Eric Dane Reportedly Died With 'Zero Regrets' Over 2009 Scandal, $7M Estate Set for Legal Twist

Eric Dane died in California on 19 February aged 53, and according to a source quoted by RadarOnline, the Grey's Anatomy actor left this world with 'zero regrets' about the 2009 sex tape scandal, while his estimated 7 million dollar estate now appears set to pass to his still‑legal wife, Rebecca Gayheart.

The news comes less than a year after Eric Dane publicly confirmed in April 2025 that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and as fresh attention turns to how he reconsidered the scandal that dogged him for more than a decade. It also follows a quiet legal twist: the divorce case that once threatened to end his marriage was dismissed in 2025, meaning that, on paper at least, Dane and Gayheart were fully married when he died.

Eric Dane Reframed The Sex Tape That Haunted His Career

Scandal first attached itself firmly to Eric Dane in 2009, three years after he joined Grey's Anatomy as Dr Mark Sloan and picked up the nickname 'McSteamy.' That summer, a leaked home video showed Dane and Gayheart naked in a bathtub with another woman, later identified in reports as former beauty queen and Playboy model Kari Ann Peniche.

The clip, in which Gayheart is believed to be heard saying she needs to lie down because she is high, did not specify any drug, but the combination of nudity and apparent substance use made it a tabloid staple. For years, the tape sat in the background of stories about Dane's private life.

In 2014, he sounded apologetic. 'We all make mistakes,' he said, reflecting on the recording. 'My one regret is that I got the person I love most wrapped up in all that: Rebecca.'

By 2019, his tone had shifted. In a later interview he was asked again whether the tape had been a mistake. 'Looking back now, was it a mistake? Absolutely not,' he replied. 'Three consenting adults, one of them being my wife? I wasn't doing anything wrong.'

He went on to explain that when he had previously spoken about regret, he had been 'most likely referring to the drug use that was alluded to in the video.' On the underlying conduct, he was clear. 'I don't necessarily think I was breaking any laws and corrupting anybody. We were just three people taking a bath.'

He made his broader position unambiguous. 'I didn't regret it. I have no regrets, nor do I make any apologies for my life experience. It's my life experience, and I am at peace with all of it.' It is those comments that RadarOnline now points to in saying Eric Dane died with 'zero regrets' about the scandal.

Eric Dane, ALS And A Marriage That Legally Never Ended

Away from the headlines about the tape, Dane's final year was marked by serious illness and a re‑centring of his family life around ALS.

'I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,' he said in April 2025 when he chose to go public. He added that he felt 'fortunate' to keep working and was 'looking forward to returning to the set of Euphoria next week,' before asking for privacy for himself and his family.

As his condition progressed, Gayheart moved into what described as a round‑the‑clock caregiving role. On social media, the couple stopped talking in the usual language of estranged spouses and instead presented themselves as a family unit, no longer a conventional couple but still tied together by their daughters and his illness.

The legal record shows that tie never fully broke. Dane and Gayheart married in 2004, separated in 2017 and she filed for divorce in February 2018. The case then stalled in the courts. In March 2025, it was formally dismissed without judgement, restoring their full legal status as husband and wife and leaving no court‑ordered division of assets in place.

RadarOnline, citing an unnamed legal source familiar with the situation, reports that Dane's net worth in 2026 was estimated at about 7 million dollars and that Gayheart now stands to inherit under community property principles. 'Because Eric and Rebecca were still legally married at the time of his death, she stands to inherit his entire fortune,' the source said. 'The dismissal of the divorce petition effectively reset their legal relationship.' The same insider added that the decision to halt proceedings after seven years 'shapes the entire estate picture.'

No will or probate filing is included in the material provided, so the precise path of the estate is not yet on the public record. The suggestion that Gayheart will receive everything is a legally informed prediction rather than a confirmed outcome, and could still be tested if other parties raise claims.

Family Statement And A Career Beyond 'McSteamy'

In their statement announcing Eric Dane's death, his family described him as facing ALS with determination and a focus on others.

'With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,' they said. 'He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.

'Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight.

'He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he's received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.'

Born in San Francisco in 1972, Dane said he discovered acting almost by accident when a short water polo season at school left him free to be 'roped into' playing Joe Keller in All My Sons. 'Dead serious. And I fell in love with it. I was, like, this is the greatest feeling ever!' he recalled in 2014.

Guest spots through the 1990s led to his casting on Grey's Anatomy in 2006, where he became one of the show's most recognisable faces. He later took on roles in HBO's Euphoria, the series The Last Ship, and films including Marley & Me and Bad Boys: Ride or Die. On Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast in 2024, he reflected on leaving Grey's Anatomy, saying, 'I think I was let go,' and pointing to struggles with addiction and the size of his salary as likely factors.

Alongside Gayheart, Eric Dane is survived by their daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, who now inherit not just a Hollywood legacy and a complex estate, but their father's insistence that he made peace with the most scrutinised chapters of his life.