March 18, 2026, 6:42 p.m. ET
Eric Dane‘s widow, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two children made their first public appearance in Los Angeles since the “Grey’s Anatomy” actor’s tragic death on Feb. 19.
Gayheart, 54, brought her daughters Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14, to the Tuesday night, March 17, premiere of “The Drama.” The teen girls shared a hug with their late father’s “Euphoria” costar Zendaya, who stars in the A24 film opposite Robert Pattinson, at the event’s afterparty, according to Vogue.
Dane died on Feb. 19 from respiratory failure at age 53 following a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the rare degenerative disease that can impact the brain and spinal cord, more commonly known as ALS.
USA TODAY obtained a copy of his death certificate confirming his cause of death on March 2.
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,” his representative, Melissa Bank, said in a statement on Feb. 19.
How long were Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart married?
Gayheart and married Dane tied the knot in 2004.
Following his death, she thanked friends, family and fans for the “outpouring of love and support” on her Instagram Stories on Feb. 22. “There aren’t enough words to express our gratitude. You are truly holding us up during this difficult time.”
The pair filed for divorce in 2018 before Gayheart legally dismissed the divorce three years later, around the time Dane revealed his ALS diagnosis.
In December, Gayheart wrote about their unusual relationship in an essay for The Cut, sharing that they lived in the same home for eight years while not being exclusive.
“He’s dated other people; I’ve dated someone. It’s a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love,” she wrote. “Eric knows that I am always going to want the best for him. That I’m going to do my best to do right by him. And I know he would do the same for me.”
Is Eric Dane in Season 3 of ‘Euphoria’?
Eric Dane‘s performance as troubled father Cal Jacobs is set to be Season three of the Emmy-winning HBO series “Euphoria.”
“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to [the] set of ‘Euphoria’ next week,” he told People magazine in April 2025.
He played the real-estate businessman and closeted bisexual father of Jacob Elordi‘s Nate Jacobs since the teen drama premiered in 2019 alongside Zendaya, Colman Domingo, Hunter Schafer and Sydney Sweeney.
Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY
