Sorry, folks. This The Last Ship star and the man formerly known as McSteamy on Grey’s Anatomy is a happily married man. Depending on your pop culture diet, Eric's Dane's wife Rebecca Gayheart may be hard to place. The couple married in 2004, but her fans know Gayheart more for the work she did in the 1990s. Although the story of how they got married on a dare would seem like a recipe for disaster, they are still together almost 10 years later and have two daughters.
Despite their marital bliss — it hasn't been without scandal. In 2009, a Gawker released a video of Dane, Gayheart, and Kari Ann Peniche all naked. If you don't recollect who Paniche is, let me jog your memory: She was crowned Miss United States Teen, but her title was taken away for posing in Playboy Magazine. Along with a troubled sexual past, she was used as Catfish bait, featured on Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew (and Celebrity Rehab), and engaged briefly to Aaron Carter.
No sexual acts occurred on the video, but of course it's hard to not gossip about something like that. Yet, if a married couple wants to do something in their private life, like add a third person, it’s really their business — as long as it was consensual. (Just maybe, you know, don't videotape it next time.)
But Dane recently spoke to People magazine about the incident and said, "We've all made mistakes. My one regret is that I got the person I love most wrapped up in all that: Rebecca." That comment makes it seem like it may not have been a completely mutual agreement. Eeee.
Unfortunately, the drama doesn't end (or start) there. In 2011, Dane entered rehab for addiction to prescription pain medication following a sports injury. According to E!, Gayheart was pregnant at the time, but yet again, I don’t think this is something that should be judged too harshly. He voluntarily checked into the rehab and it was allegedly preventative, so he handled the situation well by getting himself the help he needed before things were out of hand.
As for before Gayheart and Dane were together, Gayheart was prominently featured in a few Noxzema commercials and became known as the "Noxzema girl."
She was in the movies Scream 2, Urban Legend, and Jawbreaker, as well as a reoccurring part on Beverly Hills, 90210 as the wife (albiet for a short time) of Luke Perry's character Dylan. And she was Virginia in Train's "Meet Virginia" music video.
After the 1990s though, Gayheart fell into her own trouble. In 2001, she was driving and struck a boy crossing the street. He died the next day. After the tragic incident, E! reported that Gayheart pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter, settled a wrongful death suit filed by the boy's parents, and paid for his funeral. Afterwards, Gayheart told People, "I couldn't really function for a while ... I just got to a point where I realized I needed help. I got into therapy."
And a few years after she began dating Dane in 2004 she told People, "I feel lucky I found him. He definitely appeared in my life at the right time."
Of course, time can't heal all of the wounds this couple has had over the years. But their adorable family is a good place to start.
Images: greys-anatomy-quotes/Tumblr; Getty Images
