Eric Dane vowed to continue acting despite battling ALS.
The 53-year-old actor made a virtual appearance on IAMALS.org last week and opened up about the degenerative disease he was diagnosed with in April 2025.
In the chat, the first Grey’s anatomy star admitted that he sometimes feels overwhelmed because his mobility and speech have been affected by the disease.
“I have no reason to be in a good mood at any time, on any day,” Dane said. “I don’t think anyone would blame me if I went upstairs to my bedroom, crawled under the sheets and cried for the next two weeks.”
Dane revealed that he will not give up his acting career and will work as much as possible.
“I’m not about to give up my goal for an illness. I’m just not capable of that. I’m fairly limited in what I can do physically as an actor, but I still have my brain and I still have my speech, so I’m willing to do just about anything,” he continued.
He further shared what kind of roles he was brainstorming to take on.
“I’ll take on any role, but I think it’s going to have to be ALC-centric from now on,” he noted, adding, “It’s going to be very difficult for me to play another role where you’re not looking at the 800-pound gorilla in the room – and I’m fine with that. I’m grateful to still be able to work in any capacity.”
It is pertinent to mention that “ALS is a disease of the nervous system that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes loss of muscle control. The disease gets worse over time,” according to Mayo Clinic.
