Johnny Depp let Eric Dane live ‘rent-free in one of his LA homes’ as he tried to ease Grey’s Anatomy star’s financial worries in the months before his death from ALS aged 53

by

Before his passing, Johnny Depp allowed Eric Dane to stay in one of his Los Angeles homes without charge, helping to alleviate Dane’s financial difficulties.

The actor best known for his role on Grey’s Anatomy died on Thursday at 53, less than a year after revealing he had ALS.

Eric and Johnny became friends through a shared social circle a long time ago. When Eric was going through some health issues, Johnny, the actor known for Pirates of the Caribbean, generously let him stay at one of his properties.

Someone close to Johnny shared that he wanted to take care of everything he could so he wouldn’t have to stress while dealing with his illness.

They said: ‘Eric [had] one less thing to worry about.

He was living in one of Johnny’s houses near the Sunset Strip without paying much rent. He told Eric to contribute what he could towards the rent, or whatever he was able to afford.

According to a source who spoke with the New York Post’s Page Six, Johnny was trying to help lessen the financial strain on someone.

Daily Mail has contacted Johnny Depp’s representative for comment. 

The actor passed away on Thursday, just under a year after sharing his diagnosis of ALS, a disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Eric Dane died on Thursday afternoon after a long fight with ALS, his family announced to People magazine.

He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his wife, close friends, and his daughters, Billie and Georgia, who meant everything to him, they shared.

Even as he lived with ALS, Eric dedicated himself to raising awareness and supporting research, hoping to improve the lives of others battling the disease.

Everyone who knew Eric will miss him terribly, and he will always be remembered with love. He truly cherished his fans and was incredibly thankful for all the support they gave him.

The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time,’ their statement concluded.

In a final interview, Eric described the disease that took his life – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS – as ‘horrible.’ He passed away on Thursday at the age of 53.

I was so incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of the Grey’s Anatomy actor yesterday. It’s just heartbreaking, especially knowing he’d only been diagnosed with ALS – or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, as it’s also known – less than a year ago. It all happened so quickly, and it’s a huge loss.

Even while facing hardship, Dane remained positive and publicly participated in a virtual panel for I AM ALS and Synapticure on Giving Tuesday in December 2025.

He discussed his role in a recent episode of Brilliant Minds, where he played Matthew, a firefighter and 9/11 hero. The character struggled with telling his family about his diagnosis of ALS.

Dane expressed his gratitude for the role, where he starred alongside Mädchen Amick as her husband. He found playing someone with ALS to be a healing and emotionally releasing experience.

Dane noted that he was surprisingly positive and hopeful, even after experiencing something terrible.

Two months ago, he described feeling deeply unhappy, saying he wouldn’t be surprised if he simply stayed in bed for two weeks and cried. He felt he had no reason to feel positive about anything.

Dane was surprised to find he didn’t have the personality traits he’d expected, admitting he’d fully anticipated being different.

Dane viewed this work as a continuation of his passionate efforts during his final days, dedicated to raising awareness and encouraging research for a cure.

I focus on educating people about ALS – what it is and, crucially, how we can fight it and make things better. It’s currently very difficult to navigate the challenges, red tape, and other obstacles, but we’re working to overcome them so we can start finding solutions.

Read More

2026-02-20 15:04