Actress Rebecca Gayheart has ignited a fresh wave of celebrity gossip after being photographed sharing a passionate kiss with her on-again, off-again partner, billionaire Peter Morton. The intimate moment comes as her estranged husband, actor Eric Dane, continues his public and heartbreaking battle with ALS.
A Beverly Hills Display of Affection
The 54-year-old star of Urban Legend and the 78-year-old Hard Rock Café and Morton's Steakhouse heir were seen in full public display of affection mode outside a popular Beverly Hills venue. Witnesses described the pair acting like "teenagers," unable to keep their hands off each other. Gayheart turned heads in a stylish minidress and matching jacket as she leaned in to lock lips with the mogul.
This sizzling reunion appears to have been building for months. The couple were previously spotted looking cosy in Los Angeles in March of this year, and were even seen on a double date with supermodel Claudia Schiffer and film director Matthew Vaughn back in April 2023.
A Complicated Family Dynamic Amid Health Crisis
The new romance unfolds against a backdrop of profound personal challenge for Gayheart's family. Her estranged husband, Eric Dane, best known for Grey's Anatomy, revealed his devastating ALS diagnosis to the world in April of this year. In a poignant twist, Gayheart and Dane had quietly called off their divorce proceedings just one month prior to his announcement.
The former couple, who married in 2004 after a whirlwind ten-month romance, initially filed for divorce in February 2018 citing irreconcilable differences after 14 years of marriage. They share two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13.
Despite the separation, Gayheart has consistently emphasised their enduring bond. "We are best of friends. We are really close. We are great co-parents," she told Entertainment Tonight at the time of Dane's diagnosis. She has also reframed their split, stating, "I think it's important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure. It's just a season."
Navigating Illness and Separation
In a recent appearance on the Broad Ideas podcast, Gayheart opened up about the complexities of their current situation. She revealed that their daughters live with her "100 percent of the time" despite the eight-year separation, and she is focused on guiding them through their father's illness.
"He is our family. He is your father," Gayheart said she tells her girls. "We show up, and we try to do it with some dignity and some grace and just get through it." She acknowledged their relationship is "super complicated" but stressed her commitment to maintaining a solid family unit for their children's sake.
Dane first noticed symptoms, a weakness in his right hand, in early 2024. After months of tests with multiple specialists, he received the official ALS diagnosis. By June, he had lost the use of his right arm.
Meanwhile, Peter Morton brings his own storied past to the relationship, having previously romanced supermodel Linda Evangelista and endured the tragic loss of his ex-wife, Tarlton Morton, in 2017.
As Gayheart moves forward with a new chapter in her personal life, her focus remains split between fresh romance and supporting her children and former husband through an unimaginably difficult health journey.
