Eric Dane returned to the red carpet for the first time since being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with his new girlfriend, Janell Shirtcliff, by his side.
The new couple held hands and kept close while posing for cameras at the “Countdown” premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” actor, 52, and Shirtcliff, 41, looked smitten as they smiled at each other and rubbed shoulders for all to see.
Dane was dressed stylishly in cream corduroy pants and a white knit cardigan layered over a basic white tee. He accessorized with sunglasses and white Adidas kicks.
Shirtcliff matched her maroon blazer minidress with her shades and finished the outfit with a suede green Gucci purse and coordinating kitten heels.
Dane told reporters on the red carpet that he was planning on watching the show with Shirtcliffe — but didn’t directly address their relationship status.
A source confirmed earlier in the day, however, that the duo were dating, telling “Entertainment Tonight” that they have been “in an on-and-off relationship for over three years.”
“[They] care deeply for each other,” the insider said. “Eric asked Janell to be there for him during this time, and she wanted to show up for him.”
The source claimed that Dane and Shirtcliff — who were also spotted on a date night at Chateau Marmont Tuesday — are “extremely close” and mean a lot to one another.
Despite their strong bond, Dane failed to make any mention of the filmmaker in his tell-all interview with Diane Sawyer on “Good Morning America,” which aired earlier this week.
He did, however, praise his estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart, for being supportive throughout his battle with ALS.
“I call Rebecca. I talk to her every day,” Dane said, getting choked up. “We have managed to become better friends and better parents and she is probably my biggest champion and most stalwart supporter and I lean on her.”
Dane also revealed that he lost function in his right arm, sharing that the appendage “completely stopped working.”
“I have one functioning arm. My dominant side, my left side, is functioning,” he added.
Dane and Gayheart — who share daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13 — separated in 2018 after 14 years of marriage.
However, they called off their divorce this past March shortly after his ALS diagnosis.
The “Euphoria” star announced that he was diagnosed with the aggressive disease in April.
ALS — a “nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord,” leading to “loss of muscle control,” according to the Mayo Clinic — has no known cure.
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