Eric Dane's real-life ALS diagnosis inspires powerful 'Brilliant Minds' role
What's the story
Eric Dane, best known for his role in Euphoria, recently guest-starred on the NBC medical drama Brilliant Minds. Interestingly, his character on the show also has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a condition that Dane himself is battling. The episode aired this week. As per Deadline, Dane's team reached out to showrunner Michael Grassi saying he was a big fan and wanted to appear in the show. Grassi thought it'd be great to build a story around what he's dealing with.
Emotional scene
Dane's performance received a standing ovation
Grassi told USA Today that filming the scene where Dane's character, Matthew Rimati, reveals his diagnosis to his family was "so emotional." He said, "I have never seen this happen in my entire career, but he essentially got a 10-minute standing ovation after shooting that scene." "Because it was so beautiful and so honest and so real," Grassi added.
Actor's courage
'To come out and share this part of yourself...'
Grassi also commended Dane for his courage in taking on this role while dealing with ALS. He said, "While his character's finding bravery, there's a lot of bravery in Eric to tell the story as well." "To come out and share this part of yourself is vulnerable but also really important, and I think raises awareness and shows people that they're not alone."
Actor's struggle
Dane's personal battle with ALS
Dane, who is now wheelchair-bound due to the disease, is being looked after by his wife Rebecca Gayheart. The couple has two daughters together: Billie and Georgia. Since announcing his diagnosis in April, Dane has been candid about his struggles with the debilitating condition. In a June interview on Good Morning America, he revealed that while his left side is functioning, the right side has completely stopped working.
Actor's activism
Dane's advocacy for ALS research and support
In October, Dane traveled to Washington, DC with the nonprofit I AM ALS to advocate for more research and support in neurodegenerative diseases. He expressed his desire to see his daughters graduate college, get married, and possibly have grandchildren. "You know, I want to be there for all that. So I'm going to fight to the last breath on this one," he said at the time.