Eric Dane and Dax Shepard had quite the history — but that didn’t stop them from forming a long-running friendship.
Fans are reflecting on the actors’ relationship after Shepard seemingly alluded to Dane’s ALS battle during a February 2026 episode of his “Armchair Expert” podcast.
“I’ve got a friend right now that’s going down really fast and hard with ALS,” Shepard told guest Sterling K. Brown, whose mother suffers from the same disease. “I go over there and it’s like I can f***ing monologue. [I] can let it rip. Tell about 25 stories and I see some smiling and some laughing.”
While Shepard didn’t specify that he was referring to Dane, several fans are convinced that’s who the podcast host was talking about. It’s unclear exactly when the episode with Brown was recorded, but it was released following Dane’s February 2026 death at age 53.
The Grey’s Anatomy alum went public with his ALS diagnosis in April 2025. News of Dane’s death broke nearly one year later.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” a statement shared with Us Weekly at the time read. “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.”
Eric Dane’s Honest Quotes About His Sobriety Journey Before His Death
The statement continued, “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.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of Shepard and Dane’s friendship:
Were Eric Dane and Dax Shepard Friends?
Yes. During the June 2024 episode of Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, details about the origins of their friendship were revealed.
“He’s a very good friend of mine,” Shepard said. “We have a very funny beginning of our friendship.”
He added, “We had a very tumultuous start but we love each other so much, in the nicest way.”
How Did Eric Dane and Dax Shepard Become Friends?
Their relationship started at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting where the two nearly came to blows. Shepard claimed that Dane “threatened a dude in the meeting.”
“I was not in the best space, let’s just say that,” Dane admitted. “I may not even have been sober at the time.”
There was drama “brewing” between them — because they had “the exact same bag of bulls***,” Shepard explained — but their “shared sponsor” got in between them and stopped a physical altercation.
Shepard said “over time” he started “falling in love” with Dane — especially when their shared love of cars came to light.
Every Time Eric Dane Had Been Candid About ALS and Other Health Struggles
What Did Dax Shepard Say About Eric Dane’s Death?
The “Armchair Expert” podcast resurfaced Dane’s podcast episode following his death.
“Remembering the talented and inspiring Eric Dane this week,” they captioned an Instagram Story post in February 2026.
One week later, Shepard broke his silence on Dane’s death by recalling a recent Alcoholics Anonymous meeting where the group honored the Euphoria actor.
“So, we had a very, very, very sweet meeting last night,” Shepard said during the March 2 episode of his podcast. Though Shepard didn’t mention Dane by name, his cohost, Monica Padman, added, “Oh, about Eric.”
“Kind of in memory of our friend,” Shepard continued.
The Zathura star noted that although his AA meetings typically consist of only men, an “awesome” woman joined that night.
“She goes, ‘I don’t know how all of you got through your shares without crying, but I’m going to be crying through my entire share, and I’m gonna cry for all of you,’” Shepard recalled. “And we were like, ‘Well, thank you. Someone needs to.’ That was really great.”
