Eric Dane’s memoir reveals heated on-set clash with Josh Duhamel during ‘Las Vegas’

Dane was filming with a herniated disc in his neck when the incident unfolded in 2004

Eric Dane has revealed a tense confrontation with Josh Duhamel on the set of NBC drama Las Vegas in his posthumously released memoir, My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments.

The actor, who guest starred on the series in 2004, recalled how a fight scene became increasingly painful while he was dealing with a herniated disc in his neck. Dane said he had asked Duhamel, who played the show’s lead character, to avoid pulling on his tie during filming.

According to Dane’s account, Duhamel initially agreed but repeatedly grabbed the tie during takes, aggravating his injury. After the second attempt, Dane warned a producer that the situation needed to be addressed.

Dane described losing his temper when the same action happened again. He removed his suit jacket, confronted Duhamel and challenged him to fight. The cameras continued rolling, leaving Dane concerned that viewers would see him as the aggressor.

Reflecting on the incident in his memoir, Dane acknowledged that his reaction was wrong and expressed regret over how he handled the situation.

“Josh and I have seen each other since and we’re cool,” he wrote. “But I want to say it again. Josh, I was wrong. I should’ve walked away. I’m sorry, dude.”

Dane appeared in two episodes of Las Vegas in 2004, before landing his breakout role as Dr Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy in 2006.

Duhamel has also spoken about how immersing himself in emotionally intense roles sometimes affected his behaviour on set. In an earlier interview with In Depth with Graham Bensinger, he recalled becoming withdrawn while portraying Danny McCoy, a former Marine dealing with trauma in Las Vegas.

Dane’s memoir, My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments, is now available. The book offers reflections on his life and career, including experiences from his years working in television.