Grey's Anatomy already had McDreamy and McVet, but who can forget the moment McSteamy arrived, half-naked as he stepped out of Addison's shower with literal steam swirling around him? It's a seminal moment from ABC's long-running medical procedural… but what is Grey's Anatomy's Eric Dane doing now? Mark Sloan caused quite a stir when he checked in at Grey Sloan, flirting with Meredith, picking up his affair with her romantic rival Addison, and eventually landing in a relationship with her half-sister Lexie. But he caused just as much of a stir when he checked out — except this one was more tearful and less lustful, as he succumbed to injuries sustained in a plane crash that also claimed the life of Lexie Grey.
From his debut in Season 2 until his last appearance in Season 9, Dane was a handsome and humorous presence on the show. As Grey's Anatomy's 300th episode approaches on Nov. 9, it may feel like ages since Mark Sloan was a part of the cast; but that makes this the perfect time to check in with the man behind the McSteam, and see what Dane has been up to in the five years since he departed Grey's for good.
It didn't take Dane too long to find a new home after leaving Seattle Grace. His last episode of Grey's — Season 9's second hour — aired in October of 2012, and by June of 2014, his own starring vehicle was premiering on TNT. The Last Ship may not get as many eyeballs over on cable as the primetime network soap does, but it's been a reliable performer for the channel… so much so that it was renewed all the way through its current fifth season while the third was still airing.
However, there are signs that The Last Ship could be approaching the end of its run on TNT. While the network has yet to officially confirm whether or not the show will be cancelled, talk in the industry is that a sixth season is unlikely. Good thing, then, that Dane has plenty of other options to fall back on. Having been a consistent presence on television since checking into Grey's in 2006, Dane will continue to appear on the small screen even if The Last Ship gets the ax: He has already filmed the Canadian action miniseries The Fixer, which is currently shopping for international distribution.
The upcoming show (which also features Beverly Hills, 90210's Kathleen Robertson) stars Dane as Carter, a former "fixer" — aka a member of a mercenary group that's hired to make attacks look like accidents. When an oil rig is targeted, Carter is convinced that it's the work of fixer like himself, and teams up with Robertson's investigator to prevent a further catastrophe from striking Washington, D.C.
And even though Dane may be most famous for his television roles, he also has a robust film resumé as well. Before and during his tenure on Grey's, he appeared in movies like X-Men: The Last Stand, Marley & Me, Valentine's Day, and Burlesque. Since leaving the ABC procedural, he has starred in the indie noir Grey Lady, alongside The Following's Natalie Zea, as a detective hunting down the killer who murdered his partner… and discovering secrets about his own family along the way.
Off the screen, Dane remains married to his wife of 13 years, actress Rebecca Gayheart (Scream 2, Urban Legend, Nip/Tuck), who he famously proposed to on a dare, and with whom he's raising two daughters.
It seems that, in real life, Dane got the happy ending that Mark Sloan was so tragically denied.
