Rebecca Gayheart recently made her debut in "Jawbreaker: The Musical" at the Hudson Theatre in Hollywood, with her daughters, 16-year-old Billie and 14-year-old Georgia, by her side. The appearance comes seven months after the death of her estranged husband, actor Eric Dane, who passed away on February 19 at age 53 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Gayheart, 55, starred in the original 1999 film "Jawbreaker," a dark teen comedy. For the stage adaptation, she is playing the role of Assistant Principal Sherwood, a departure from her original character, Jules. The musical features a book by the film's writer and director Darren Stein and choreography by Laganja Estranja. "Jawbreaker: The Musical" is running for a limited engagement through September 20.
Dane, best known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan, or 'McSteamy,' on "Grey's Anatomy," was diagnosed with ALS about a year before his death. The progressive neurodegenerative disease impairs the nervous system and causes muscle paralysis. Although Dane and Gayheart separated in 2017, they remained co-parents and had called off their divorce proceedings shortly before Dane's ALS diagnosis was made public.
Gayheart was a supportive presence for Dane during his illness, even as they were both dating other people. Their daughters' first public appearance together since Dane's passing was nearly a month after his death, at the premiere of the movie "The Drama," starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.
Dane and Gayheart married in 2004. Their marriage faced public scrutiny in 2009 after a private video was leaked. Gayheart also supported Dane through personal challenges, including a 2011 stint in rehab for pain medication addiction and a 2017 treatment for depression.
In the wake of Dane's death, friends established a GoFundMe page to support his daughters, which exceeded its $250,000 goal. Johnny Depp reportedly offered Dane a place to stay at one of his homes during his illness, significantly easing a financial burden.
Dane had been experiencing significant physical decline due to ALS, using a wheelchair and losing the use of his right arm. Despite his deteriorating health, he had expressed a desire to continue acting. In a posthumously released Netflix special titled "Famous Last Words: Eric Dane," he recorded a final message for Billie and Georgia. In it, he shared four life lessons: live in the present, fall in love with something, choose friends wisely, and fight with dignity and perseverance. He concluded the message by telling his daughters, "You are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words."