Fundraiser for family of late Grey’s Anatomy actor surpasses £200,000 | Ents & Arts News

A fundraiser has secured more than $275,000 (£200,000) for the family of the late Grey’s Anatomy actor Eric Dane, who died on Thursday at the age of 53.

The US star, also known for his role in the HBO series Euphoria, had the condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Dane announced he had developed the progressive neurodegenerative disease last year.

A fundraiser was set up by friends of Dane and his family to raise $500,000 (£370,000) for his two teenage daughters “who were the centre of his world”.

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and his wife Ashley appeared to have donated $27,000 (£20,000) to the GoFundMe platform.

Brad Falchuck, Glee co-creator and husband of Gwyneth Paltrow, donated $10,000 (£7,418).

The US actor’s death was confirmed on Friday by his representatives, who said he had been surrounded by wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, daughters Billie and Georgia, and friends.

Hollywood actors have been paying tribute, including co-star Patrick Dempsey, Ashton Kutcher, Alyssa Milano, John Stamos, Nina Dobrev, Maria Shriver, Grey’s Anatomy boss Shonda Rhimes and Euphoria creator Levinson.

Dane is best known for playing the fan favourite Dr Mark ‘McSteamy’ Sloan on the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy from 2006 until 2012, with a guest appearance in 2021.

He more recently starred in the HBO hit drama Euphoria alongside Jacob Elordi and Zendaya, playing the conflicted antagonist Cal Jacobs.

Dane and Gayheart married in 2004, and separated in September 2017. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, but later filed to have the petition dismissed.

She described their dynamic as “very complicated” in a December essay she wrote for New York magazine’s The Cut, adding: “Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love.”

The model and photographer Janell Shirtcliff also shared her memories of Dane in a series of Instagram posts on Saturday.

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The GoFundMe fundraising page, described as supporting “his girls and their future needs”, described Dane’s battle with the condition.

“Following his diagnosis, Eric became a passionate spokesperson for the ALS community, using his voice and platform to advocate for fellow patients and to push for greater awareness.

“Even as his own health declined, he remained deeply committed to helping others facing the same devastating disease,” it read.

Gayheart shared a photo of the GoFundMe on her Instagram stories at its launch, captioning it: “Thank-you everyone.”

Dane is also known for his roles in Charmed, Burlesque, Marley & Me and Valentine’s Day and between 2014 and 2018 he played Tom Chandler in post-apocalyptic action series The Last Ship.