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In an act of generosity, Johnny Depp provided Eric Dane with a rent-free residence in one of his Los Angeles homes, aiming to ease the actor’s financial burdens in the challenging period before his passing.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” actor, who recently died at the age of 53, had been open about his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a diagnosis he revealed to the public ten months prior.
Eric and Johnny had formed a friendship over the years through mutual acquaintances. Amid his health struggles, Johnny extended a helping hand by offering Eric a place to stay, alleviating some of the financial stress that accompanied his illness.
A source close to the situation shared insights into Johnny’s motivation, emphasizing his desire to relieve Eric of any additional worries while he faced the formidable challenges posed by ALS. They remarked, “Eric had one less thing to worry about.”
They said: ‘Eric [had] one less thing to worry about.
‘He was living basically rent-free in one of the homes Johnny owns above the Sunset Strip. He told Eric to pay whatever he could or — couldn’t for rent.’
Johnny Depp let Eric Dane live ‘rent-free in one of his LA homes’ as he tried to ease his financial worries in the months before his death (pictured in October)
The Grey’s Anatomy star passed away on Thursday at the age of 53, 10 months after he publicly shared his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (pictured in June 2025)
The source added to the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column: ‘Johnny wanted to do what he could to ease the financial burden.’Â
Daily Mail has contacted Johnny Depp’s representative for comment.Â
The actor’s death was announced on Thursday, less than a year after he revealed that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
‘With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,’ his family said in a statement to People on Thursday.
‘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,’ they continued.Â
‘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.Â
‘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,’ their statement concluded.
In his final interview, Eric, described amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – the disease that tragically claimed his life at 53 on Thursday – as ‘something so horrible.’
A source said: ‘He was living basically rent-free in one of the homes Johnny owns above the Sunset Strip. He told Eric to pay whatever he could or — couldn’t for rent’
In his final interview, Eric described ALS – the disease that tragically claimed his life at 53 on Thursday – as ‘something so horrible.’ Pictured in June 2025
The Grey’s Anatomy actor’s death was announced on Thursday, less than a year after he revealed that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Dane continued to put on a brave face during difficult times, appearing on a virtual panel in December of 2025 for I AM ALS and Synapticure on Giving Tuesday.
He spoke about a role that he had on a Brilliant Minds episode the previously month, portraying a firefighter and 9/11 hero named Matthew, who had a difficult time disclosing his ALS diagnosis to relatives.
Dane said he was ‘grateful’ for the role – in which he acted opposite Mädchen Amick, who played his wife – as it was a ‘cathartic’ experience to portray living with ALS.
Dane said it had been ‘very encouraging’ that his spirit remained ‘buoyant … in the face of something so horrible.’
He said of his life two months ago: ‘I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day, 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.’
Dane said he ‘was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realized that I wasn’t built like that, because I thought for sure that was gonna be me.’
Dane said the role was a piece of the tireless advocacy he put forth in what would ultimately be his final days, as he spread awareness about the condition in hopes of bolstering more research toward a cure.
‘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. ‘Because 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.’