Laura Ann Tull Alleges Bullying and Says She Got Eric Dane Fired Days After His Death
laura ann tull has published a string of posts alleging that Eric Dane bullied her on the set of Grey's Anatomy and that she contacted show leadership before his departure — claims arriving just days after the actor's death. The assertions have reopened debate over what led to Dane's 2012 exit and prompted a broader online split over airing unverified accusations after a public figure's passing.
Laura Ann Tull’s posts on Threads and a Variety tribute
In a series of messages posted on Threads and in the comment thread of a Variety tribute, Laura Ann Tull characterized Dane as a bully and said his behavior caused her long-term professional and personal harm. She wrote that he mocked and mistreated her while she was battling cancer and later an autoimmune disease, and that his conduct persisted despite her vulnerability. Tull also reiterated details she published in a 2018 essay about her time on the show and declared she remains a member of SAG‑AFTRA seeking redress for what she describes as sustained bullying.
Eric Dane’s death on February 19, 2026, and his ALS battle
Eric Dane died on February 19, 2026, after what has been described as a year-long battle with ALS. Reports note his age as 53 at the time of death. The announcement triggered an outpouring of tributes and, within days, the allegations now raised by Tull.
Allegations of set bullying and earlier 2018 essay
Tull said she worked on Grey's Anatomy as a background performer for roughly three years and in one account placed that period between 2005 and 2008. In her social posts she used blunt language to describe Dane, calling him a narcissist and saying his conduct included mocking her behind her back. She wrote that his death does not erase the destruction she says she endured, and revisited assertions she first set out in a 2018 Medium essay about feeling targeted while working on the series.
Claims that contacting Shonda Rhimes’ office led to Dane’s dismissal
Tull has said she contacted the office of creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes, describing a call to Rhimes’ assistant two weeks before the public announcement of Dane’s termination. She declared that her report was the reason he was fired. That account conflicts with public statements made at the time: network and production statements framed Dane’s 2012 departure as a decision tied to storyline and broader production choices, and Dane later said on the Armchair Expert podcast in June 2024 that he felt he had been let go and that business considerations may have played a role.
Responses from ABC, Shondaland, Dane’s representatives and family
No formal confirmation or comment has been issued by ABC, the production company Shondaland, Eric Dane’s representatives, or members of his family about Tull’s recent posts. The absence of responses has left the competing accounts — Tull’s claim of direct reporting to show leadership and the contemporaneous explanation of creative and budgetary factors — unresolved in the public record.
Public reaction and ethical debate over posthumous allegations
Public reaction has been sharply divided. Some commentators argue that background performers occupy a lower rung of on‑set power and that allegations of workplace bullying warrant disclosure even after the accused has died. Others contend it is ethically fraught to air unverified personal grievances when the subject cannot respond, noting concerns that such claims may alter the legacy of a person who was publicly battling an incurable disease.
What makes this notable is the timing: Tull’s detailed accusations and her claim of contacting production leadership arrived within days of Dane’s death, forcing a collision between private grievance and public mourning. The competing explanations — Tull’s account of having prompted action and earlier official framing of Dane's exit as tied to storylines, budget and creative decisions — illustrate how divergent narratives about the same departure can persist when documentary evidence is not publicly available.
Some outlets that carried the discussion note that reader comments on their pages are moderated and generally posted only if they are on-topic and not abusive. The contested claims leave key questions unresolved: the precise impact of any internal complaints on casting decisions remains unclear in the provided context, and the statements from involved institutions have not been issued to clarify the record.
laura ann tull’s renewed accusations have therefore reopened scrutiny of both workplace conduct on a hit drama and the mechanisms by which concerns are raised and acted upon, while official explanations of Eric Dane’s departure and his public statements about being let go in 2024 remain part of the record.
