Originally an athlete in high school, Eric Dane fell in love with acting after appearing in a school play. He moved to Los Angeles in 1993 and took small roles in shows such as Saved by the Bell and The Wonder Years. He made his film debut in 1999, appearing in The Basket.
Dane focused on television at the turn of the century, first taking a recurring role in the series Gideon's Crossing. He also held recurring roles in Charmed and Las Vegas, and was a regular in the short-lived The American Embassy. In 2006 he joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy, appearing as Mark Sloan: positive fan reaction (thanks to his steamy opening scene) made him a regular in the third season.
His success in Grey's Anatomy led to a resurgence in Dane's film career. His more recent films include Marley & Me, Valentine's Day and Burlesque.
Dane is married to actress Rebecca Gayheart, with whom he has a daughter.
- He is best friends with Balthazar Getty and is the godfather of Getty's son, Cassius.
- Eric and his wife Rebecca Gayheart introduced Charlie Sheen to his current wife, Brooke Mueller.
- Screen Actors Guild Award, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, 2007 (for Grey's Anatomy)
FILM:
- The Basket (1999)
- Sol Goode (2001)
- Feast (2005)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
- Open Water 2: Adrift (2006)
- Marley & Me (2008)
- Valentine's Day (2010)
- Burlesque (2010)
TELEVISION:
- Gideon's Crossing (recurring, 2001)
- The American Embassy (regular, 2002)
- Charmed (recurring, 2003-2004)
- Las Vegas (recurring, 2004)
- Grey's Anatomy (regular, 2006-present)
- Private Practice (recurring, 2009-2010)