Eric Dane's Relationship With Wife Rebecca Gayheart & Girlfriend Janell Shirtcliff, Explained

Eric Dane, who played Dr. Mark Sloan on "Grey's Anatomy" and Cal Jacobs on "Euphoria," passed away in February 2026. Dane had confirmed his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in April 2025. In a statement from his family on Instagram after his death, it was confirmed that Dane spent his final days in California with family and friends, including his wife, Rebecca Gayheart. His girlfriend, Janell Shirtcliff, also released a tribute to Dane via her Instagram Stories. It's not often that there's a statement from both a wife and a girlfriend after someone dies. Here's what we know about Dane's unconventional romantic relationships towards the end of his life.

First, Dane's marriage: Gayheart and Dane were married in 2004, and they had two daughters together. Gayheart filed for divorce from Dane in 2018; however, in March 2025, she filed to have the divorce request dismissed, likely wanting to stand by him at the end of his life.

Dane and Gayheart may have still been married when he passed away, but it doesn't sound like they were actually in a romantic relationship after their separation. In an article that Gayheart wrote for The Cut that came out in December 2025, she talked about what their bond was really like: "It's a very complicated relationship, one that's confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it's a familial love."

Before Eric Dane got ALS, the entire family spent time together, even after Dane and Rebecca Gayheart had separated. They were spotted on vacation as a family, which fueled rumors that they might be getting back together. Instead, it was just an example of how they worked hard to be good co-parents. After his diagnosis, Gayheart noted in the article for The Cut that their entire family was able to become closer. "Spending all this time together, it's all been really positive, and I think it's nice for the kids to see maybe a softer side of us." 

Dane and Gayheart seemed to prioritize their role as parents, and the closeness of their family seemed to play a big role in why the two remained married even though they were separated. Gayheart talked about why she called off the divorce on the podcast "Broad Ideas with Rachel Bilson & Olivia Allen," and it sounds like it had a lot to do with their girls in the wake of finding out about Dane's illness. "I'm definitely trying ... to show them that we show up for people," Gayheart explained. "No matter what. He is our family. He is your father ... We show up."

Even though the marriage didn't last in a conventional sense, Gayheart saw it as a win. She told E! News: "I think it's important not to look at a relationship that ends as a failure. It's just a season. It wasn't a failure."

For as much as Rebecca Gayheart clearly cared for Eric Dane, the feeling was mutual. In Dane's Netflix interview for "Famous Last Words," which was aired after he passed away, he spoke lovingly of Gayheart (via X, formerly known as Twitter): "I will never, by the time anybody sees this, have fallen in love with another woman as deeply as I fell in love with Rebecca."

Even with the deep and enduring love that he had for Gayheart, Dane was apparently (and reasonably) still in search of a more romantic companion, which he found with Janell Shirtcliff, a photographer and director. It's not exactly clear when the two got together, and not much is known about their relationship, but Shirtcliff and Dane first stepped out publicly in June 2025 for the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of "Countdown." Shirtcliff took to her Instagram Stories in honor of Dane after he died, posting photos of the pair seemingly on vacation together in a tropical location.

For her part, Gayheart also dated someone for a couple of years. On Rachel Bilson and Olivia Allen's podcast, which aired in November 2025, she said, "I dated a wonderful man for two years, and we are kind of on a break right now." Gayheart noted how the complicated family stuff she was going through at the time made it hard to date.