Eric Dane Detailed Deep Love for Rebecca Gayheart in Final Interview

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Eric Dane had one true love.

Former Grey’s Anatomy actor, who passed away on February 19th at age 53 following a struggle with ALS, reflected on his 15-year marriage to Rebecca Gayheart and how they navigated life after deciding to separate in 2017.

In a recent Netflix interview, Eric explained that despite still loving his ex-wife, Rebecca, he didn’t believe they were compatible as housemates. He told Brad Falchuck, “There’s a lot of love there,” and added that he’d never loved anyone as deeply as he loved Rebecca.

Eric, who shares 15-year-old Billie and 14-year-old Georgia with Rebecca, explained that they have a non-romantic relationship. He described the situation as natural and a happy accident, simply stating, “She’s the mother of my children.”

Eric fell in love immediately when he met the actress from Beverly Hills, 90210 in 2003, a year before they got married.

He remembered first meeting Rebecca and immediately telling her friend, ‘I’m going to marry her!’ He wasn’t sure how sincere he was at the time, but the friend responded with disbelief, saying Rebecca would never leave her fiancé – they’d been together since they were teenagers. Surprisingly, four years later, he did marry her, knowing he wanted to spend his life with her.

As for what lead to their separation in 2017? Eric took full responsibility for his shortcomings.

He admitted Rebecca was more dedicated than he was. He explained that he doesn’t have the drive to persevere through difficulties, comparing it to abandoning a sinking boat instead of trying to fix it and finding a replacement.

He added of the One Upon a Time in Hollywood actress, “Rebecca’s a fighter and she perseveres.”

Even though Rebecca and Eric had ended their romantic relationship, Rebecca put their divorce on hold in March 2025 while Eric fought a battle with ALS.

She told TopMob News in April, just before Eric shared his diagnosis, that they had a strong friendship and were successfully coparenting. “We’ve really found a way to stay a family,” she said, believing it was greatly benefiting both their children and themselves.

She believes it’s best not to view a breakup as a failure, but rather as a chapter closing. She emphasized that their relationship was actually very successful – they were together for 15 years, had two wonderful children, and even though they’re no longer together, they remain married. That’s how they choose to see it.

To look back at Eric and Rebecca’s love story, keep reading…

 

Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart haven’t shared the details of how they met, and Dane jokingly says it’s likely a very unremarkable story.

He told Flaunt magazine in 2008 that it all started with a simple question: “Want to go out?” She said yes, and ten months later, they were married.

Less than one year after they began dating, the couple exchanged vows in Las Vegas. 

Following Dane’s announcement that he was departing the TV series The Last Ship because of his struggle with depression, Gayheart used Instagram to publicly express her support for him.

“Way back when I met my Monday man crush,” Gayheart captioned a throwback photo of the couple. 

When filing for divorce, Gayheart stated that she and her husband had irreconcilable differences. She also requested financial support and shared custody of their daughters, Billie and Georgia.

I’m absolutely heartbroken, but they released a statement to TopMob News saying that after 14 years, they’ve decided to split up. It’s what’s best for their family, apparently. They said they’ll still be friends and, more importantly, amazing co-parents to their two daughters – those girls are everything to them, and honestly, that’s the only thing keeping me from completely falling apart right now. They’re determined to make it work for the kids, and I guess that’s… something.

Despite never officially divorcing, Dane shared in 2019 with Entertainment Tonight that he and his ex-partner remained friends and were successfully co-parenting their two children. He explained, “It’s not complicated…it doesn’t have to be.”

Ten years after a nude video featuring Dane and former Miss Teen USA Kari Ann Peniche became public, Dane spoke about the controversy for the first time in a recent interview.

He recently revisited a previous statement about the incident, telling Glamour he doesn’t regret how he responded. He clarified that because all parties involved were consenting adults – including his wife – he believes his actions were justified and he did nothing wrong.

He clarified that his earlier statements probably meant he was responding to the suggestion of drug use in the video.

When asked if it was a mistake, the former Grey’s Anatomy star said they didn’t believe they did anything illegal or influenced anyone improperly. They described the situation simply as three people sharing a bath.

He finished by saying he stood by everything he’d done and felt completely content with the life he’d lived. He had no regrets and wouldn’t change a thing.

When the tape became public in 2009, Dane and Gayheart sued Gawker Media for $1 million, claiming copyright infringement. The case was eventually settled for a substantial amount – over $100,000.

Rumors of a rekindled romance began circulating when the couple and their two daughters traveled to Europe together. The actress, known for her role in Jawbreaker, posted photos from the trip, including one of Dane playfully making a face with their girls.

“This is us,” Gayheart captioned the Instagram post. “Family vacay 2022.”

The group shared another photo from their European trip, this one taken on a Parisian street with everyone smiling. She captioned the picture on Instagram, “A quick stop in Paris!”

The group traveled along the coast to St. Tropez, and Gayheart shared updates from their trip on her Instagram Stories. She posted a photo of the group with a friend, captioning it “My people.”

While she filed for divorce in 2018, Dane and Gayheart kicked off the New Year as one big family.

The actors from Euphoria and Beverly Hills, 90210 were seen holding hands as they stepped off a boat with their two daughters during a family vacation.

Gayheart filed to dismiss her divorce petition, seven years after submitting the papers.

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2026-02-20 22:47