Interview: Eric Dane on giving complexity to Cal Jacobs in ‘Euphoria’ [VIDEO]

Eric Dane and I love Fantasy Football, but that’s mostly where our similarities end. Dane was born in San Francisco, California, growing up in a single-parent home. While in high school, he played water polo but decided that acting was his calling after being in a production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons.

Dane’s television resume is eclectic, with roles in various shows. His big break was at Bayside High playing Tad Pogue in an episode of Saved By the Bell. With follow-up roles ranging from being chased by Lorenzo Lamas in Renegade, hanging out with Al Bundy on Married With Children, and playing a bellhop on Rosanne, it wasn’t until a stint as Jason Dean on Charmed that he began to show up on Hollywood’s radar. 

While Dane has had roles in multiple feature films such as X Men: Last Stand, Marley and Me, and Valentine’s Day, it was his role as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy that took his career to stratospheric heights. Dane stated as much during our interview and even went as far as to state that Grey’s Anatomy fans are next level ride or die.

Probably the most shocking thing from this interview is how it seems he’s managed to stay blissfully unaware of how Euphoria has become a cultural phenomenon. He chalks that up to not being super active on social media and focusing on what matters most to him, and that’s delivering performances he’s proud of. Dane credits Euphoria show creator Sam Levinson’s excellent writing and its great ensemble, but it’s more than that; Cal Jacobs is one of the most complex characters on Euphoria. A hyper-masculine father who is tormented by having to live a lie. As an actor, he has to walk a fine line to maintain the balance of authenticity and hyperreality a show like Euphoria demands.

Eric Dane is Emmy eligible for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Euphoria.