Eric Dane says he has 1 functioning arm as ALS progresses: 'There's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls'
Eric Dane has lost function of the right side of his body following his ALS diagnosis, he shared in a new interview.
In a conversation with Diane Sawyer that aired on Monday's Good Morning America, the 52-year-old Grey's Anatomy alum shared his experience living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He first announced his diagnosis in April.
'I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand, and I didn't really think anything of it at the time — I thought maybe I'd been texting too much, or my hand was fatigued,' Dane told Sawyer.
However, nine months after seeking an answer from hand specialists and neurologists, he learned that it was ALS that was impacting his motor function. Now, Dane's right side has 'completely stopped working.' He believes he won't be able to use his left side in mere 'months.'
Today, the Euphoria actor — who is set to return for the HBO drama's long-awaited third season — is leaning on his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two children. Though Gayheart began divorce proceedings in 2018, Gayheart dismissed their divorce filings in March 2025. In April, Gayheart told E! News that she and Dane are 'best of friends' and 'really close,' even though they were no longer romantically involved.
'We have managed to become better friends and better parents, and she is probably my biggest champion, my most stalwart supporter,' Dane said, noting the two now talk every day.
Though Dane doesn't believe his ALS diagnosis is the 'end' of his story, he said he's aware of his prognosis.
'I'm angry because, you know, my father was taken from me when I was young, and now, you know, there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young,' Dane told Sawyer of his own father, who died by a gunshot wound when he was a child. 'I mean, really at the end of the day, all I want to do is spend time with my family and work a little bit if I can.'
ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease after the baseball player who was diagnosed with the condition in 1939, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Per the Cleveland Clinic, the disease targets the neurons in your brain and spinal cord, which leads to muscle control issues. Eventually the condition causes your muscles to atrophy, including those that impact breathing.
While Dane's first symptom was weakness in his right hand, ALS symptoms can vary from person to person and depend on which nerve cells are affected, according to the Mayo Clinic. Typically, the condition starts with muscle weakness — such as in the legs, feet, ankles or hands — that slowly gets worse over time and can lead to trouble walking. Some people with the condition may also notice muscle cramps or twitching in areas like the arms, shoulders or tongue. Speech may be impacted or slurred as well. Changes in thinking or behavior can also occur as the disease progresses.
The progression of the disease varies greatly from person to person; however, most people with ALS die due to respiratory failure within three to five years after symptoms begin. About 30% will live five years, and 13% will survive 10 years after the onset of symptoms, per Yale Medicine.
About 5,000 people a year are diagnosed with ALS in the United States, with more than 31,000 people living with it, per the American Medical Association.
Only about 10% of ALS cases are hereditary, meaning a gene linked to ALS is passed down. However, children of those with the gene have a 50% chance of inheriting it, per the Mayo Clinic.
Little is known about what causes nonhereditary ALS, which is the majority of cases. However, there are certain known risk factors that may increase your chances of developing the condition.
ALS is most often diagnosed in people between the ages of 60 and the mid-80s, with risk increasing steadily until about age 75. Men are slightly more likely to develop ALS before age 65, but that difference disappears by age 70.
Environmental factors also play a role, with people who smoke at higher risk. There's also some evidence that exposure to toxins like lead or certain workplace chemicals may raise the risk of developing ALS. Additionally, military veterans are more likely to be diagnosed with ALS, though the exact cause is unclear.
While there is no cure for ALS at the moment, treatments are improving. Medications may help slow the progression of the disease, and new gene therapies for genetic forms of the disease have shown promise as well. In addition, physical therapy, speech therapy and nutritional support can help mitigate symptoms and help people continue to talk, walk and function as the disease progresses.
