The late actor and Gayheart married in 2004 and welcomed two daughters together before separating in 2018

Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart in 2006.Credit : John Shearer/WireImage

Eric Dane was fond of Rebecca Gayheart to the very end.

The late actor — who died on Feb. 19, 10 months after going public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — recorded his final interview with Netflix as part of the Famous Last Words series.

The interview was released after Dane’s death at age 53 and includes his thoughts on his relationship with Gayheart, 54. The pair married in 2004 and welcomed two children together before separating in 2018.

“We still love each other deeply,” Dane said in the interview. “I just think we don’t want to live with each other. But there’s a lot of love there.”

Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane with daughters Georgia and Billie in 2017.Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

“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,” he continued.

“She’s the mother of my children,” Dane said of Gayheart, referring to their two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.

The actor recalled the first time they met as being “so organic and fortuitous.” He shared that he met Gayheart when she was engaged to another man.

Dane said he immediately told the actress’ friend at the time that he was “going to marry that girl.” However, her friend had some doubts and told him, “No way, she’s never breaking up with her fiancé. They’re getting married. They’ve been together since they were 15.”

“Four years later, I married her,” the Grey’s Anatomy alum said of Gayheart. “I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life where it’s supposed to happen.”

After 14 years of marriage, in February 2018, Gayheart filed for divorce from Dane. Seven years later, in March 2025, she requested to dismiss the petition.

Gayheart shared on her Instagram Stories on Feb. 22 that she’s been “so blown away by the outpouring of love and support from our community” following Dane’s death.

From left: Billie Dane, Eric Dane, Georgia Dane and Rebecca Gayheart.Rebecca Gayheart Dane/Instagram

“There aren’t words to express our gratitude,” she wrote alongside a photo of a candlelit memorial honoring the late actor. “You are truly holding us up during this difficult time.”

The actress also shared a collection of throwback photos of the Euphoria star with their daughters and tributes from their loved ones.

Dane went public with his ALS diagnosis in April 2025.

Following his death, his family said in a statement to PEOPLE, “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,” the statement continued. “He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always.”