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Eric Dane appears in his first on-screen project since his Als diagnosis, alongside Jensen Ackles, in Prime Video’s Countdown. A trailer for the show was released in May 2025, which featured Dane in a major role alongside Ackles. The Supernatural actor spoke highly of his co-star and revealed the one thing he learned from the Grey’s Anatomy alum.

Als is a rare degenerative disease that affects the muscles. It initially causes weakness in a limb, followed by slurred speech. It eventually causes the patients to lose their ability to speak, walk, eat, and breathe independently. Other notable stars include Stephen Hawking, Eric Stevens, Aaron Lazar, John Driskell Hopkins, and Kenneth Mitchell.

Jensen Ackles reveals what he learned from Eric Dane in Countdown Jensen Ackles as Mark Meachum and Eric Dane as Nathan Blythe in a still from Countdown | Credits: Prime Video

Jensen Ackles and Eric Dane play Mark Meachum and...

Eric Dane has long been a known face in Hollywood, with his rugged charisma and amazing performances. He rose to prominence from his breakout role as McSteamy in Grey’s Anatomy and has recently been known for playing Cal Jacobs in Euphoria.

He’s the kind of actor who can seamlessly portray vulnerability and intensity on screen. But behind the scenes, Dane is facing a deeply personal challenge, one that could change his familial and professional life.

Eric Dane | Queen Latifah / YouTube

Let’s better understand his medical condition and also take a look at what’s happening between him and his partner. The news is undeniably disturbing, but with a lot of support and love, Dane will hopefully find strength.

Eric Dane’s Als Diagnosis: Here’s what the actor revealed! Eric Dane | Today with Jenna & Friends / YouTube

In an exclusive reveal to People, Eric Dane shared that he has...

Motor neuron disease, better known as Als (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), is a devastating and terminal neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure. It's taken the lives of many wonderful people, such as David Niven, Sam Shepard, Ronnie Corbett, Aaron Lazar, Roberta Flack, Kenneth Mitchell, Charles Mingus, John Driskell Hopkins, Stephen Hawking, and Lou Gehrig, whose name has become associated with the disorder. It's a terrifying thing to be diagnosed with, with doctors giving most patients a life expectancy of two or three years (although Hawking famously lived for more than 50 years with it). Today, actor Eric Dane announced his Als diagnosis. "I have been diagnosed with Als,” Dane shared with People, adding:

“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria...

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Eric Dane has gone public with something very personal and potentially very painful.

The actor has been diagnosed with Als.

The former Grey’s Anatomy star, who has been a consistent and successful television presence for many years, confirmed this condition himself via a statement to People Magazine.

Eric Dane attends the Los Angeles premiere of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on May 30, 2024. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / Afp)

“I have been diagnosed with Als,” Dane told the outlet late on April 10. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”

He added:

“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

The 52-year old...

In the summer of 2022, we lost my mother to Als. She was diagnosed only a few weeks prior to her death, but, in hindsight, it was clear she was exhibiting symptoms at least a year earlier. She lost weight (she blamed the pandemic’s infringing on her nights out to dinner), was holding her forearm in a strange manner (from how she carried her purse, she claimed), and, finally, in January 2022, tripped and fell on the sidewalk, suffering a head injury that led us on a vain attempt to treat...

John Driskell Hopkins gives us all the White Christmas feels with his swinging version of Irving Berlin’s “Snow.” The Zac Brown Band member taps into the song’s lineage too, enlisting Debby Boone to sing it with him — the “You Light Up My Life” singer’s mother-in-law, Rosemary Clooney, originally sang “Snow” with Bing Crosby and the gang in 1954’s White Christmas.

But Hopkins knows the best Christmas songs all have a little cheese in them, which he lays on thick here with a stellar assist from smooth-rock kings Yacht Rock Revue.

The Black Crowes founder Rich Robinson has announced an all-star lineup for a pair of concerts celebrating 40 years of R.E.M.’s debut EP Chronic Town. The two-night event, set to be hosted in Georgia on Dec. 14 and 15, will double as a benefit show with proceeds going towards Planned Parenthood. The concert will spend its first night at the 40 Watt Club in Athens and its second at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta.

“Growing up in Atlanta in the 1980s, R.E.M. was the preeminent band of that era,” Robinson said in a statement.

