Will Eric Dane Be in 'Euphoria' Season 3 After His Death? What to Know
Eric Dane‘s involvement in Euphoria‘s third and final season was addressed before his death at age 53.
Dane joined the HBO show as Cal Jacobs, the father of Jacob Elordi‘s Nate Jacobs, when it premiered in 2019. He continued to portray the character on season 2, but questions arose about everyone's future on the show after subsequent filming delays.
Before production started on season 3, Dane announced his ALS diagnosis - and revealed whether he would be returning to film the show.
"I have been diagnosed with ALS," he said in an April 2025 statement. "I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to [the] set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time."
Dane also booked roles on Countdown, Kabul and an episode of Brilliant Minds ahead of his death in February 2026. According to his family, Dane was "surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters" in his last days.
Keep scrolling for everything that was said about Dane's return to Euphoria before his death:
Is ‘Euphoria' Returning to HBO for Season 3?
Eric Dane mentioned filming Euphoria's final season in the same statement where he revealed his ALS diagnosis. Dane later addressed his attempts to keep working despite the difficult health battle.
"I'm not about to concede my purpose to some disease. I just am not capable of doing that," he said in a December 2025 panel discussion in conjunction with I AM ALS. "I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day. I don't think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying. And I was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realized that I wasn't built like that, because I thought for sure that was gonna be me."
When Does ‘Euphoria' Season 3 Premiere?
Euphoria will return for its third and final season on April 12 - two months after Eric Dane's death at age 53. The show is expected to pay tribute to both Dane and his costar Angus Cloud, who died at age 25 in July 2023 following an accidental overdose.
How Has the ‘Euphoria' Team Honored Eric Dane?
After Eric Dane's death, an HBO spokesperson paid tribute to him in a statement, writing, "We are deeply saddened by the news of Eric Dane's passing. He was incredibly talented and HBO was fortunate to have worked with him on three seasons of Euphoria. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time."
Creator Sam Levinson released his own statement, which read, "I'm heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric's family is in our prayers. May his memory be a blessing."
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This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 9:52 AM.