Trending Now - Dax Shepard Reveals Tension With Eric Dane Before Their Friendship
WHO:
Variety - Dax Shepard, Eric Dane
The Hollywood Reporter - Dax Shepard, Eric Dane, Anderson Cooper
WHAT:
Variety - Dax Shepard stated, “I thought he was a bit of a bully” regarding Eric Dane.
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard recalled that during their altercation, he said to Dane, “Let’s go. Outside. Right now.”
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard described Dane's childhood trauma, stating, “His father shot himself in his house when he was a little boy.”
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard noted that Dane said during a share, “I think I’ve come to fall in love with Dax.”
San Francisco Chronicle - Dax Shepard mentioned that Dane's final months are chronicled in the short documentary “Ring Every Bell,” which is set to premiere on April 12th, 2026.
Variety - Dax Shepard stated he “hated” Eric Dane when they first met.
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard mentioned they almost had a “fist fight” after an altercation at an AA meeting.
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard and Dane eventually became friends after learning about each other's backgrounds.
The Hollywood Reporter - Dane was diagnosed with ALS in April 2025 and died in February 2026 at the age of 53.
The Hollywood Reporter - Dane revealed he was “let go” from Grey’s Anatomy due to his struggles with addiction.
WHERE:
Variety - The altercation occurred outside an AA meeting.
The Hollywood Reporter - The conversation took place at the New Orleans Book Festival.
WHEN:
The Hollywood Reporter - The AA meeting incident occurred prior to their friendship, which developed over two years.
The Hollywood Reporter - Dane was diagnosed with ALS in April 2025.
The Hollywood Reporter - Dane died in February 2026.
The Hollywood Reporter - Dane discussed being “let go” from Grey’s Anatomy during a podcast appearance on June 24, 2024.
WHY:
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard explained that both he and Dane were “in search of masculine validation” due to their similar upbringings.
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard initially disliked Dane because he perceived him as a bully and witnessed him threatening a younger member of the group.
HOW:
Variety - Shepard and Dane's friendship developed through shared experiences in recovery and understanding each other's pain.
The Hollywood Reporter - Shepard and Dane bonded over their similar experiences of growing up without fathers and their struggles with masculinity.
(UPDATED April 12, 2026 05:38 UTC)
Dax Shepard recently opened up about his complicated relationship with Eric Dane, describing him as "a bit of a bully" during a past altercation where he challenged Dane to step outside. Shepard also shared that Dane's childhood was marked by trauma, revealing that his father shot himself when Dane was just a boy, and noted that Dane expressed feelings of affection for him, saying, "I think I’ve come to fall in love with Dax." Additionally, Shepard mentioned that Dane's final months are featured in the short documentary "Ring Every Bell," which premieres on Sunday.
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(UPDATED April 12, 2026 04:00 UTC)
Dax Shepard revealed that he initially "hated" Eric Dane when they first met, even recalling an incident where they almost had a fistfight outside an AA meeting due to Shepard perceiving Dane as a bully. Despite their rocky start, the two eventually became friends, bonding over their shared experiences in recovery and understanding each other's struggles, particularly their backgrounds of growing up without fathers. Tragically, Dane, who was diagnosed with ALS in April 20th25, passed away in February 20th26 at the age of 53, and he had previously discussed being let go from Grey's Anatomy due to his battles with addiction.