'Euphoria' showrunner opens up on emotional conversation before Eric Dane's death: 'We just tried...'
On April 7, 'Euphoria's cast members, including Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Maude Apatow, and others, made their way to the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for the show's Season 3 premiere. The much-anticipated third installment features eight episodes premiering between April 12 and May 31. Eric Dane, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2025, reprised his role as Cal Jacobs in Season 3 of 'Euphoria' despite his debilitating condition. Sadly, the 'Grey's Anatomy' star passed away from respiratory failure earlier this year on February 19 at the age of 53.
Sam Levinson shares one of the final conversations he had with Eric Dane leading up to his passing. pic.twitter.com/OxqYz209aT
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 8, 2026
The show's creator and showrunner, Sam Levinson, called Dane a ''wonderful human being" while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter from the red carpet. He added, "He (Dane) called me a few months before we started shooting and told me that he had been diagnosed with ALS. I just said, 'Look, Eric, I love you, and I promise, however you show up, we’re going to make it work, we’re going to find a way.' We just tried to create the most comfortable environment, and he’s magnificent this season. He's so much fun, he's so funny." Levinson went on to praise the late actor for showing up to the sets every day "with such grace and dignity."
In the first two seasons of 'Euphoria,' Dane played Cal Jacobs, a well-respected suburban dad who leads a double life as a closeted bisexual. He frequently has sexual encounters with young men and trans women, including Jules (Hunter Schafer), which he secretly records. His son Nate (Jacob Elordi) discovers his dark secret and begins resenting him, although he is revealed to have similar bisexual tendencies himself. Season 2 delves into his tragic backstory and reveals that, as a young man, he fell in love with his best friend, Derek, who rejected him. But due to pressure from society and his homophobic father, Cal ended up marrying his pregnant girlfriend, Marsha, and played the role of a husband and father despite being deeply unhappy. Cal's perfectly orchestrated life begins to unravel in Season 2, when he finally comes clean to his family by telling them, "I am who I am."
In the finale, Cal is arrested for filming his sexual encounters without consent and potentially committing statutory rape, after Nate hands over incriminating evidence to the local authorities. Season 3 is set five years after the events of Season 2. Based on the trailers, Cal reunites with his family and attends Nate's wedding to Cassie (Sydney Sweeney). Moreover, he continues his sexual escapades with Jules, who becomes his sugar baby in the upcoming chapter of the drama series. In the trailer, Jules asks him, "Remember me?" and Cal replies, "How could I forget?" Their interaction signals Cal's return to his dark past.
At the premiere, Levinson dedicated Season 3 to the show's cast and crew members 'who we lost, Angus, Kevin, and Eric.' Angus Cloud, who played Fezco in the series, died from an accidental overdose on July 31, 2023, at age 25. Furthermore, the show's executive producer, Kevin Turen, died from heart failure in November 2023. He concluded his speech by saying, "The Rebbe says, 'The only way to see great light is to pass through great darkness.' Well, it feels good to be on the other side."
