June 2025
On June 12, Dane appeared in a short teaser video for an upcoming interview with Good Morning America, which is set to air on June 16.
In the emotional clip, Dane and Sawyer held hands while he spoke about how his life has been affected by ALS. The clip ended with Dane breaking down in tears.
“I don’t think this is the end of my story. I don’t feel like this is the end of me,” he said.
Several celebrities have shared their support for Dane during his health journey
Hollywood has rallied around Dane since he shared his diagnosis.
Colman Domingo, who costars alongside Dane in Euphoria, told PEOPLE shortly after his announcement that he hadn’t “been able to speak with him yet,” but he’s “wishing him well.”
“I look forward to working with him,” he added.
Meanwhile, in April 2025, Tina Knowles commented under an Instagram post sharing the news, “God Bless you ❤️.”
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