Organizations continue to fund ALS research to develop the next generation of treatments. In 2014, the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral on social media, with more than 17 million people helping to raise over $115 million for the ALS Association. That funding supported breakthroughs in gene discovery and treatment development.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
J.K. Rowling Raves About HBO's ‘Harry Potter' Series After Working ‘Closely' With the Writers: ‘I've Read the First Two Episodes. They Are So, So Good'
With HBO's 'Harry Potter' series nearing a production start date, J.K. Rowling has taken to X to give the series her full-blown support. She confirmed that she's 'worked closely with the extremely talented writers' on the show, although she will not be getting any writing credits herself like she has on the 'Fantastic Beasts' movies. 'I read the first two episodes of the forthcoming HBO 'Harry Potter' series and they are SO, SO, SO GOOD!' Rowling also posted. More from Variety How 'The Gilded Age' Shot in Newport's Historic Mansions, and Brought a Tourism Boom to the Wealthy Rhode Island Enclave 'Wizkid: Long Live Lagos' Review: Nigeria's Global Pop Superstar Gets an Entertaining and Propulsive Documentary Warner Bros. Games Restructures Development Into 'Game of Thrones,' Harry Potter, 'Mortal Kombat' and DC Universe Divisions HBO made it clear from the beginning that Rowling would be involved in some capacity with bringing her iconic literary series back to life on screen, this time as a television series, where each book is set to cover one season of TV. Network CEO Casey Bloys previously told reporters that Rowling was 'very, very involved in the process' of selecting showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod to lead the charge on the 'Harry Potter' TV series. Rowling has courted controversy since 2020 for regularly sharing beliefs on social media that many believe are transphobic. The author also uses platforms like X to regularly troll her critics and take aim at public figures (such as slamming John Oliver's comments on trans athletes). Both HBO and the new 'Harry Potter' cast have received backlash for getting into business with Rowling due to her anti-trans posts. Bloys has said that Rowling's anti-trans statements 'haven't affected the casting or hiring of writers or production staff' for the show. He appeared on 'The Town' podcast in May and stressed to 'Harry Potter' fans that the network's upcoming series will not be 'infused' with Rowling's controversial views on the transgender community. 'The decision to be in business with J.K. Rowling is not new for us. We've been in business for 25 years,' Bloys said. 'We already have a show on HBO from her called 'C.B. Strike' that we do with the BBC. It's pretty clear that those are her personal, political views. She's entitled to them. 'Harry Potter' is not secretly being infused with anything. And if you want to debate her, you can go on Twitter.' Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout are headlining HBO's 'Harry Potter' series as Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. The supporting cast will feature John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, among others. Rowling made headlines in May for saying she wouldn't fire Essiedu after he signed an open letter condemning the U.K. Supreme Court for ruling that transgender women are not legally considered women and transgender men are not legally considered men. 'I don't have the power to sack an actor from the series and I wouldn't exercise it if I did,' Rowling wrote on X while sharing an article about Essiedu. 'I don't believe in taking away people's jobs or livelihoods because they hold legally protected beliefs that differ from mine.' The 'Harry Potter' series is expected to go into production later this year for a premiere sometime in 2026. I read the first two episodes of the forthcoming HBO Harry Potter series and they are SO, SO, SO GOOD! — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 21, 2025 No, but I've worked closely with the extremely talented writers. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 21, 2025 Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Elle
38 minutes ago
- Elle
'The Gilded Age' Is Your Next HBO Sunday Show—Here's When to Watch
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. The Gilded Age is back for its third season. Julian Fellowes's glittering HBO period drama continues to chronicle the power struggles between old money and nouveau riche in 1880s New York—this time, with fractured marriages, clashing elites, and the slow unraveling of the city's social code. After a second season that saw the Russells win the Opera War and the Brook-Van Rhijn household undergo a financial upheaval, season 3 picks up with both families adjusting to new dynamics—and new stakes. Series regulars Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Taissa Farmiga, Morgan Spector, and Carrie Coon return, alongside some new arrivals played by Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Andrea Martin. The wardrobe of Coon's character, Bertha Russell, continues to be one of the show's visual centerpieces—and for the actress, it's also the key to unlocking her performance. 