Eric Dane Lands First Major Role Since ALS Diagnosis

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Eric Dane will soon be blurring the lines between his own life and his acting work. Just six months after publicly sharing his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the actor—best known for his role on Grey’s Anatomy—is preparing to play a character with the same condition in an upcoming television appearance.

According to TVLine, Dane will be featured in the ninth episode of the current season of Brilliant Minds, which began airing on NBC on September 22nd. The episode, titled “Fire Fighter,” will introduce his character, Matthew, a brave firefighter dealing with the difficult decision of telling his family about his ALS diagnosis. NBC hasn’t announced when the episode will air, but they’ve released a first look at Dane in his role, which you can view below.

Most people probably recognize me from my time playing Dr. Mark Sloan – everyone called him McSteamy! – on Grey’s Anatomy. I was a regular on that show for quite a while, from season three all the way through nine. Beyond that, I’ve had leading roles in series like The Last Ship and Euphoria, and I recently finished working on a project called Countdown. It’s a bit strange, because Countdown actually finished filming months before I shared my diagnosis with everyone, so it wasn’t made after I got sick, even though it came out around the same time.

In April 2025, Dane shared a statement expressing his gratitude for being able to continue working and his anticipation of returning to the set of Euphoria the following week. He asked for privacy for himself and his family during this difficult time. Dane is living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a progressive and currently incurable nervous system disorder that impacts muscle control. In a June 2025 interview with Diane Sawyer, he described how his right arm had lost function and expressed concern that he would soon lose the use of his left hand, calling it a ‘sobering’ reality.

What Is Brilliant Minds About?

Inspired by the books of Oliver Sacks, such as The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars, the medical drama Brilliant Minds centers around a neurologist who uses unconventional methods to diagnose his patients. The show stars Zachary Quinto, alongside Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Aury Krebs, Teddy Sears, John Clarence Stewart, Brian Altemus, and Al Calderon. Recurring actors include Alex MacNicoll, Spence Moore II, and Donna Murphy. This season has also featured guest appearances by Porsha Williams, Laura Vandervoort, Molly Bernard, Connor Tomlinson, and Jane Krakowski.

Don’t miss the next episode of Brilliant Minds Season 2, titled “Once Upon a Time in America,” which will be shown on NBC tonight, October 20th.

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2025-10-21 00:36