Eric Dane
Biography
Eric William Dane, born Eric William Melvin on November 9, 1972, in San Francisco, California, was an American actor. He was the older of two brothers born to an architect father and a homemaker mother. His ancestry included English, German, Finnish, Russian, and Jewish roots. Throughout his professional life, he became a recognized figure in both television and film, often noted for his ability to portray complex characters. Dane passed away on February 19, 2026, at the age of 53. His career spanned several decades, during which he established himself as a prominent presence in the entertainment industry before his death in early 2026.
Career overview
Eric Dane began his acting career with various television roles throughout the 1990s and 2000s. One of his early recurring parts was as Jason Dean on the series Charmed. He gained significant recognition for his portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan, also known as Dr. McSteamy, on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy, appearing on the show between 2006 and 2012, with a return in 2021. His television work continued with a lead role as Captain Tom Chandler in the TNT series The Last Ship, which aired from 2014 to 2018. Later, he portrayed Cal Jacobs in the HBO drama series Euphoria from 2019 until 2026. In 2025, he appeared as FBI Special Agent Nathan Blythe in the Amazon Prime Video crime series Countdown.
In addition to his television work, Dane appeared in several feature films. His filmography includes roles in X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006, Marley and Me in 2008, and both Valentine's Day and Burlesque in 2010. Throughout his career, he accumulated 61 known acting credits. In April 2025, he publicly announced a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. His contributions to the screen left a lasting mark on both television and film audiences.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Eric Dane: Life, Loss & Courage – A Diane Sawyer Special (2026) as Self
- Euphoria: A Look Back (2026) as Self
- Famous Last Words: Eric Dane (2026) as Self
- Countdown (2025) as Nathan Blythe
- Borderline (2025) as Bell
- Kabul (2025) as Martin
- Americana (2025) as Dillon Macintosh
- Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024) as McGrath
- Brilliant Minds (2024) as Matthew Ramati
- One Fast Move (2024) as Dean Miller
- Good Men (2024) as Self
- The Fixer: Part 2 (2024) as Carter
- Dangerous Waters (2023) as Derek
- Little Dixie (2023) as Governor Richard Jeffs
- Redeeming Love (2022) as Duke
- American Carnage (2022) as Eddie
- The Ravine (2022) as Mitch Bianci
- 1921 (2021) as Maring
- Roll Up Your Sleeves (2021) as Self
- Wireless (2020) as Officer T.C. Kirschner
- Euphoria (2019) as Cal Jacobs
- Euphoria (2019) In Memory Of
- Steve (2017) as Self
- Grey Lady (2017) as Doyle
- The Fixer (2015) as Carter
- The Last Ship (2014) as CO CDR Tom Chandler
- The Last Ship (2014) Casting
- Valentine's Day (2010) as Sean Jackson
- Burlesque (2010) as Marcus Gerber
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (2009) as Self - Guest
- Marley & Me (2008) as Sebastian Tunney
- Private Practice (2007) as Dr. Mark Sloan
- Open Water 2: Adrift (2006) as Dan
- Wedding Wars (2006) as Ben Grandy
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) as Multiple Man
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) as Mark Sloan
- Feast (2005) as Hero
- Painkiller Jane (2005) as Nick
- Helter Skelter (2004) as Charles "Tex" Watson
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Las Vegas (2003) as Leo Broder
- Sol Goode (2003) as Overly Dramatic Actor
- The American Embassy (2002) as Rob Goodwin
- Ball & Chain (2001) as Jack
- Gideon's Crossing (2000) as Dr. Wyatt Cooper
- The Basket (2000) as Tom Emery
- Family Guy (1999) as Eric Dane (voice)
- Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane (1999) as Alec
- Charmed (1998) as Jason Dean
- Crisis Center (1997) as Mark Kelly
- Seduced by Madness (1996) as Nick
- Serving in Silence - The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story (1995) as Matt
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
- Renegade (1992) as Jimmy Warren
- Silk Stalkings (1991) as Justin Whalen
- Saved by the Bell (1989) as Tad Pogue (uncredited)
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- The Wonder Years (1988) as Brett
- Roseanne (1988) as Bellhop
- Married... with Children (1987) as Oliver Cole
- Gays on Strike: The Truth Behind "Wedding Wars" as Self
- Family Secrets