Eric Dane’s courageous battle with ALS has taken center stage in recent months, but behind the public display of strength and resilience lies a more personal, emotional twist that has left his alleged girlfriend reeling. This week, the Euphoria actor made headlines again—not for his new series Countdown or an update on his health, but for stepping onto the red carpet with filmmaker Janell Shirtcliff by his side, hand-in-hand and smiling. For most, it was a surprise. For Priya Jain, it was a blindsiding heartbreak.
Sources close to the situation reveal that Dane and Jain had not ended their relationship—far from it. In fact, just days before the Countdown premiere, Jain and Dane reportedly spent time together at his home. Her belongings remain there. Their bond was especially significant following Dane’s public ALS diagnosis in April. Jain is said to have stood by him in the early days, reportedly “devastated” by the news but determined to support him.
That’s what makes the red carpet reveal with Shirtcliff so jarring. According to Page Six, Jain believed she and Dane were still very much together. Her confusion turned to heartache as the actor posed lovingly with Janell at multiple events, including a date night at Chateau Marmont the evening before the premiere. The sight of Dane smiling and cozying up with Shirtcliff left Priya—and followers of his personal story—stunned.
An insider told Entertainment Tonight that Dane and Shirtcliff share a deep bond, calling their relationship "on and off for over three years," adding that the actor specifically asked Janell to be there for him amid his illness. It paints a complex picture of love, loyalty, and timing—one where public appearances collide with private promises.
This isn't the first time Eric Dane has faced scrutiny over his personal entanglements. Back in 2009, a scandalous video featuring Dane, his estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart, and a third party made headlines. Yet the actor weathered that storm and even reconciled with Gayheart earlier this year. The couple, who had been separated for years, called off their divorce in March following his diagnosis—a move many saw as a gesture of solidarity as he confronted his health crisis. They continue to co-parent their two daughters, Billie and Georgia.
Despite his private life growing increasingly tangled, Dane has remained committed to his career. He’s currently promoting Countdown, his new Amazon Prime Video crime thriller, and says working keeps him focused and mentally strong. Speaking to E! News, Dane was blunt about the road ahead: “I’m going to ride this till the wheels fall off.” He’s already lost function in his dominant right arm and fears his left hand and legs may follow soon, yet insists he feels "great" on set and is still full of fight.
Dane’s battle with ALS has also led him to explore experimental treatments and trials. He’s publicly shared his willingness to try anything that might slow the progression of the disease—even joking that he’d “eat the head off a rattlesnake” if doctors told him it might help. That humor, coupled with resilience, has defined his approach to this devastating illness.
“I don’t feel like this is the end of me,” he recently told Diane Sawyer. “I’m pretty resilient.”
While his body is in decline, Eric Dane’s life remains vividly complex—filled with shifting relationships, emotional ties, and personal reckonings. Whether Priya Jain and Dane find their way back to understanding, or if his bond with Janell Shirtcliff deepens, remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: in both love and life, Eric Dane continues to defy expectations.
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