It was 2016 when Dierks Bentley surprised a stadium full of fans by bringing Elle King on stage at the CMA Music Festival to perform their chart-topping “Different for Girls.” Moments like this helped the emerging artist reach new heights in her music career. The friends get together now six years later to host CMA Fest on ABC. This popular summer event special brings the sights and sounds of the four-day 49th CMA Fest to viewers. Emanating from Nashville’s Nissan Stadium in June, the broadcast will feature 30 performances from the biggest names in country. This includes standout duets including Bentley and Billy Ray Cyrus, Wynonna Judd and Carly Pearce; Dustin Lynch featuring MacKenzie Porter, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson; King and Ashley McBryde; Lady A featuring Breland; and Zac Brown Band with Darius Rucker. Rounding out the slate are heavy hitters Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan,...

John Driskell Hopkins just shared some "tough news." The bassist for the Zac Brown Band, announced he has been diagnosed with Als. Hopkins shared the news in a video posted to the country music group's official YouTube channel on May 20. "Over the past several years, I've noticed some balance issues and some stiffness in my hands," he shared. "After careful analysis by some of the country's top neurologists, I have been diagnosed with Als."  Als, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is sometimes known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It is a neurodegenerative disease that targets the nervous system, making muscles weaken and limiting physical...

Zac Brown Band have announced plans for a new album due this fall. Titled The Comeback, the group’s upcoming full-length studio project will be released October 15th via Warner Music Nashville and Brown’s Home Grown Music.

The 15-track release includes the band’s current single “Same Boat,” which came out in June and urges people to embrace coexistence. Brown had a hand in writing every song on The Comeback, working with frequent collaborators like Ben Simonetti and Wyatt Durrette as well as Luke Combs, Jonathan Singleton, and the Cadillac Three’s Neil Mason.

Whether it’s coming out of Nashville, New York, L.A., or points in between, there’s no shortage of fresh tunes, especially from artists who have yet to become household names. Rolling Stone Country selects some of the best new music releases from country and Americana artists.

Rob Leines, “Drinkin Problem”

Occasional welder, full-time country-rocker Rob Leines dials up the Tele and the pedal steel on this undeniable barroom banger. There’s hints of Skynyrd and the Allmans, and a whole lot of Wet Willie’s Southern soul, as...

A cadre of music’s heaviest hitters will lead the Grammy Music Education Coalition’s nine-hour fundraising telethon, dubbed Oh Say Can You Stream, on Saturday.

Alice Cooper, Dmc and host Megadeth’s David Ellefson will all make appearances during the broadcast, which will take place at 4 p.m. Et on several online channels. Proceeds will benefit the School’s Out initiative — which offers online lessons, instruments and gear to children and aspiring musicians during this period where school is literally out because of the coronavirus pandemic — as well as Covid-19 relief charities.

In today’s film news roundup, “In 27 Days” and “The Keys to the Kingdom” are in the works as films, Pamela Adlon has been cast in Pete Davidson’s movie, an “On the Waterfront” actor received SAG-AFTRA membership and Dances With Films sets its lineup.

Projects Launched

Dan Angel is developing Alison Gervais’ teen paranormal story “In 27 Days” as a movie under his family content banner, Fezziwig Studios, Variety has learned exclusively.

The story centers on a teen girl’s opportunity to change fate’s outcome by striking a deal with death after she attends the funeral of a classmate who committed suicide. The book has been praised for its positive focus on the importance of understanding, supporting and having compassion for the mental health and emotional wellbeing of adolescents and young adults.

Angel has shepherded R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” and “The Haunting Hour” franchises, as well as...

For its 22nd year, Dances With Films returns to Los Angeles this June with an eclectic lineup of films both feature-length and short-form that span a wide range of genres.

Dances With Films 2019 will take place June 13th–23rd at the Tcl Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Horror fans attending the festival will want to keep an eye out for several genre-centric titles, including Come, Said the Night (pictured above).

You can check out the Dances With Films 2019 lineup below, and to learn more, visit the film festival's official website.

"Opening Night Film

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Apple Seed

West Coast Premiere I USA, 2019, HD, 121 min.

Writer/Dir: Michael Worth

Prods: Jody Marriott Bar-Lev, Dustin Rikert, Avi Bar-Lev, Michael Worth

Cast: Rance Howard, Michael Worth, Esther Anderson, Clint Howard, Adrienne Barbeau, Robby Benson

Prince McCoy has found himself almost to the middle of age, and definitely to the end of his rope. Losing his home,...

