Eric Dane reveals the real reason he was fired from Grey’s Anatomy while reflecting on his past struggles with addiction

Eric Dane has opened up about his exit from Grey’s Anatomy.

The Euphoria star, who is optimistic his Emmy-winning series will return for another season, revealed there were several reasons he was axed from the show.

The handsome 51-year-old actor played the role of Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, from 2006 to 2012.

“I’m not so much gone as I think I’ve been let go,” he told Dax Shepherd on the Armchair Expert podcast.

Asked about his problems with alcoholism and drug addiction during his tenure, Dane said: “I was in trouble. They didn’t let me go because of that, although it certainly didn’t help. »

The Bad Boys: Ride or Die star said he believes financial results led to his departure.

“I was starting to become, like most of these actors who spent a lot of time on the show, very expensive for the network,” he said.

“And the network knows that the show is going to do what it’s going to do no matter who it keeps – as long as it has its Grey, it’s all good.” »

Mark Sloan’s character died after being injured in a plane crash that claimed the life of his on-screen love interest, Dr. Lexie Grey, played by Chyler Leigh.

The actor, who had been sober for several years when he was hired on the show, admitted to relapsing during the Writers Guild of America strike in 2007.

“I wasn’t the same guy they hired, so I understood when I was let go and (series creator) Shonda Rhimes was really great,” he said.

“She fiercely protected us. She protected us publicly, she protected us privately,” he explained.

“I love Shonda Rhimes and she protected me, but I probably got fired. It wasn’t ceremoniously like being told, “You’re fired,” it was just like being told, “You’re not coming back.” »

The actor, who played Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, said a variety of reasons led to his departure on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepherd.

The actor, who had been sober for several years when he was hired on the show, admitted to relapsing during the Writers Guild of America strike in 2007. “I wasn’t the same guy they hired, so I knew when I was going to let loose,” he said.

The Bad Boys: Ride or Die star said he believes the end result also led to his departure. “I was starting to become, like most of the actors who spent a lot of time on the show, very expensive for the network,” he said.

“If you look at the eight years I was on Grey’s Anatomy, I was fucked up longer than I was sober and that’s when things started to go downhill for me.”

He added that the sudden fame from the hit series may have contributed to his downfall.

“It was upsetting, and I think I just wanted to pretend it wasn’t the case and that I was comfortable with it. Pretend you had been there, but you weren’t “, he explained.

Dane returned for a cameo in Season 17, as did Patrick Dempsey’s Dr. Derek Shepher, when Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey was in a Covid coma.

Grey’s Anatomy’s only full-time original characters are Chandra Wilson’s Dr. Miranda Bailey and James Pickens Jr.’s Dr. Richard Webber. Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Gray is now a recurring character rather than a regular character

Dane currently stars in Bad Boys: Ride or Die (photographed in Los Angeles in May)

Dane returned for a cameo appearance, along with Chyler Leigh in season 17, when Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey was in a Covid coma.

Other actors whose characters had died also returned for cameos, including Patrick Dempsey as Meredith’s late husband Dr. Derek Shepherd, TR Knight as Dr. George O’Malley, and Giacomo Gianniotti as by Dr. Andrew DeLuca.

The only full-time original characters on Grey’s Anatomy are Dr. Miranda Bailey, played by Chandra Wilson, and Dr. Richard Webber, played by James Pickens Jr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, is now a recurring character, rather than a regular.

ABC has renewed the series for a 21st season.