Eric Dane Talked Relating to ‘Euphoria’s’ Cal in Final Interview: ‘Very Similar’

Eric Dane opened up about how he related to his “Euphoria” character Cal during his final interview.

The 53-year-old sat down with Brad Falchuk for Netflix’s “Famous Last Words” posthumous interview series in the months before he died. 

Dane, who battled ALS, took part in the conversation "under an agreement that the episode would only be aired after his death.”

During the discussion, Brad praised his work in “Euphoria,” and Dane told him, “I put a lot of effort into that.”

In the show, Cal is a married father and real estate agent leading a double a life, often hooking up with young men and trans women.

Falchuk asked, "What is a personal connection to that character that you found?"

Eric explained, “Well, Cal and I are very similar in that we know what it’s like to lead a double life. I’ve had experience with that with my battle with drugs and alcohol. I know what it is like to not have my insides match my outside.”

Dane went on to talk about a deep loneliness he felt, and how it related to the death of his father when he was 7 years old.

Eric said, "I think my father struggled with life and he never felt like he was enough.”

Falchuk asked if he believed his father’s death was an accident or suicide, and Eric shared, "I don’t think somebody who is that intoxicated would play with a gun in a bathroom by themselves for fun, so I think my father in that moment meant to do it."

Eric said, "I kept thinking about how lonely my father must have been and how scared he must have been. It’s heartbreaking."

Brad asked if he could relate to his dad’s loneliness, and Dane said, “One hundred percent. I could feel lonely in a crowded room."

The actor explained, "I’ve always felt detached from my peers. I’ve historically had a very difficult time connecting with people.”

Later in the conversation, he said of his dad’s suicide, “I think trauma reaches somebody on a cellular level. It’s really hard to get it out of your system. In fact, probably impossible. The only thing you can do is learn to deal with it.” 

He shared, "I ended up going to a treatment center for trauma and depression… solely related to my dad, because that’s where the trauma came from.”

When his dad died, his mom had asked him to “be strong” and “don’t cry,” in reality he said, “I wanted to explode, but I had to keep it in."

Over time, Eric said, "I think I’ve found real peace around it."