Eric Dane recalls on-set fight with Josh Duhamel in new memoir

Eric Dane’s posthumous memoir offers a blunt account of a physical dispute with Josh Duhamel on the set of the NBC drama 'Las Vegas.'

The incident occurred during the second season of the series in 2004, when Dane appeared as a guest star. Duhamel headlined the show opposite James Caan from 2003 to 2008. In his book 'My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments,' Dane explains that he arrived on set suffering from a herniated disc in his neck. He asked Duhamel to be careful during a planned fight sequence, specifically requesting that the lead not grab him by the tie. Duhamel agreed.

According to Dane’s writing, the first take went wrong when Duhamel pulled on the tie. Dane described feeling fire rip through his neck and calling for a stop. After an apology and a second take, the same action repeated. Dane told a producer, 'You better rein in your boy.' Duhamel apologized, claiming he had gotten caught up in the moment. The truce broke on the third take. Dane wrote that Duhamel grabbed the tie again, prompting him to remove his suit coat and challenge the actor to a fight. The camera rolled through the exchange, making Dane appear as the aggressor to viewers.

Dane admits the episode was not a moment of pride for him. He notes that he and Duhamel have seen each other since and remain on good terms. In the memoir, he offers a direct apology to Duhamel for starting the physical confrontation. 'Josh, I was wrong. I should've walked away. I'm sorry, dude,' Dane writes.

Dane’s role on 'Las Vegas' came two years before he landed the part of Dr. Mark Sloan on ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy,' which launched his mainstream career. Prior to that, he held recurring roles on series such as 'Charmed' and 'Gideon's Crossing.' Duhamel recently discussed his own work style on the podcast 'In Depth with Graham Bensinger.' He admitted to going to extreme mental places to inhabit his characters, including his role as Danny McCoy on 'Las Vegas.' He described how his intense focus during the second season, when his character returned from Iraq, caused other cast members to avoid him.

'My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments' is now available for purchase.