Eric Dane took part in an AI voice restoration project weeks before his death.
Dane’s widow, Rebecca Gayheart, championed the project, saying her late husband “just had this way of speaking,” in an interview with Variety published on Wednesday, March 11.
The Grey’s Anatomy alum “was really excited about it, because he was losing his voice, and it was becoming more difficult for him to communicate each and every day,” Gayheart, 54, continued. She noted that the project became “sort of urgent” as Dane neared the end of his life.
Us Weekly confirmed on February 19 that Dane died at age 53 following a battle with ALS. He went public with the diagnosis in April 2025.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” a statement from his family 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.”
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.”
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Dane’s voice restoration project was championed by AI firm ElevenLabs. It restored the late actor’s ability to speak through a synthetic voice created using past recordings. The project was in an effort to leave something behind for daughters Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14.
Dane became “visibly emotional” when hearing his voice through the project, Gayheart told Variety on Wednesday.
“He was waiting anxiously to hear it, and when we got it from ElevenLabs it was a really big moment. It was a powerful moment,” she continued. “And when I heard it, I cried. I think everyone in the room did.”
ElevenLabs has pledged to help 1 million people with services, which amounts to $1 billion. The company subsequently pledged to provide services for free to people who suffer from terminal neurological diseases, including ALS.
Gayheart has continued Dane’s advocacy for those with ALS following his death.
“For a million people to get a voice to be able to communicate with their children or their loved ones or their caretakers or their doctors or in their job — this is a really huge movement,” she said. “I just want to thank everybody for being so kind to us during the last couple of years.”
