In Eric Dane's final interview before his death, the actor looked back at his life and career.
During the interview with Brad Falchuck for "Famous Last Words" on Netflix, which was filmed in November 2025 and released on Friday, Dane spoke about his illness and what he has learned from it, and what he hopes to pass on to his two daughters, Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14.
In the final moments of the episode, Dane turned his attention to his daughters, saying, "Billie and Georgia, these words are for you."
"I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn't we?" he said before getting choked up while recounting all the moments they shared together. "I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies. Those days, pun intended, were heaven. I want to tell you four things I've learned from this disease, and I hope you don't just listen to me. I hope you'll hear me."
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His first piece of advice was for his daughters to always live in the moment, saying he spent so much time "wallowing and worrying in self-pity, shame and doubt." Through his disease, he explained he was "forced to stay in the present," encouraging his daughters to do the same, adding "The present is all you have. Treasure it. Cherish every moment."
He also encouraged his daughters to find love in their lives, whether it be with a person or a passion, noting that his was acting.
"That love eventually got me through my darkest hours, my darkest days, my darkest year. I still love my work, I still look forward to it, I still want to get in front of a camera and play my part. My work doesn't define me, but it excites me," he said.
His third piece of advice was to "Find your people and allow them to find you."
" I can't do little things I used to do. I can't drive around, go to the gym, get coffee, or hang out. But I've learned to embrace alternatives," he said. "My friends come to me, we eat together, watch a game, listen to music. They don't do anything special; they just show up. That's a big one. Just show up. And love your friends with everything you have. Hang onto them. They will entertain you, guide you, help you, support you and some will save you."
Lastly, he hoped to show his daughters that they could get through anything, saying, "This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit."
"So when something unexpected hits you, and it will because that's life, fight and face it with honesty, integrity and grace, even if it feels or seems insurmountable," he said. "I hope I've demonstrated that you can face anything. You can face the end of your days. You can face hell with dignity. Fight, girls, and hold your heads high. Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words."
Aside from his words to his daughters, Dane also touched on his past traumas, including the death of his father when he was seven and his own struggles with addiction.
When asked how he thinks his daughters would describe their dad, Dane first joked by saying they would remember him as "a reactive person," saying they would remember him reacting to things such as traffic. He then said, "I think they would say that I was pretty tough [and] resilient," and above all, they would remember him as "a good dad."
"I do believe that when we go to sleep, or however it is we go, once we're gone, we're gone. And we live on in the memories of the people that will miss us."
Best known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan - "McSteamy" - on "Grey's Anatomy," Dane's death Thursday marked the end of a chapter for fans and friends who saw not just a television heartthrob, but a devoted father, husband and advocate.
His family confirmed the news to Fox News Digital.
"With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," the statement began.
It continued, "He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center 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. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time."
Many of his former co-stars took to social media to share their tributes to Dane, including Sydney Sweeney, who acted alongside him in "Euphoria."
She posted a video of the actor on her Instagram stories, writing "forever will love you."
For Dane's former co-star, Patrick Dempsey - who played Dr. Derek Shepherd on the medical drama - the loss felt deeply personal.
Appearing on "The Chris Evans Breakfast Show" on Friday, Feb. 20, Dempsey paid tribute to his longtime friend.
"I feel really so sad for his children," said Dempsey. "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."
In his final days, Dane's health had declined rapidly, he recalled.
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"He was bedridden, and it was very hard for him to swallow, so the quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly," he shared. "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 humor. He was easy to work with, we got along instantly," Dempsey added. "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."
Despite their characters' on-screen rivalries, Dempsey explained that there was "never really any competition" between them as they "hit it off" immediately.
"There was just this wonderful mutual respect," said Dempsey. "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 him anymore."
Speaking of Dane's medical condition, Dempsey added, "He did an incredible job at bringing awareness to this horrible disease and those remaining days … it just reminds us that we all have to celebrate every day like it's our last day."
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Other "Grey's Anatomy" alumni echoed that grief.
Kevin McKidd reposted a photo shared by Variety of Dane on the "Grey's Anatomy" set, writing over the image on his Instagram Stories, "Rest in peace buddy..,"
Sarah Drew shared the same photo, adding, "Rest in peace" with three crying emojis.
Kim Raver honored her longtime co-star by sharing a nostalgic snapshot of the two suited up in their scrubs. She followed it with a more intimate image - smiling alongside Dane and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart - offering fans a glimpse of the off-camera bond they shared beyond the hospital set.
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"Eric was a light. You'd see it effortlessly shine from him on the set of Grey's as well as when he was with Rebecca and the girls," she wrote in her Instagram caption. "During filming, he'd get this twinkle in his eye and with a mischievous look, he would deliver with perfect comedic timing, a line of dialogue that would floor you! You will be missed
