Summary

• Eric Dane has no plans to reprise his role as Dr. Mark Sloan for Grey's Anatomy season 21.
• Dane believes he did exactly what he was supposed to on the show and has closure with his character.
• Sloan makes emotional appearances on the show, helping Meredith navigate life and death decisions.

Grey's Anatomy alum Eric Dane opens up about why he has no plans to reprise the role of Dr. Mark Sloan for season 21. Better known to some by the nickname of McSteamy, Dane's character was introduced all the way back in season 2 as the childhood friend of Patrick Dempsey's Derek Shepherd. He dies as the result of injuries sustained in the season 8 finale, closing out his involvement as a main character. But his presence lingers on the medical drama, with Seattle Grace getting renamed to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

In an interview with Variety to discuss his new movie One Fast Move, which premieres August 8 on Prime Video, Dane also discussed why he wouldn't want to return for Grey's Anatomy season 21. The actor, also known for his role as Cal Jacobs on HBO's Euphoria, talked about how he felt that he did exactly what he was supposed to do on the ABC show. Still, in the quote below, Dane does look back fondly on his time as Dr. Mark Sloan:

“No. I think I did exactly what I was supposed to do on that show. I think I was on that show for exactly the amount of time that I was supposed to be on that show, and irrespective of how or why or in what manner in which I had departed, I think everything happened exactly as it was supposed to happen.”

“I don’t watch Grey’s Anatomy’[now] and I didn’t watch much when I was on but I sure did have a fun time making it. The actors had such a great relationship. I showing up to set and being like, ‘I love spending time with these people.’"

Dr. Mark Sloan Already Had A Perfect Return To Grey's Anatomy

The Character Has Received Closure

Viewers have gotten another glimpse at Sloan, as he's one of the characters that visits Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) during the Grey's Anatomy "Day of the Dead" episode. However, Dane's more complete return to the show happens when Sloan and Lexi (Chyler Leigh), Meredith's younger sister, visit during Meredith's time at the beach. It's an emotional appearance, given the fan-favorite couple status of Lexi and Sloan. It's also important because of how Lexi and Sloan help Meredith realize that she's not ready to die just yet.

Meredith's beach, which is a running thread throughout Grey's Anatomy season 17, is dreamlike purgatory where she is visited by her loved ones who have died. This happens as she herself hangs between life and death. Sloan pushes Meredith to help her accept the fact that her time has not arrived. It's also suggested that, perhaps, in some sense, Mark and Lexi ended up together in the afterlife.

Dane has spoken recently about the experience of being let go from the hit series. But he's reprised the role of McSteamy when the story has called for it, as he did just a few years ago. He may be right that there is really no more narrative purpose, at least at this stage, for Mark Sloan to make another posthumous appearance on Grey's Anatomy season 21.

Grey's Anatomy season 21 premieres Thursday, September 26 at 10 PM ET on ABC.

Source: Variety