Eric Dane has opened up about a heated encounter with Josh Duhamel on the set of Las Vegas, admitting that he should have walked away rather than allowing a disagreement to escalate into a confrontation. The late actor revisited the incident in his posthumously published memoir, My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments, out in stores on 3 November.
According to Dane's memoir, the incident took place in 2004, when Dane appeared as a guest star in the NBC drama's second season. What began as a disagreement over a fight scene eventually turned into a heated exchange between the two actors.
While Dane recalled feeling frustrated by what happened during filming, he also reflected on his own behaviour and acknowledged that his reaction was wrong. He even included an apology to Duhamel in the memoir, revealing that the two had since seen each other and were on good terms.
Eric Dane Admitted He Was Wrong After Confrontation With Josh Duhamel
Dane's account began with a physical injury that made the fight scene particularly difficult. At the time, he was dealing with a herniated cervical disc and had specifically asked Duhamel not to pull his tie during their staged altercation.
According to Dane, the request was initially acknowledged, but the scene did not go as planned. He claimed Duhamel pulled his tie during the first take, causing a sharp pain in his neck.
'The director calls "Action," and Josh pulls on my tie. Fire rips through my neck,' Dane recalled.
The actor said he stopped filming and explained what had happened. Duhamel reportedly apologised, but Dane claimed the same action was repeated during the next take. After another interruption, Dane approached a producer and asked them to intervene, recalling that he told them: 'You better rein in your boy.'
Duhamel allegedly explained that he had 'got caught up in the moment' and apologised again. However, the problem resurfaced during the third attempt, which became the turning point in their disagreement. Dane recalled taking off his suit jacket, clenching his fists, and moving towards his co-star.
'I whip off my suit coat and I say, "Let's go, you pussy-ass actor,"' he wrote.
The actor said the cameras continued rolling, with neither the director nor anyone else immediately calling cut. He recalled that the footage made him appear to be the aggressor.
'Nobody calls "Cut," the camera keeps rolling, and to the world who sees the whole nasty scene, I'm the aggressor, the hothead, I start the fight,' he recalled. But rather than leaving the story at the confrontation, Dane offered a more reflective account of what happened afterwards.
Dane Apologised to Duhamel for His Reaction
One of the most revealing parts of Dane's recollection was his willingness to accept responsibility for how he handled the situation. Despite describing repeated instances in which he felt his physical boundaries had been ignored, the actor acknowledged that confronting Duhamel was not the right response.
'Josh and I have seen each other since and we're cool,' Dane wrote. He then addressed his former co-star directly, offering an apology that underscored how he viewed the incident in retrospect. 'But I want to say it again. Josh, I was wrong. I should've walked away. I'm sorry, dude,' he added.
Josh Duhamel Previously Discussed His Intense Acting Approach on 'Las Vegas'
Duhamel's approach to playing Danny McCoy on Las Vegas provides additional context about his experience working on the series. In a September 2026 interview with In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Duhamel discussed how deeply he immersed himself in his character, particularly when portraying Danny's experiences following his deployment in Iraq.
The actor recalled putting himself in 'pretty extreme places' in his head to access the character's emotional state. He said he would sometimes avoid speaking to people on set and remain in that mindset while working.
Duhamel acknowledged that the approach made some people uncomfortable, recalling that crew members questioned how they would get through an entire season with him behaving that way. He also recognised that his method was 'probably not the healthiest way' to approach the role.
Eric Dane's Memoir Revisits His Career and Personal Struggles
The incident is among the experiences Dane revisited in My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments, published on 3 November. Completed in the months before his death, the memoir offers reflections on his Hollywood career, relationships, personal struggles, and experiences with addiction.
The book provides an opportunity to revisit different chapters of his life, including moments that were not necessarily flattering. For Dane, the story ultimately goes beyond a clash between two actors; it's a reflection on accountability, even when he believed he had a reason to be angry.
Dane died on 19 February 2026, aged 53, following respiratory failure caused by ALS.
