Chyler Leigh Honors Eric Dane as 'Wonderful Scene Partner' Following His Passing

Chyler Leigh is sharing memories of her late Grey's Anatomy co-star Eric Dane, speaking candidly about their time working together on the hit medical drama.

The 44-year-old actress appeared on the You Might Know Her From podcast, where she reflected on Dane's character and their on-set chemistry. "Eric had one of the kindest hearts. We had a deep relationship, a respect for one another," she said.

Dane passed away in February at age 53 following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a condition he publicly disclosed in 2025. Leigh described him as a "wonderful scene partner" and someone "really special" to collaborate with throughout their time on the series.

"I will always look back fondly as far as that goes, and I've watched everything that he was on afterwards, because I just loved the man," Leigh shared. "But it had been a while since I had connected with him, and then I got the news."

The actress was promoting her Hallmark series The Way Home when she learned of his death. "My publicist called me and said, 'Hey, I just want you to know, be prepared that Eric passed.' Because it was going to all come out, I think the next day," she recalled. "I was like, 'Oh my God.' I didn't know how to comprehend it."

The news caught up with her while traveling. "Then I was on a plane ride from L.A. doing press, flying back to Nashville, that, all of a sudden, it just hit. I had to keep getting up and going to use the lavatory because I was just sobbing," the Supergirl alum explained.

Following his death, social media became flooded with throwback moments featuring Leigh and Dane from their Grey's Anatomy days. Their characters, Lexie Grey and Dr. Mark Sloan, formed one of the show's most iconic and fan-beloved pairings throughout the series' run.