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Eric Dane was met with a resounding standing ovation as he transformed his personal health battle into a poignant performance in his recent guest appearance on Brilliant Minds.
The actor, who publicly disclosed his ALS diagnosis in April, portrayed a firefighter grappling with the same condition on the November 24 episode of the NBC medical drama. According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS is a “nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control.”
“In all my years, I’ve never witnessed anything like it—Eric received a 10-minute standing ovation after filming that scene. It was profoundly moving and authentic,” shared Brilliant Minds creator Michael Grassi in an interview with USA Today on Monday.
Grassi added, “His character’s courage mirrors Eric’s own bravery in sharing this story. Opening up about such a personal experience is both vulnerable and crucial, as it increases awareness and reminds others they are not alone.”
Eric Dane became a household name in the early 2000s, captivating audiences as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloane on Grey’s Anatomy in 2006. Thank you for subscribing! You have successfully signed up for newsletters. Please enter a valid email address. By subscribing, you agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails […]
On Monday’s episode, Dane, 53, portrayed Michael, a firefighter whose progressive ALS takes its toll on his body, while he also struggles to share the news with his ex-wife — played by Mädchen Amick — and daughter.
Grassi told USA Today that he leapt at the opportunity to write a role for Dane when the actor’s team reached out about a guest-starring role on the Zachary Quinto-led drama.
Grassi said he was also dealing with a “health emergency” in his family, and he and Dane began pitching “this idea of, ‘How does a family navigate a difficult diagnosis?’”
“And there’s no rule book. There’s no right way or wrong way to do it,” Grassi said. “And in our conversations, something that he was dealing with very much in real time, and I was dealing with in my life, and a lot of people deal with every day is, how do you navigate, how do you communicate and how do you accept help?”
Eric Dane was spotted using a wheelchair during a recent outing, months after going public with his ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) diagnosis. The Daily Mail obtained photos and video footage of the 52-year-old actor at an airport in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, September 30. In the clip, Dane was asked to share a message with […]
Dane first shared his ALS diagnosis in a statement in April.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” the actor said at the time. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. 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.”
In a June interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer, the Grey’s Anatomy alum opened up about being diagnosed with ALS after experiencing “weakness” in his right hand.
“I didn’t really think anything of it at the time; I thought maybe I’d been texting too much and my hand was fatigued,” he recalled. “A few weeks later, I noticed it’d gotten a little worse. I went and saw a hand specialist, who sent me to another hand specialist. I went and saw a neurologist, and the neurologist sent me to another neurologist and said, ‘This is way above my pay grade.’”
Dane was eventually diagnosed nine months later. “I’ll never forget those three letters,” he said in June.
At the time, the actor said he’d lost function of his right arm and expected to lose function of his left hand within “maybe a couple, few more months.”
Brilliant Minds airs on NBC Mondays at 10 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.