“Grey’s Anatomy” star Eric Dane is opening up about why speaking publicly about his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis feels more urgent than ever. Just a few days after appearing on “Brilliant Minds” as Matthew, a firefighter and 9/11 hero struggling to tell his wife he has ALS, the actor is now opening up his heart on the experience and his own health journey.
The guest role was special for Dane, as it marked his first on-screen appearance since announcing his diagnosis in April.
How Dane Connected His Real ALS Journey to His ‘Brilliant Minds’ Role
Dane discussed the emotional weight of playing an ALS patient and navigating the neurodegenerative disease in real life during a virtual Giving Tuesday panel with I AM ALS and Synapticure co-founders Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya.
“Brilliant Minds” showrunner Michael Grassi and Dr. Daniela Lamas, who writes for and consults on the series, also joined the conversation.
While filming, Dane said the hardest part was separating himself from a character living something “so real” to him. Even so, the experience became meaningful. He said he felt “grateful” for how “cathartic” it turned out to be.
Actor Describes Staying Emotionally Strong in the Face of ALS
GettyDane bravely spoke candidly about the unexpected resilience he found in himself after his diagnosis.
As per E! Online, Dane said: “I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day, I don’t think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying,” he said.
“And I was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realized that I wasn’t built like that, because I thought for sure that was gonna be me.”
He called it “very encouraging” to discover he could keep a “buoyant spirit in the face of something so horrible.”
Why Dane Says His Story Now Belongs to the Public
Although his appearance on “Brilliant Minds” was “one of a kind,” Dane said he is not sure he could recreate the experience for another project.
Still, he believes speaking out is no longer optional. He said he knows “it’s imperative that I share my journey with as many people as I can because I don’t feel like my life is about me anymore.”
The actor admitted this shift has challenged him. He said he has always felt he was a “pretty selfish person,” but now understands he cannot move forward thinking life is “all about me.”
He described his new outlook as “a propulsive sort of component to my existence.”
“You know, obviously, I have a family at home, and they’re the priority. But this is such a big deal to me,” he said.
Dane Pushes for Awareness and Change Around ALS
Dane said raising awareness about ALS has become central to his life.
“I make sure that people are aware of what ALS is and what it’s about, and more importantly, what we can do to combat it and improve the landscape, because it’s so rocky and littered with hurdles and bureaucracy and all this other nonsense that we’re trying to sift through so we can get to a place where we go, start working on solution,” he said.
For now, he continues to use his voice to push the conversation forward, both for patients and for their families. “Brilliant Minds” airs Mondays on NBC at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
