Months after the industry lost Eric Dane to ALS, 'Better Call Saul' actor Russell Andrews reveals he has been diagnosed with the same condition. His fiancee, Erica Tazel, becomes his caregiver.
The entertainment industry was just beginning to accept the untimely demise of Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane to ALS, another fan-favourite face has broken his silence on his diagnosis. Russell Andrews, best known for Better Call Saul and Straight Outta Compton, shared that he has been living with ALS for the past few months.
Andrews, 64, never got married, but he has finally found the love of his life and was about to make her his wife when the devastating news hit him. His fiancée, Erica Tazel, 49, has now become his compatriot in this fight, and she refuses to leave his side despite everything.
During a joint appearance with Erica Tazel on CNN’s The Story Is with Elex Michaelson on May 16, 2026, Russell Andrews publicly opened up about his diagnosis for the first time. Sitting beside him, his fiancée confirmed that she has now stepped into the role of his full-time caregiver as the disease progresses.
For those unaware, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that gradually damages the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Mayo Clinic says the condition begins with muscle weakness and stiffness, and the body deteriorates, leading to paralysis, and eventually problems with swallowing and breathing, and death is inevitable. In Eric Dane's case, he died on February 19, 2026, with his official death certificate stating respiratory failure as the cause of death.
Speaking about his diagnosis, Andrews shared that he and Tezel now share their experience with the nonprofit ALS Network community. The Insecure actor spoke up about his experience with the condition, emphasising how humbling it has been. They are optimistic that they are "gonna be okay." He said:
"I am a person living with ALS...I was diagnosed in the late fall of last year. And it's been humbling but...there's also something in the fact that I walked into a family of very caring people I did not know a year ago — the cliché family, but they have not let us miss a step in terms of care, the attention, the awareness, and the ability to get me here today."
According to Andrews, the first warning signs appeared during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time he described as deeply stressful for actors due to long work shutdowns and the later Hollywood strikes. He initially believed the symptoms were minor nerve-related problems. He recalled experiencing muscle twitches, weakness in his arms, and difficulty doing simple everyday tasks. Over time, things became more concerning. Russell said:
"[I thought I] was having pinched nerves in my neck. I was not able to do things that I normally do. I was dropping cups and glasses at night. It felt like things were running up and down my arm at different times, and it was the nerves."
Tazel also chimed in, recalling the things that struck her as abnormal in her fiancé's day-to-day activities. She noticed how it "took him longer to clean the pool," and his walk was different, and the many other subtle things that made her convinced that it was not just a nerve pinch, "I was like, 'Something is definitely wrong.'"
Andrews officially received his diagnosis in late 2025 after finally regaining health insurance following the industry work stoppages. His doctor reportedly referred him to a neurologist within minutes of his first appointment.
The diagnosis was devastating for both Andrews and Tazel, given that they were just about to begin a new chapter of their lives as newlyweds with Andrews' daughter, Anya Isabella. However, in the midst of uncertainty, the couple says the diagnosis somehow brought them clarity, and Tazel was still determined that she wanted to be Andrews' wife. The actress shared emotionally:
"I was uncharacteristically calm and in a way, it was an answer to a lot of questions that we had. [There] was not a sigh of relief, but some understanding of what was happening. And I looked at him across the room and I said, ‘At least now we know what it is, and I still want to be your wife.' "
Despite the painful reality of the disease, Andrews explained that he and Tazel have found comfort through the ALS Network, a nonprofit organization supporting patients and families affected by the condition. The couple, along with his daughter, Anya, now stand as a unit through this ALS battle.
With Tazel stepping into the role of Andrews' caregiver, Anya has been actively involved in their advocacy work.
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