Why Eric Dane Will Only Play ALS-Centric Roles After Brilliant Minds

Eric Dane has found a new calling in his acting career amid his battle with ALS.

Fresh from his moving guest-starring role on NBC’s Brilliant Minds, in which he played a firefighter with ALS, Dane, 53, said in the future, he will be pursuing roles that incorporate his real-life illness.

According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS “is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord,” and causes loss of muscle control. Over time, people with the condition can experience muscle twitching, weakness in the arm or leg, trouble swallowing and/or slurred speech.

“I am fairly limited in what I can do physically as an actor, but I still have my brain and I still have my speech. So I am willing to do just about anything. I’ll take on a role. But I think from here on out, it’s going to have to be ALS-centric,” the Grey’s Anatomy alum said during a Tuesday, December 2, virtual panel discussion in collaboration with advocacy organization I AM ALS, of which Dane is an ambassador.

The actor explained, “It’s going to be very difficult for me to play any other role where … you know, look at the 800-pound gorilla in the room, and I’m fine with that. I’m grateful that I can still work in any capacity.”

Dane played Matthew, a firefighter with ALS who struggles to share his diagnosis with his family, on the November 24 episode of Brilliant Minds.

During Tuesday’s panel, which also featured show creator Michael Grassi and writer/consulting producer Dr. Daniela Lamas, Dane shared how his own diagnosis helped inform his role.

Dane said, “Michael reached out to me, and we got on some calls and had some pretty in depth conversations that helped inform the story you wanted to tell and the hardest thing for me to do myself was to separate from the character because it was something that was so fresh, and it was something that was so real to me.”

“I’ve never played a character who’s going through something and something I’m dealing with in real time, in real life as well,” Dane continued. “So it was hard and there were moments where it was very difficult for me to even get the lines out. But overall, I was really grateful for the experience. I found it to be a bit cathartic, and Michael and Daniela were so great and sort of shepherding along this tired old actor can barely speak and put me into a position for great success, and I’m grateful for them for that.”

Grassi previously revealed that Dane earned a 10-minute standing ovation on set when he filmed his episode.

“I have never seen this happen in my entire career, but he essentially got a 10-minute standing ovation after shooting that scene, because it was so beautiful and so honest and so real,” the showrunner told USA Today in November.

“Also, while his character’s finding bravery, there’s a lot of bravery in Eric to tell the story as well. To come out and share this part of yourself is vulnerable but also really important, and I think raises awareness and shows people that they’re not alone,” Grassi added.

Dane first revealed his ALS diagnosis in a statement in April.

“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” hesaid at the time. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”