Born in San Francisco in 1972, Dane found acting after initially focusing on water polo. “I was a water polo player in high school, and my season was short, and I ended up getting roped into playing Joe Keller in All My Sons,” he said in 2014.
“Dead serious. And I fell in love with it. I was, like, this is the greatest feeling ever!” After guest roles in1990s television, Dane joined Grey’s Anatomy in 2006, becoming a breakout star as “McSteamy.”
He later appeared in Euphoria, The Last Ship, and films including Marley & Me and Bad Boys: Ride or Die. On a 2024 episode of Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, he reflected on his departure from Grey’s Anatomy.
“I think I was let go,” he said at the time, explaining he had been struggling with addiction but suggesting his salary was a factor.
Along with Gayheart, Dane is survived by their daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.
