'Grey's Anatomy' star Eric Dane speaks on ALS in moving message to fans
Eric Dane is using his platform to push for an ALS cure after being absent from the 2025 Emmys.
On Monday, the actor, best known for his roles in "Grey's Anatomy" and "Euphoria," shared an Instagram video in partnership with I AM ALS, a patient-led movement based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to ending the disease, according to its website.
"I'm Eric Dane. An actor, a father and now a person living with ALS," he said in the clip. "For over a century, ALS has been incurable, and we're done accepting the status quo. We need the fastest path to a cure."
Dane announced in April that he had been diagnosed with ALS, short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurological disorder in which symptoms worsen over time, according to the National Institutes of Health.
ALS causes motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord to deteriorate, leading to muscle weakness, paralysis and, eventually, the loss of the ability to move, speak or breathe, according to the NIH.
In the video, Dane explained that the initiative aims to raise $1 billion over the next three years to accelerate promising treatments for patients like him and to push toward ending the disease.
Viewers also noticed his speech was slowed -- a symptom commonly associated with ALS, according to the NIH.
His message came a day after he missed the 77th annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, where he had been scheduled to present alongside former "Grey's Anatomy" costar Jesse Williams.
Williams told E! News at the ceremony on Sunday that their friendship goes far beyond their on-screen bond.
"We had a really great run," he said. "We had a great following, and I loved working with him. You know, on and off screen, that's my brother."
In June, Dane opened up in his first television interview with "Good Morning America," telling Diane Sawyer that he had already lost function in his right arm and feared his left hand and legs would be next.
"I feel like maybe a couple -- [a] few more months, and I won't have my left hand [functioning] either," he said at the time. "Sobering."
Despite the challenges, the actor, who is also a dad of two, said he was participating in a research study and taking medication in hopes of slowing the disease's progression.
"I'm fighting as much as I can," he added. "There's so much about it that's out of my control."
