Eric Dane on Euphoria season 3, Grey’s Anatomy Return and One Fast Move

Eric Dane is full of gratitude.

“I’ve been put through the wringer,” the actor said via Zoom on Tuesday morning while promoting his new indie drama, “One Fast Move.” “But now I’m having some damn fun.”

For years, Dane’s private life played out in the tabloids. He recently opened Dax Shepard’s Podcast ‘Armchair expert’ about his ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ character Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, who was killed off the hit ABC show in part due to his real-life substance abuse issues.

But that was then.

Dane has been quite busy in recent years. In addition to “One Fast Move” — he plays a lousy father and former motorcycle racing champion whose estranged son (Apa) comes back into his life — the actor appeared this summer in “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” opposite Will Smith and Martin Laurens.

And then there is “Euphoria.” Dane has received critical acclaim for his work as Cal Jacobs, the deeply troubled and extremely secretive father of Jacob Elordi’s character. In July, it was announced that “Euphoria” will return for a third season after controversy and production delays led many to believe that Zendaya & Co. was done with the HBO show.

“I was optimistic that it would come back, so I’m very happy,” Dane says. “I know there is a huge demand for it in the market. There’s a huge audience and I’m having a blast making it. I love the people I work with. I love working with Sam Levinson. I’m having a great time. HBO supports us by letting us do what we want to do.”

He talked to Levinson about Cal’s future. “The first thing I said to Sam when we wrapped up Season 2 was, ‘I don’t want to be behind bars,’” Dane says. “So I’m almost 100% sure I’m not behind bars… Anything else that follows is fine with me.”

His work on “Euphoria” is dark. It’s not always easy to let it go after filming wraps. “Sometimes you take it with you on the car ride home. Sometimes, not often, but it does happen, you take it home,” he says. “But for the most part, this too shall pass and there is nothing like a good night’s sleep.”

Now back to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. He laughs when asked what his daughters think of their father playing “McSteamy.” “When my 12-year-old started watching it a few years ago, he looked at me and said, ‘Dad, where did your abs go?’” Dane recalls. “She was serious. She wasn’t kidding.”

The 51-year-old actor insists his abs could make a comeback. “I just have to put a little more effort into it,” Dane says. “I have a climber, but I don’t use it as much as I should. I’m going to work on that thing again.”

As “Grey’s Anatomy” enters its 21st season, Dane wonders if his character is still alive and could possibly return to the show. (He appeared in a dream sequence in 2020 when Meredith Gray was in a coma due to COVID).

“No,” he says without missing a beat. “I think I did exactly what I had to do on that show. I think I was on that show exactly as long as I should have been on that show, and regardless of how or why or in what way I left, I think everything happened exactly as it should have happened. .”

He continues: ‘I don’t watch ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ 1722976595 and I didn’t watch much while I was there, but I sure enjoyed making it. The actors had such a great relationship. I remember showing up and saying, “I like spending time with these people.”

Dane had a similar experience with ‘One Fast Move’. He and Apa became very close during filming. “He’s a keeper,” says Dane.

The Kelly Blatz-directed film features several intense scenes between Dane and Apa. “There was one where after we shot him, KJ pulled me aside and said, ‘I really felt like hitting you, Eric,’” Dane recalls. “I said, ‘I understand. I think that’s what you were supposed to feel. ”

“One Fast Move” premieres on Prime Video on August 8.