Eric Dane considered his role in the HBO series "Euphoria" to be the most profound experience of his career. His reflections were shared in the documentary special "Euphoria: A Look Back," which featured interview footage recorded before his death.
"It was at times challenging, but the challenges were taken as opportunities," Dane said in the special. "It’s been such a wonderful experience."
Series creator Sam Levinson remembered Dane as "a wonderful human being" and "a wonderful actor," noting that he "showed up every day with grace and dignity."
Dane also spoke about his "Euphoria" castmate Angus Cloud, who died in July 2023 at age 25 from an accidental fentanyl overdose. Dane described Cloud as a "very talented young man" who "was tough on all of us."
Dane died in February at 53 following a battle with ALS. He had completed filming for "Euphoria" Season 3, which aired from April to May. The Season 3 premiere included a tribute to Dane with the message "In remembrance of Eric Dane. 1972-2026."
Throughout all three seasons of the HBO drama, which ran from 2019 to 2026, Dane portrayed Cal Jacobs, a character with a strained relationship with his son, Nate Jacobs, played by Jacob Elordi.
"Euphoria: A Look Back" included interviews with cast and crew members and scenes from all three seasons. The special did not address rumors of behind-the-scenes cast feuds or criticism of Season 3. Zendaya, who plays the series' central character Rue, only appeared in older interview footage.
The series, which began as a dark high school drama, followed Rue and her classmates, including the insecure Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), the aggressive Nate (Elordi), Maddy (Alexa Demie), Jules (Hunter Schafer), and drug dealer Fez (Cloud).
"Euphoria" was credited with launching the careers of its young cast. By its second season, which aired in 2022, the show had become HBO's second most-watched series after "Game of Thrones," drawing nearly 20 million viewers. Levinson expressed pride in the cast's subsequent success, noting it was "amazing" to see actors like Elordi, Sweeney, and Zendaya achieve widespread recognition.