A former star of “Grey’s Anatomy” has opened up about the reasons behind his departure from the renowned medical drama series. Eric Dane, who portrayed the charming Dr. Mark Sloan, also known as Dr. McSteamy, has shared insights into his exit, suggesting that it was not entirely his choice to leave. While ABC has not officially disclosed why Dane was let go, the actor expressed his understanding of the situation during his appearance on the “Armchair Expert” podcast, highlighting a significant transformation in himself from when he was first hired.
Dane revealed to podcast host Dax Shepard, “I didn’t leave so much as I think I was let go.” The discussion delved into how Dane’s struggles with drugs and alcohol towards the end of his tenure might have influenced the decision, though Dane believes that wasn’t the sole reason for his departure. He explained, “I was struggling. They didn’t let me go because of that, although it definitely didn’t help.”
Further elaborating on his theory, the actor, now 51 and a star on “Euphoria,” speculated that financial considerations could have also played a role. “I was starting to become—as most of these actors who have spent significant time on the show—you start to become very expensive for the network. And the network knows that the show is going to do what it’s going to do irrespective of who they keep on it—as long as they have their Grey, they were fine.”
Despite the circumstances surrounding his departure, Dane spoke highly of the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, and how she managed the situation. “She protected us fiercely. She protected us publicly, she protected us privately… I love Shonda Rhimes and she protected me but I was probably fired. It wasn’t ceremoniously like, ‘You’re fired,’ it was just like, ‘You’re not coming back’.”
Reflecting on his eight-year stint on “Grey’s Anatomy,” Dane admitted that his personal challenges were overwhelming at times. “If you take the whole eight years I was on Grey’s Anatomy, I was f****ed up longer than I was sober and that was when things started going sideways for me.”
Dane’s character met a dramatic end in the show, being involved in a plane crash during the season eight finale. Although his character initially survived the crash, he eventually passed away at the beginning of season nine.