&34;Billie and Georgia, these words are for you,&34; the actor addressed to his teen daughters. Eric Dane shares last words to his daughters in final interview released after death &34;Billie and Georgia, these words are for you,&34; the actor addressed to his teen daughters. By Mekishana Pierre :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/MekishanaPierreauthorphotoed08906b8105488ca1e991de8ac00dec.jpg) Mekishana Pierre Mekishana Pierre is a news writer at . She has been working at EW since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Entertainment Tonight and Popsugar.

"Billie and Georgia, these words are for you," the actor addressed to his teen daughters.

Eric Dane shares last words to his daughters in final interview released after death

"Billie and Georgia, these words are for you," the actor addressed to his teen daughters.

By Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on *Entertainment Tonight* and Popsugar.

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February 20, 2026 12:36 p.m. ET

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Billie Beatrice Dane, Eric Dane, and Georgia Geraldine Dane in 2024. Credit:

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Eric Dane used this final interview before his death to share some words of wisdom for his teen daughters, Billie and Georgia.

The late actor's family announced his death on Thursday, sharing that Dane had died at the age of 53, following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). His death occurred just 10 months after Dane announced that he had been diagnosed with the debilitating disease.

Throughout his battle against ALS, the former *Grey's Anatomy* star was candid about his daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, whom he shared with his estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart, being his motivation to fight the disease. That sentiment is rife in the final words he shared during his taping of Netflix's *Famous Last Words* in November 2025 — an interview that he understood would only be released after he had passed. The episode was released Friday, a day after Dane's death.**

Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart with their daughters Billie and Georgia.

Rebecca Gayheart/Instagram

"Billie and Georgia, these words are for you," Dane said while speaking directly to the camera to deliver his final public thoughts to his children. "I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall we had a blast, didn't we? I remember all the times we spent at the beach, the two of you, me and mom -- in Santa Monica, Hawaii, Mexico. I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies. Those days, pun intended, were heaven."

Dane, whose mobility had visibly deteriorated since he shared his diagnosis in April 2025, said to his daughters that he wanted to share "four things I've learned from this disease," adding that he hoped they "don't just listen to me. I hope you'll hear me."

"First, live now. Right now. In the present. It's hard, but I learned to do that," he began. "For years, I have been wandering around mentally and lost in my head for long chunks of time, wallowing and worrying in self-pity, shame, and doubt. I've replayed decisions, second-guessed myself. 'I shouldn't have done this. I never should've that.' No more. Out of pure survival, I am forced to stay in the present. But I don't want to be anywhere else. The past contains regrets. The future remains unknown. So you have to live now. The present is all you have. Treasure it. Cherish every moment."

Eric Dane on 'Famous Last Words'.

Courtesy of Netflix

The second thing Dane said he learned was the importance of falling in love. "Not necessarily with a person, although I do recommend that as well. But fall in love with something. Find your passion, your joy. Find the thing that makes you want to get up in the morning, drives you through the entire day."

"I fell in love for the first time when I was about your age. I fell in love with acting," he went on. "That love eventually got me through my darkest hours, my darkest days, my darkest year. I still love my work, I still look forward to it, I still want to get in front of a camera and play my part. My work doesn't define me, but it excites me. Find something that excites you. Find your path, your purpose, your dream. Then go for it. Really go for it."**

Third was to choose their friends wisely. Dane told his daughters to "find your people and allow them to find you. And then give yourselves to them. The best of them will give back to you. No judgment, no conditions, no questions asked."

"I'm so thankful for my very close family and friends. Every single one has stepped up," he shared. "I can't do little things I used to do. I can't drive around, go to the gym, get coffee, hang out. But I've learned to embrace alternatives. My friends come to me, we eat together, watch a game, listen to music. They don't do anything special, they just show up. That's a big one. Just show up. And love your friends with everything you have. Hang onto them. They will entertain you, guide you, help you, support you, and some will save you."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

For his final bit of wisdom, Dane told his daughters to do something that he bravely exemplified during his final months. "Fight with every ounce of your being, and with dignity," he said. "When you face challenges, health or otherwise, fight. Never give up. Fight until your last breath. This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit."

"The two of you are different people. But you're both strong and resilient. You inherited resiliency from me. That's my superpower," the *Charmed *alum quipped. "You knock me down, I bounce right up, and I keep coming back. I get up again, and again, and again. Mark says I'm like a cat, except a cat has nine lives, and I'm on number 15 — easily. So when something unexpected hits you, and it will because that's life, fight and face it with honesty, integrity, and grace, even if it feels or seems insurmountable."

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Concluding his message, Dane told his daughters that he hoped he had shown them that they could face "anything."

"You can face the end of your days. You can face hell with dignity. Fight, girls, and hold your heads high," the father of two passionately finished. "Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words."**

After sharing his diagnosis, Dane became the face of a public campaign to find federal funding for research on the incurable neurological disease. In September, a noticeably less mobile Dane joined doctors and representatives from the I Am ALS organization for a discussion with California Congressman Eric Swalwell about investing in innovative treatments to ensure access to quality care for those diagnosed with ALS, as well as their families and researchers.

Eric Dane on 'Famous Last Words'.

Courtesy of Netflix

Dane had also been brutally honest about the reality of his ailment as he navigated his rapidly progressing disease. But despite the bleakness of his situation, the actor described his spirit as buoyant to interviewer Brad Falchuk as he reflected on his life for the posthumous interview series. "There's no reason for me to be happy in any individual moment, but I am."

"Eric and I were the same age when we discussed his life and legacy, so the conversation felt uniquely moving and personal," Falchuk said in a statement. "There was no self-pity in Eric. He refused to complain. He was brave, soulful, charming, joyful, grateful, and hilarious — and when he flashed that smile, he was undeniably still a leading man. His final words at the end of the episode are truly beautiful. I will miss him."

Eric Dane's episode of *Famous Last Words* is available to stream on Netflix.**

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