EXCLUSIVE: Eric Dane's Loved Ones 'Mortified' Tragic Star's Posthumous Memoir Will Tackle Sex Tape Scandal That Haunted Him for Life
Eric Dane's memoir is pulling back the curtain on his sex scandal.
March 24 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Eric Dane's loved ones have been left "mortified" by the revelation his posthumous memoir will revisit the s-- tape scandal that shadowed him for decades – a decision critics say risks reopening wounds just months after his death.
Dane, who died on 19 February aged 53, completed his manuscript My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments shortly before his passing, with the book set for release on 3 November by The Open Field, an imprint of Penguin Random House founded by Maria Shriver.
Eric Dane Memoir Includes Infamous 2009 Scandal
Dane’s posthumous memoir, 'My Book of Days,' will revisit his 2009 scandal.
The Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria actor had disclosed 10 months before his death, he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, and the memoir is described as a deeply personal reflection on his life, sobriety, family, and terminal illness.
Dane previously spoke candidly about his life, including the infamous 2009 video involving himself and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, 54.
He said, "We all make mistakes... My one regret is that I got the person I love most wrapped up in all that: Rebecca."
In other interviews, Dane revised his stance, saying, "Looking back now, was it a mistake? Absolutely not. Three consenting adults, one of them being my wife? I wasn't doing anything wrong."
'Eric's Family Is Mortified'
Sources said loved ones felt mortified by the decision.
But the decision to include the scandal in the memoir has sparked unease among those close to the actor.
One source said, "Eric's family is mortified this is being brought back into the spotlight. They thought that chapter of his life had finally been put to rest."
Another added: "There's a feeling this will overshadow the more meaningful parts of his story – his illness, his recovery, and his role as a father."
The tape, which surfaced in 2009, showed Dane and Gayheart in a bathtub with former beauty queen Kari Ann Peniche. At the time, Gayheart was believed to have said she needed to lie down because she was high, though no specific substance was identified.
The scandal followed Dane throughout his career, resurfacing periodically in interviews and public discourse.
'This Will Be Eric Telling His Story on His Own Terms"
The actor reflected on the scandal in previous interviews.
Despite initial regret, Dane later insisted he had made peace with the episode. He added: "I was most likely referring to the drug use that was alluded to in the video, and was that a mistake? Again, I don't necessarily think I was breaking any laws and corrupting anybody. We were just three people taking a bath."
He also said, "I didn't regret it. I have no regrets, nor do I make any apologies for my life experience. It's my life experience, and I am at peace with all of it."
Publishing sources have defended the inclusion, describing the memoir as an "unfiltered" account of Dane's life.
One insider said: "This will be Eric telling his story on his own terms - the good and the bad. Leaving out the scandal would have made it feel incomplete."
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The 2009 video involved Dane, his wife Rebecca Gayheart, and Kari Ann Peniche in a bathtub.
Others, however, argue the timing is insensitive. A source close to the family said, "There are young children involved, and this brings everything back into public view just as they are grieving. It's difficult for everyone connected to him."
Dane is survived by Gayheart and their daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14. The couple, who married in 2004 and separated in 2017, never finalized their divorce, with proceedings dismissed in March 2025, a decision that now means Gayheart could inherit from Dane's estimated $7million estate under community property rules.
The official synopsis for Dane's memoir states it "captures everything from the grind of his early years in Hollywood and the hard-won peace of sobriety to the profound clarity that came with his ALS diagnosis" – while also reflecting on the "beauty and weight" of his life in the wake of the illness.