'Once you put that stuff on, you're 75 percent of the way there,' she told Collider. 'You understand the space you have to fill; the costumes are part of filling that space.' From architectural ball gowns to corseted power suits, the looks are extensions of Bertha's ambition. The new season premieres Sunday night, June 22, at 9 P.M. ET on HBO. Here's how to keep up with the rest of the episodes. The new season includes eight episodes total, debuting weekly from June 22 through August 10. Episodes premiere on HBO and stream on Max each Sunday at 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT. Check out the full schedule below. Watch The Gilded Age on Max
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
What Time Does ‘The Gilded Age' Season 3 Come Out? Here's How To Watch
Harry Richardson and Louisa Jacobson The Gilded Age HBO's beloved period drama The Gilded Age returns for its highly anticipated third season on June 22. With more romance, shifting power dynamics between the old guard and the nouveau riche and plenty of dramatic twists, here's everything you need to know about watching the new episodes. In Season 3 of The Gilded Age, 'the old guard is weakened and the Russells stand poised to take their place at the head of society," according to the logline. 'Bertha sets her sights on a prize that would elevate the family to unimaginable heights while George risks everything on a gambit that could revolutionize the railroad industry — if it doesn't ruin him first.' Meanwhile, across the street at the Brook household, chaos erupts after Agnes refuses to accept Ada's new position as lady of the house. 'Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career. As all of New York hastens toward the future, their ambition may come at the cost of what they truly hold dear,' the description continues. Louisa Jacobson, who portrays Marian Brook, told People in February 2025 to expect 'a lot of plot twists' in Season 3. 'It's gonna keep you on your toes,' the actress teased. That sentiment was echoed by Jacobson's co-star Carrie Coon (a.k.a. Bertha Russell), who told the magazine in August that she was 'really shocked by a couple of the twists we have coming. So that was thrilling." She continued, "They keep surprising me. I haven't even seen all the scripts yet, so I am eager to be surprised." As for its critical reception so far, Variety's TV critic Alison Herman called the third installment 'the best season yet,' adding that it 'recalibrates The Gilded Age into a show that's more dramatic in some areas and more lighthearted in others than it's been in the past.' What Time Does The Gilded Age Season 3 Premiere On HBO And Max? Carrie Coon in The Gilded Age Season 3. Season 3 of The Gilded Age premieres at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Sunday, June 22, on HBO and will also be available to stream on Max. Only the first episode of Season 3 will drop during the premiere on June 22. New episodes will air weekly on Sundays, leading up to the finale on August 10. How To Watch The Gilded Age Season 3 On Cable Audra McDonald and Denée Benton in The Gilded Age Season 3. New episodes of The Gilded Age Season 3 will air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. You can watch the period drama by subscribing to HBO through your TV provider, which also gives you access to the channel's full lineup of programming. How To Watch The Gilded Age Season 3 On Streaming Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski in The Gilded Age Season 3. Season 3 of The Gilded Age is also available to stream on Max. To watch, you'll need a subscription to Warner Bros.' streaming service. Max currently offers three plans: the ad-supported plan for $9.99 per month, the ad-free plan for $16.99 per month, and the ultimate ad-free plan for $20.99 per month. Amazon Prime members can also subscribe to Max starting at $9.99. If you use a live TV streaming service like DirecTV or YouTube TV, you can add Max as an extra. Both platforms currently have special offers available. Can You Watch The Gilded Age Season 3 For Free? Christine Baranksi and Louisa Jackson in The Gilded Age Season 3. Max isn't offering a free trial for new subscribers at the moment. However, the platform's website says that if a 'subscription plan or promotional offer includes a free trial, you'll see mention of the free trial when you sign up.' For example, Amazon Prime sometimes offers a seven-day free trial for its Max add-on. To see if the deal is available, log into your Prime account and check if you can add Max at no cost for the trial period. After the week ends, the Max add-on will automatically renew at $9.99 per month for the ad-supported plan. DoorDash also has an ongoing promotion that gives DashPass members a free annual subscription to Max. That means you can get Max (with ads) at no extra cost when you sign up for a DashPass Annual Plan membership in the U.S. Watch the official trailer for The Gilded Age Season 3 below.
