Patrick Dempsey said that it was "virtually impossible" to cast his former "Grey's Anatomy" co-star Eric Dane in his new series "Memory of a Killer" because of the progression of Dane's amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Dempsey, 60, discussed Dane's condition and their continued contact during a recent interview with Parade while promoting his Fox thriller.
Dane, 53, revealed in April that he had been diagnosed with ALS. Commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS causes the gradual degeneration of motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness, loss of mobility, and eventually paralysis. There is currently no cure.
"I spoke to him a few weeks ago. I've been texting with him. We were trying to get him in [Memory of a Killer]," Dempsey said. "Unfortunately, the progression of his disease made it virtually impossible. But I was happy to see that he was here in Toronto working on, I think, another medical drama [Brilliant Minds]."
Dane, best known for portraying plastic surgeon Mark Sloan on "Grey's Anatomy," has continued working since his diagnosis and appeared as a patient with ALS on an episode of NBC's "Brilliant Minds" that aired in November.
Dempsey said he has remained in touch with Dane and has been closely following how he is coping with the illness.
"It's very hard for him, but I do try to stay in touch and see how he's doing. I think he's been incredibly courageous in the face of this horrible disease," Dempsey said. "He's such a wonderful human being. He has such a great sense of humor, and he's so intelligent."
During the interview, Dempsey shared that the diagnosis has been heartbreaking for the actor and the people closest to him. However, he added that Dane's public approach to discussing the illness has helped draw attention to ALS and its impact.
"You feel for them when you see this terrible disease and how quickly it attacks the body," Dempsey said. "But he's bringing a lot of light to that, and he's using his platform in a positive way. I wish him the best."
Dane has spoken openly about the physical toll of the disease. During an appearance on "Good Morning America" last year, he shared that he had "one functioning arm."
"My left side is functioning; my right side has completely stopped working," Dane said at the time. "I feel like maybe a couple more months, and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering."
In December, Dane's wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, said he was receiving round-the-clock medical care, with nurses present 24/7. She described a lengthy fight with the insurance company to secure approval for full-time care in an essay for The Cut.
"With the nurses, the woman from his insurance said to me, ‘You can keep applying, and I'll keep denying,' I was like, Oh? F that," Gayheart wrote. "I made it my mission. I was ‘locked in,' as the kids would say. I crashed out, and then I locked it in. And we got it approved after two appeals."
Gayheart and Dane share two daughters.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.