In today’s film news roundup, India Eisley-Mickey River drama “Adolescence” gets distribution and romance “Castle of Water” and horror short “They Hear It” are in development.

Distribution Rights

North of Two has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the dark coming-of-age drama “Adolescence,” starring India Eisley and Mickey River with Ashley Avis directing, Variety has learned exclusively.

The film was produced by Winterstone Pictures and is set to make its festival debut this fall. River portrays a shy teenager who falls in love with a beautiful, enigmatic runaway, played by Eisley, and is lured away from his bland life and into her vibrant and unpredictable world. He slips down a progressively dark path, filled with raging parties, drugs, and eventually heroin addiction.

The cast also includes Romeo Miller, Tommy Flanagan, Elisabeth Rohm, Jere Burns, Ever Carradine, Michael Milford, and Zac Brown Band member John Driskell Hopkins.

The film...

Ryan Kinder is making a name for himself in Nashville.

At 29, the musician has already put out several singles — his most recent being the catchy, upbeat love anthem “Close” — and garnered over 17 million streams without ever releasing a full album. The success has been surreal for Kinder, who got his break in 2014 opening for headliners like Zac Brown Band, Tim McGraw and Brett Eldredge,. Looking back on the past few years, Kinder feels like his work is finally paying off.

“It’s pretty unbelievable honestly,” he tells People. “It’s so gratifying to have worked so hard behind the scenes,...

As if country fans need any more reasons to visit Nashville, here are four new ones: Exhibits honoring Jason Aldean, Loretta Lynn, Shania Twain, and power couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw will all open this year at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In celebration of its 50th year, the museum decided to dispense with spacing out the suspense and announced its entire 2017 exhibit roster this week. In addition, a fifth exhibit, “American Currents,” will showcase the musical highlights of 2016.

The exhibit for Aldean, the reigning Acm Entertainer of the Year, will open May 26, just in time...

Country music's merry maestro Zac Brown is known for his emotionally charged performances, but not like this: clearing his throat again and again, fighting back tears, and finally choking up as his audience sensed he was on the verge of a full-on breakdown. "It's gonna take me a minute to pull myself together," he told the crowd of family and friends gathered Tuesday night at Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. But try as he might, he couldn't, and he did what any good band leader would do. He let the other musicians take over. Just moments before,...

Awards show fever has taken over the nation, and it looks like there’s going to be some fierce competition at the 2016 iHeartRadio Awards.

Gal pals Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez were both nominated for the Female Artist of the Year trophy, joined also by Carrie Underwood, Meghan Trainor and Adele.

Meanwhile, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd, Sam Smith and Luke Bryan will battle it out for the Male Artist of the Year title when the 2016 iHeartRadio Awards go live on April 3rd.

And the nominees are…

Song of the Year:

“Blank Space” – Taylor Swift

“Can’t Feel My Face” – The Weeknd

“Hello” – Adele

“Shut Up and Dance” – Walk The Moon

“Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars

Female Artist of the Year

Adele

Carrie Underwood

Meghan Trainor

Selena Gomez

Taylor Swift

Male Artist of the Year

Ed Sheeran

Justin Bieber

Luke Bryan

Sam Smith

The Weeknd

Best New...

The Zac Brown Band is all about making art - and not just with their music. The band has teamed up with local artists to create one-of-a-kind guitars that are works of art themselves. Brown played these guitars throughout his 2015 tour and is now auctioning them off to raise money for his charity, Camp Southern Ground. Working with tour sponsor Bai Beverages to curate The Guitar Project, Brown tapped artists from all over the country, "each with a unique and moving story," he tells People. "One of the artists, Seth Chwast, was diagnosed with autism as a child," says Brown.

The Zac Brown Band is all about making art - and not just with their music. The band has teamed up with local artists to create one-of-a-kind guitars that are works of art themselves. Brown played these guitars throughout his 2015 tour and is now auctioning them off to raise money for his charity, Camp Southern Ground. Working with tour sponsor Bai Beverages to curate The Guitar Project, Brown tapped artists from all over the country, "each with a unique and moving story," he tells People. "One of the artists, Seth Chwast, was diagnosed with autism as a child," says Brown.