Once known as Dr. McSteamy of “Grey’s Anatomy”, Eric Dane has been pushing the envelope with his edgy role on HBO’s “Euphoria”.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Dane opened up about a pivotal scene in season 2 that comes after flashbacks reveal that his character Cal Jacobs was forced to set aside his sexual feelings for best friend Derek when he discovers his future wife has become pregnant.
A botched attempt to recapture that youthful desire gets him kicked out of a gay bar, leading him to have a booze-fuelled meltdown culminating in telling his family the truth about who he really is.
READ MORE: ‘Euphoria’: Eric Dane On Cal’s Tragic Flashback And Epic Meltdown In Season 2
Dane said revisiting Cal’s past with Derek “was really a heartbreaking moment for them. And it’s equally as heartbreaking when Cal returns to the bar and is not accepted by the community. He’s a man without a nation. He’s no longer accepted by the straight community and not accepted by the gay community.”
To play the role, Dane explained how he tapped into moments from his own life to play a man whose entire life has become a collection of secrets.
“Cal is living this double life, holding up this facade of having everything on the outside, controlled and pristine, while everything on the inside is a battle of epic proportions.
“I’ve had struggles in my past that invited me to lead that life of secrecy. I accepted the invitation wholeheartedly.… While the circumstances specifically might not be the same, the feelings certainly are,” he added.
Cal’s complex sexuality is a bit of a rarity on television — something that Dane doesn’t take for granted.
“I’m acutely aware that I’m a straight actor playing a gay character,” he shared. “The gay community has been super-supportive. I think I’ve lent them a voice in portraying this character, and I hope that everything I do is sincere because I wouldn’t want to misrepresent something that’s so important.”
