Washington DC [US], February 21 : Eric Dane, the celebrated Grey's Anatomy actor who passed away on February 19 at the age of 53 after battling ALS, opened up about his enduring love for wife Rebecca Gayheart, whom he had been separated from since 2017, in his final interview, according to E! News.
The actor, who had been separated from Rebecca since 2017 after 15 years of marriage, reflected on their unique bond during the Famous Last Words interview with Brad Falchuk, which aired on Netflix on February 20. "Well we still love each other deeply, I just don't think we want to live with each other," Eric said. "There's a lot of love there. I will never, by the time anybody sees this, have ever fallen in love with another woman as deeply as I fell in love with Rebecca."
Eric, who shares daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, with Rebecca, described their relationship after separation as supportive and deeply connected. "She's the mother of my children," he said, noting the natural ease of navigating their co-parenting life together, as per the outlet.
Recalling their first meeting in 2003, a year before they married, Eric revealed it was love at first sight. "I met Rebecca and I turned to her friend and I said, 'I'm going to marry that girl,''' he said. "I have no idea how serious I was in that moment, but four years later I married her. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her."
Addressing their 2017 separation, Eric accepted his role in the split. "I think Rebecca was more willing to show up and do her part than I was," he said. "I don't have that gene that just makes you want to keep going regardless of what's happening. I'm like if there's a hole in the boat, don't try to patch the hole. Stall the damn thing and go find a new one. Rebecca's a fighter and she perseveres."
Despite ending their romantic relationship, Rebecca emphasized their continued bond, dismissing divorce proceedings in March 2025 as Eric battled ALS. "We are best of friends. We are really close. We are great co-parents," she told E! News in April 2025. "It's important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure... It was a huge success. We had two beautiful kids and that's how we look at it," according to E! News.