Eric Dane's 10 McSteamy-est moments on “Grey's Anatomy”

Jillian SederholmFri, February 20, 2026 at 4:59 AM UTC

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Eric Dane on 'Grey's Anatomy'

Bob D'Amico/ABC; ABC

Eric Dane spent six years heating things up at Seattle Grace as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey's Anatomy.

The actor died at age 53 on Feb. 19 — which happened to be the 20th anniversary of his first episode on the medical drama — less than a year after publicly disclosing his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis.

Dane joined the cast of the Shonda Rhimes-created sensation in the latter half of season 2 in 2006. Fan reaction was so strong to his hunky plastic surgeon character that he was upgraded to series regular the next season, and stayed through 2012 when his character died in the season 9 premiere.

In honor of Dane's sexiest role, we're looking back at his top 10 swoon-worthy moments on Grey's Anatomy that proved he was more than deserving of his "McSteamy" nickname.

01 of 10

Bromance, McSteamy style

Much better known for his love for the ladies, Mark Sloan also had a soft spot for one special guy: Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). Through punches and pummeling, cheating and cursing, their bond remained (mostly) intact. The pinnacle was in season 4's opener, when McSteamy told Derek's "McDreamy," "I didn't come to Seattle for Addison, I came here for you. I came to get you back." Even better? A second later, his sheepish backpedal: "I know. I want to take it back, but I already said it." —Lanford Beard

02 of 10

So cool, it's hot

Has speaking in code ever been this sultry? McSteamy's former lover Callie (Sara Ramirez) said she wanted sorbet...but she wasn't referring to a fruity frozen treat. The hookup itself was meant to be a one-off (Callie was on a break with her girlfriend Arizona), but it signaled a major shift in McSteamy's life: It was the night baby Sofia was conceived. —L.B.

03 of 10

Growing up

Before Mark's time was up at Seattle Grace, his character had come full circle. Watching him fully embrace fatherhood, co-parenting Sofia with Callie and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw), was certainly a stretch for the womanizing McSteamy we were used to, but it was also a wonder to behold. —Tanner Stransky

04 of 10

"I bet you wish you'd taken the stairs."

No well-rounded heartthrob is complete without a sense of humor. So, when the elevator doors opened on McSteamy back in season 4, revealing McDreamy stuck in an enclosed space with his ex-wife, ex-mistress, and current girlfriend, he couldn't stop himself (nor should he have) from chuckling and dishing out the zingy one-liner: "I bet you wish you'd taken the stairs right about now." Smug? Sure. Priceless? Hell yes! —L.B.

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05 of 10

Family feud

McSteamy's rebellious streak may have been sexy, but it sure got him into a lot of scraps. In season 5, he defied orders from Derek to stay away from Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) little sister Lexie (Chyler Leigh). When McSteamy finally admitted he'd hooked up with Little Grey, the timing couldn't have been worse. Derek had just killed a patient and channeled all his rage into a brutal fight. The only silver lining? By showing he was willing to take a punch (or a dozen) for Lexie, McSteamy made it clear she was the one. —Denise Warner

06 of 10

His heroic moment

Despite being in an off-again phase, the emotional undercurrent between McSteamy and Lexie still ran deep during the stunning season 6 finale. When a devastated widower turned his gun on Seattle Grace Mercy West, McSteamy set aside his issues with Lexie's rebound guy, selflessly saving Alex's (Justin Chambers) life and proving to Lexie (and us) that there was more to him than six-pack abs and swagger. —D.W.

07 of 10

Done in

Sent into the throes of agony by an on-call quickie? Classic McSteamy! Bent but not broken, the doc's appendage was back in full service by the next episode. He even managed to turn the...umm...incident into a swoon-worthy moment when he told Lexie, "You think you broke me, Little Grey? You're the one who put me back together." —L.B.

08 of 10

The flirter, the fighter

He came in with a bang — to his face. We'd first heard about Mark Sloan in the season 2 opener when Derek told Meredith he'd found his best friend in bed with his wife. Still, when Mark arrived at Seattle Grace, he was like a tornado in a quiet plains town. Though he arrived to win Addison (Kate Walsh) back, he made a pit stop to flirt with Meredith, which landed him a punch from Derek. The wallop hardly marred the good doctor's looks, and Meredith and Co. quickly dubbed him "McSteamy." And so, the legend was born. —D.W.

09 of 10

Undying devotion

Karen Neal/ABC

Was there a dry eye among Grey's watchers as McSteamy said his last goodbye to Lexie? No. Refusing to let his future with Lexie be cut short, he told it all to her in perfect, heartbreaking detail, ending with a stream of "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you" — enough to last her an eternity. —L.B.

10 of 10

The terrible towel

This season 3 moment may not technically have been when Mark took on the McSteamy moniker, but there was no doubt after seeing him emerge — almost au naturel — from a cloud of shower steam that the nickname would stick. Cue six seasons of swooning. —T.S.

on Entertainment Weekly

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