Eric Dane‘s estranged wife was very much single at the time of the actor’s death!
Rebecca Gayheart, who got really close to the actor months leading up to his death, reportedly ended things with her ex-boyfriend quietly, months before their sighting in December 2025.
Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart were married from 2004 till he passed away in February. Although they had separated in 2018, the latter dismissed her divorce filing last March after the actor’s diagnosis became public.
Inside Eric Dane’s Estranged Wife’s Relationship With Peter Morton
Gayheart was linked with the Hard Rock Cafe founder in 2023, following a double date with Claudia Schiffer and her husband Matthew Vaughn. The actress and the business mogul reportedly split around April 2025, but were spotted sharing a brief kiss while leaving E-Baldi in Beverly Hills last December.
Sources close to the former lovebirds clarified that despite the romantic undertones in their December interaction, there was nothing remotely close to a date between them.
The insider explained to Page Six that Gayheart and Morton ran into each other at the establishment, and they caught up on life. Morton was previously married to Paulene Stone and Tarlton Pauley. He also shared a romantic relationship with Linda Evangelista.
Rebecca Gayheart And Peter Morton Set Tongues Wagging Last December
Gayheart’s outing with Morton in December painted the very picture of two lovers lost in the ethos of their feelings for each other. Several images obtained by PEOPLE show the actress and the Hard Rock founder stepping out of the restaurant with their hands intertwined.
She was later captured giving the entrepreneur a close hug with her head on his shoulder and his hands on her lower back, right outside the restaurant. Since rumors of them becoming a pair first surfaced in 2023, Morton and the actress have made a few public appearances together, including attending a Chanel pre-Oscars party in 2024.
In November 2025, Gayheart affirmed that she and Dane have been separated for eight years and are excellent parents to their two girls, who live with her 100% of the time. She noted that the actor will always be her family, and it is necessary to always show up with grace and dignity to get through whatever challenges.
Eric Dane Was Reportedly Working On An Important Voice Project Before He Passed
The Blast noted earlier in the month that Gayheart spilled some major information about a project Dane was working on, which was really close to his heart. In her sit-down with Variety, the actor had reportedly been working with an AI firm known as ElevenLabs during the last days of his life to help restore his voice through technology.
The initiative was to use a synthetic voice created using past recordings of his voice to make up for the difficulty he was experiencing when it came to communicating each and every day. According to Gayheart, it was a big moment for the actor when they got back the result from ElevenLabs, and Dane got really emotional when the result was played for him, alongside everyone else in the room.
She thanked everyone for sending kindness her way while the family found their way through the crushing loss of Dane. She spotted the entertainment community for their support, writing: “They’ve been holding the girls and me up the last two weeks, and I don’t think they’re going anywhere. I think they’re in it for the long haul. Hollywood gets a bad rap. That kind of makes me mad, because we have a lovely community.”
The ALS Advocate Promised To Keep Working Till His Last Breath
Dane’s family confirmed his death via a statement on February 19, 2026, sharing that throughout his journey with ALS, he fought to make a difference. The actor reportedly became a passionate advocate for awareness and research for the disease, and used his platform to call for a change in approach to treatment and search for a cure.
Aside from advocating for people battling the illness, Dane also promised that ALS would not stop him from continuing his acting career. “I’m going to ride this ’til the wheels fall off. It keeps me sharp. It keeps me moving forward, which is super important right now,” the actor shared during an interview in 2025.
The media personality noted that he feels great when he is at work, even though there have been some sort of setbacks, but his spirit is always buoyant. Dane returned to “Euphoria” with HBO for its highly anticipated third season, where he played the controversial Cal Jacobs, which means his fans will get to see him.
Eric Dane And Rebecca Gayheart Did Not Finalize Their Divorce Before His Passing
The estranged couple had been separated for nearly a decade before his ALS diagnosis. In the divorce filing, The Blast noted that Gayheart requested spousal support from the TV star and asked for joint custody of their children. Neither of the estranged couple made any move on the divorce until January, when a judge issued a final warning to the couple, stating that the petition would be dismissed if they did not proceed.
While a hearing date was set for March 20, 2025, Dane and Gayheart dismissed the filing days earlier on March 6, 2025. During the seven years their divorce filing lay fallow, Gayheart and Dane moved to other relationships.
Dane, in particular, was linked to Janell Shirtcliff most recently, and they attended the Los Angeles premiere of Dane’s “Countdown” movie together. He was also linked to actress Priya Jain in 2024, and she showed her support to his family after the actor’s death by donating $10,000 to his GoFundMe link to help his daughters financially.
Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart’s bond is undeniable!