Eric Dane, best known to millions as the charming Dr. Mark Sloan—aka "McSteamy"—on Grey’s Anatomy, is about to step back into the medical drama spotlight, but this time, the story hits much closer to home. The 52-year-old actor, who revealed his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in April 2025, will guest star in an upcoming episode of NBC’s Brilliant Minds, portraying a firefighter named Matthew who is grappling with the same devastating disease.
According to The Hollywood Reporter and confirmed by NBC, Dane’s episode will air on November 24, 2025, as the ninth installment of the show’s second season. His character’s journey—struggling to tell his family about his ALS diagnosis and seeking help from neurologist Dr. Oliver Wolf (played by Zachary Quinto)—mirrors Dane’s own real-life challenges, lending a raw authenticity to the performance. Brilliant Minds itself draws inspiration from the life and work of famed neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, whose explorations of brain disorders have shaped modern understandings of neurological disease.
Dane’s public battle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has been marked by both courage and candor. ALS is a cruel, degenerative neurological disorder that destroys the nerve cells controlling muscle movement, slowly leading to paralysis. The actor first shared his diagnosis in a statement to People in April, saying, “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week.”
Since then, Dane has remained determined to keep acting for as long as possible, despite the relentless progression of the disease. In June, he revealed in an interview with Diane Sawyer that he had already lost the use of his right arm and was beginning to experience weakness in his left. “I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering,” he told Sawyer, as reported by NewsNation.
Those closest to Dane have not been spared the emotional toll of his diagnosis. His estranged wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, has spoken openly about the family’s struggle. At the Step Up 2025 Inspiration Awards, she told People, “We have some professional therapists who are helping us, and we’re just trying to have some hope and do it with dignity, grace and love. I mean, it’s heartbreaking. My girls are really suffering, and we’re just trying to get through it. It’s a tough time.” Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, the couple’s daughters, have been at the center of their parents’ efforts to maintain stability and support in the face of uncertainty.
Dane and Gayheart’s relationship has weathered its own storms. The pair married in 2004 and filed for divorce in 2018, but the case was never finalized. In March 2025, just before Dane went public with his diagnosis, Gayheart moved to dismiss the divorce proceedings, a decision that has kept the family legally united as they navigate this new chapter together. “Eric will always be my family, whether we’re married or not, or living in the same house or not,” Gayheart emphasized in her interview with People. “Yeah, we are closer, but we don’t like the reason why … It’s a horrible disease, and I wish that there was a cure. I hope they find one soon, because it is just so sad.”
Despite his declining health—he has been seen in a wheelchair and reportedly struggles to speak and walk, according to The Blast—Dane has maintained a remarkable resolve. He continues to portray Cal Jacobs in HBO’s Euphoria and recently appeared in Prime Video’s Countdown. In June, he reflected on his priorities: “At the end of the day, I just want to spend time with my family and work, if possible,” he said, as reported by The Blast. He’s also begun a new relationship with photographer and director Janell Shirtcliff, making their red carpet debut together at the Countdown premiere in June 2025.
Beyond acting, Dane has become an outspoken advocate for ALS research and patient support. In September 2025, he traveled to Washington, D.C., with the nonprofit I AM ALS to urge lawmakers to reauthorize the ACT for ALS law, which expands access to treatments and supports the development of new therapies for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. During a meeting with Congressman Eric Swalwell, Dane highlighted the challenges patients face in accessing clinical trials: “ALS is the last thing they want to diagnose anybody with. It so often takes all this time for these people to be diagnosed. Well, then it precludes them from being part of these clinical trials.”
His advocacy is deeply personal. “I have two daughters at home,” Dane said during a Capitol Hill meeting. “I want to see them, you know, graduate college, and get married and maybe have grandkids. You know, I want to be there for all that. So I’m going to fight to the last breath on this one.”
The role of Matthew in Brilliant Minds is more than just another acting credit for Dane—it’s a chance to bring visibility to ALS and the struggles faced by patients and their families. The show, created by Michael Grassi, follows Dr. Oliver Wolf and his team of interns as they explore the mysteries of the human mind while wrestling with their own personal challenges. Episodes draw from real-life case studies chronicled by Dr. Sacks, including those found in his books The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars.
Dane’s guest appearance comes at a pivotal moment, both for his career and for the broader ALS community. The actor’s willingness to share his journey—both onscreen and off—has inspired fans and advocates alike, shining a light on a disease that remains underfunded and poorly understood. As Rebecca Gayheart poignantly put it, “I don’t think I’m at a place yet where I can pull out a positive nugget. I’m not there yet.” But through his advocacy, his acting, and his determination to fight, Eric Dane is finding ways to make his story matter, even as ALS threatens to write its own ending.
For viewers, Dane’s November 24 episode of Brilliant Minds promises not just compelling drama, but a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.
