Laura Ann Tull Goes Viral With Grey's Anatomy Bullying Claims Against Eric Dane Days After His Death

Laura Ann Tull, a former background actress on Grey's Anatomy, has ignited a fierce online debate after publicly accusing the late Eric Dane of workplace bullying — posting her allegations just days after the beloved actor's death from ALS on February 19, 2026 (ET). The viral controversy surrounding Laura Ann Tull has drawn widespread attention and significant backlash across social media.

Who Is Laura Ann Tull?

Laura Ann Tull is a SAG-AFTRA actress, screenwriter, casting agent, filmmaker, poet, journalist, and former entertainment lawyer. She studied theater arts at McDaniel College and went on to study communication, copyright, and entertainment law at the Catholic University's Columbus School of Law. Her acting credits include Beauty, Chemical 13, and A.B.S. Tull worked as a background performer on Grey's Anatomy for approximately three years beginning in 2005, during the same period Eric Dane played Dr. Mark Sloan — popularly known as "McSteamy" — on the hit ABC medical drama.

What Laura Ann Tull Said About Eric Dane

Responding to a Variety post on Threads announcing Eric Dane's death, Laura Ann Tull wrote that he "was a bully and an a-hole," instantly triggering a flood of replies from fans who challenged her account. Tull did not back down. In a series of follow-up posts, she wrote that Dane "was a coward who abused me. Bullied me. Made fun of me." She described being labeled "weird" by Dane through a third party — a colleague named Cynthia Youngblood — despite the two never having spoken directly on set. Tull also disclosed she was battling cancer in 2005 and later developed an autoimmune condition, saying Dane's conduct interfered with her ability to work.

The Firing Claim: "I Am Why He Was Fired From Grey's"

The most explosive allegation from Laura Ann Tull came in her claim that she directly caused Eric Dane's 2012 departure from the show. "I am why he was fired from Grey's," she wrote, alleging she called Shonda Rhimes' assistant two weeks before the termination was publicly announced. Tull tagged Shondaland in follow-up posts, accusing Dane of abusing "cancer survivors and disabled people" on set.

There is no public evidence or confirmation supporting Laura Ann Tull's claim. Industry reporting at the time of Dane's 2012 exit pointed to budget and creative factors, noting that long-running cast members had become costly for the network. Dane himself, in a 2024 appearance on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, said he believed he was "let go" — suggesting rising cast costs played a role. Neither ABC, Shondaland, nor Dane's representatives have commented on Tull's allegations.

This Is Not the First Time Laura Ann Tull Spoke Out

Laura Ann Tull first addressed these allegations publicly in a June 2018 essay published on Medium, in which she reflected on her time in Hollywood and mentioned Dane by name. In that piece, she wrote that she never spoke to Dane directly on set but believed he had spoken negatively about her to others. At the time, the essay drew little attention. Her fresh Threads posts, made in the immediate aftermath of Dane's death, are what catapulted her name into national headlines.

Public Reaction and Backlash

The backlash against Laura Ann Tull has been substantial, with many users criticizing the timing of the posts given Dane's family — including his two daughters — was in mourning. Others raised the broader conversation around background actors, workplace dynamics, and the experiences of non-principal cast members in Hollywood. Eric Dane passed away at 53 after a year-long battle with ALS, diagnosed in April 2025.