Eric Dane is opening up about the frightening health scare that kept him from attending television’s biggest night.
The Euphoria and Grey’s Anatomy star, 52, revealed that he was hospitalized during the 2025 Emmy Awards while receiving treatment for complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—a progressive neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
In a candid interview with The Washington Post published Oct. 2, Dane explained why he missed the chance to reunite with his Grey’s Anatomy co-star Jesse Williams, with whom he was scheduled to present an award.
“ALS is a nasty disease,” he said. “So I was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head.”
The actor, who had been slated to appear on stage with Williams, said the hospitalization forced him to skip an event he was genuinely looking forward to.
“I missed an opportunity I was really looking forward to,” Dane shared. “It would have been great to see Jesse and get reunited with some of my peers, and to be able to present in front of my colleagues I thought would have been a special moment. I was really upset about it, but there was nothing I could do.”
While Dane couldn’t make it to the show, Williams paid tribute to his former co-star while presenting the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.
“We had a really great run,” Williams told Live From E!: 2025 Emmys. “We had a great following, and I loved working with him. On and off screen, that’s my brother.”
Throughout his ongoing health battle, Dane has leaned heavily on his ex-wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters—Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13.
“I call Rebecca,” he told Good Morning America’s Diane Sawyer in June. “I talk to her every day. We have managed to become better friends and better parents, and she is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her.”
The Countdown actor continues to maintain a positive outlook, even as ALS presents daily challenges.
“My spirit is always pretty buoyant,” Dane told E! News earlier this year. “So at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”
He also made it clear that his illness won’t stop him from working. “I’m going to ride this till the wheels fall off,” he said.
Dane, best known for his roles as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy and Cal Jacobs on Euphoria, has continued to inspire fans with his resilience and honesty.
Although his condition can be unpredictable, the actor remains determined to live fully, surrounded by family, friends, and the colleagues who have supported him throughout his career.
For now, his focus remains on recovery—and on maintaining that trademark spirit that made him one of television’s most beloved stars.
