Since revealing his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis in April, Eric Dane has made it clear that his relationship with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, is his number one priority.

Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

ALS, which is sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neurone disease, impacts nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing patients to gradually lose the ability to walk, speak, eat, and breathe on their own, while their thinking ability remains the same. There is currently no known cure for ALS, and the life expectancy after diagnosis usually ranges between three and five years, although some people live for decades. 

“I mean, I really, at the end of the day, just, all I want to do is spend time with my family and work a little bit if I can,” he told Diane Sawyer during an emotional segment on Good Morning America last week, in which he also broke down in tears while talking about Rebecca, whom he married in 2004. “I talk to her every day,” he said. “We have managed to become better friends and better parents. And she is probably my biggest champion, my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her.”

View this photo on Instagram

Instagram: @rebeccagayheartdane

If you heard about these quotes, you may have also been a little confused when, just a few days later, Eric appeared to debut his relationship with filmmaker Janell Shirtcliff at the premiere of his new show, Countdown.

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for Prime Video

Eric and Janell posed hand-in-hand on the red carpet on Wednesday, and a source told Entertainment Tonight that same day that they have been “in an on-and-off relationship” for more than three years. “Eric asked Janell to be there for him during this time, and she wanted to show up for him,” the insider added.

You’re probably wondering, "Is this the same guy who was just talking about his wife on national TV?" Well, yes, you’d be correct. Eric and Rebecca are technically still married, although it sounds like their relationship has taken on a new form in the past few years.

Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

As previously mentioned, Eric and Rebecca tied the knot in 2004, had two kids, and stayed happily married until 2018, when Rebecca filed for divorce. Years passed, the divorce proceedings never moved forward, and by 2023, people began to suspect the pair were getting back together.

Jason LaVeris / FilmMagic

Fast-forward to March this year, and Rebecca requested to dismiss her divorce filing after seven years. It was only a month later, in April, that Eric’s ALS diagnosis was made public. While giving an update on their marriage during an interview with E! News around the same time, Rebecca clarified that they’re still married and “best of friends,” without suggesting that they’re romantically involved.

Amanda Edwards / Getty Images

“We are really close. We are great coparents. We really figured out the formula to staying a family, and I think our kids are benefiting greatly from it, and we are as well,” she said, before going into more detail. “I think it’s important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure. It's just a season. It wasn't a failure. It was a huge success. We were married for, I mean, we are still married, but together for 15 years and we had two beautiful kids so I think that's a successful relationship, and that's how we look at it.”

The details are still a little fuzzy, but based on Rebecca’s comments — and the fact that she recently referred to him as her "ex-husband" on IG — it sounds like she and Eric, though legally married, are not together romantically. As for Janell, it would make sense that she and Eric began dating a few years ago when he and Rebecca were separated, as per the ET reports.

MEGA / GC Images

To make matters more confusing, Eric has also been rumored to be dating Priya Jain, with whom he’s been photographed numerous times since they were first linked in November 2024. They were last seen looking cozy together a month ago, so not exactly clear what’s going on here. Last Thursday, an anonymous source alleged to Page Six that Priya was “blindsided” by Eric and Janell’s red carpet debut.

MEGA / GC Images

As always, we'll take the anonymous sourcing with a grain of salt.

Needless to say, it sounds like a very complicated time. But we’ll be sure to let you know if we get any updates.

More on this

A Month After Rebecca Gayheart Filed To Dismiss Their Divorce, Eric Dane Revealed He’s Been Diagnosed With ALS Ellen Durney · April 11, 2025

Eric Dane Said He Feels “Angry” That His 13- And 15-Year-Old Daughters May Lose Him At A “Very Young” Age Due To His ALS Diagnosis, And It’s Seriously Heartbreaking Ellen Durney · June 17, 2025

Eric Dane Revealed The Reason Why He Thinks He Was "Let Go" From "Grey's Anatomy," And It Kind Of Makes Sense Larry Fitzmaurice · June 29, 2024