Gray’s Anatomy star Eric Dane missed this year’s Emmys. He was expected to join the series’ cast for their 20th anniversary, but was absent from stage due to a fall related to his ASL diagnosis.
ASL, Dane was diagnosed with, is a “rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and lower motor neurons that normally control voluntary muscle contraction,” according to ASL Association.
Speaking to Washington Post, Dane said of his diagnosis he disclosed with the public in April 2025, “ALS is a nasty disease. So I was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head.”
He wasn’t thrilled he missed the event, leaving co-star Jesse William present the award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series alone, but added that “there was nothing I could do about it.” He said: “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.”
Dane’s friend and former co-star, Jesse, praised him during the awards ceremony. He told Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet: “He’s solid. The man’s just solid, and we have to be careful, you know, as men to still, you know, take care of ourselves and he’s got a perfect balance going.”
The actor, aka Dr. McSteamy, spoke about his initial hesitation to go public with his diagnosis.
“It wasn’t something I ever really wanted to do, it was something I felt like I had to do,” he told Washington Post. “It was getting increasingly difficult to hide what was going on. And instead of letting people speculate what was happening, I just said it. … And I’ve never experienced a bigger outpouring of love and support than I have after I announced that.”
Dane is now on a mission to raise awareness of ALS, advocating for the renewal of the ACT for ALS, legislation designed to support essential research on ALS and related neurodegenerative conditions.
On September 29, he travelled to Washington DC to meet with US Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, alongside members of the nonprofit I AM ALS.
In a TikTok by US Rep. Eric Swalwell, Dane reflected on his battle with the disease and the long, difficult road to getting diagnosed.
“ALS is the last thing they want to diagnose anybody with,” he explained. “So often, it takes all this time for these people to be diagnosed; well, then it precludes them from being a part of these clinical trials.”
It was an honor to meet with @iamalsorg and my friend @RealEricDane to discuss the urgent need for progress in the fight against ALS. From investing in innovative treatments to ensuring access to quality care, we must do more to support patients, families, and researchers. pic.twitter.com/DFzjp4dK0o
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) September 30, 2025
Speaking of his condition, Dane told People in April, “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” adding he was feeling “fortunate” to be “able to continue working.”
He said he was “looking forward to returning to [the] set of Euphoria” to film the show’s long-awaited third season.
He previously shared that he has “one functioning arm.”
“My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,” he told Diane Sawyer in June. “I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering.”
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