Guest on the podcast “Armchair Expert” hosted by Dax Shepard, Eric Dane revealed that his departure from the series “Grey’s Anatomy” was not a personal decision, but a sidelining by the production because of his drug and alcohol consumption.
Reality check. In 2012, Eric Dane left the series “Grey’s Anatomy” after six seasons as Dr. Mark ‘McSteamy’ Sloan. However, the 51-year-old actor told the podcast “Armchair Expert”, hosted by Dax Shepard, that his departure was in no way a personal decision. Also, the production reportedly decided to let him go because of his drug and alcohol addiction.
“I left as much as I was fired,” he admitted, talking about his addictions. “They didn’t let me go because of that, although it definitely played a role,” he added. Later in the conversation, Eric Dane explained that he was probably “fired” for financial reasons. “Like these actors who stay in a series for a long time, you start to cost the channel dearly. (…) I was no longer the same guy they had recruited, and I understood that when they let me go,” he continued.
Eric Dane took the opportunity to thank the creator of “Grey’s Anatomy”, Shonda Rhimes, who has continued to protect actors, whether in private or in public, from criticism and attacks. According to him, she tried to avoid his dismissal, but without success. “It didn’t come out in a brutal way, like, ‘You’re fired.’ They just made me understand that I would not come back,” he said. The actor, who claims to have been sober for “three or four years”, had continued with the series “The Last Ship” for five seasons, before making a new appearance in “Grey’s Anatomy” in a scene with Ellen Pompeo in season 17 .
