Months after the death of Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane, Chyler Leigh is opening up about one memory she wishes could have gone differently. For fans of Grey’s Anatomy, Mark Sloan and Lexie Grey remain one of the show’s most beloved couples. Their heartbreaking love story ended tragically when Lexie died following the devastating plane crash in season 8, while Mark succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward. More than a decade later, viewers finally got a brief reunion when both characters returned during Meredith Grey’s COVID-induced dream sequences in season 17.
But according to Leigh, that emotional reunion was not quite what she had hoped for behind the scenes.
Speaking in a recent interview, the actress revealed that her biggest regret was not being able to physically reunite with Eric Dane while filming the iconic beach scenes. Due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time, Leigh was filming Supergirl in Vancouver and could not travel without facing lengthy quarantine requirements.
As a result, she filmed her scenes separately using a green screen while Dane and the rest of the cast shot their portions elsewhere.
“We were filming during actual COVID,” Leigh explained. “I couldn’t go down to be there because I would have had to quarantine for two weeks coming back into Vancouver.”
The actress admitted she is still disappointed that she never got the opportunity to stand beside Dane again for what became one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most emotional callbacks.
“If there’s anything that I regret, it would be not having been able to do that,” she shared.
Despite that disappointment, Leigh continues to look back fondly on her years working alongside Dane. The actress described him as an exceptional scene partner and recalled several moments from their time together on the medical drama.
One memory that remains especially meaningful involved the complicated love triangle between Lexie, Mark and Jackson Avery. Leigh praised Dane’s ability to elevate emotional scenes and create genuine chemistry on screen, something fans frequently cited as a major reason behind the popularity of “Slexie.”
“I could pick a million memories,” Leigh said. “He was a wonderful human being.”
Dane passed away in February at the age of 53 following his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a diagnosis he publicly revealed in 2025. His death sent shockwaves through the television industry, with tributes pouring in from castmates, collaborators and fans around the world.
Leigh previously revealed that she learned of Dane’s passing while traveling for press commitments and struggled to process the news.
“I didn’t know how to comprehend it,” she recalled. “I was on a plane and just kept getting up because I was sobbing.”
Now, several months later, the actress says she is finding comfort in the memories they created together.
While the loss remains painful, Leigh says she can finally look beyond the devastation and focus on the incredible friendship and creative partnership they shared throughout their years on Grey’s Anatomy.
For fans who grew up watching Mark and Lexie, that bond remains one of the show’s most unforgettable love stories, both on screen and behind the scenes.