2026 has had a number of tragic celebrity deaths already, including Eric Dane's passing and the death of James Van Der Beek. These both quickly went viral as did GoFundMe campaigns that'll benefit their families following tons of medical costs. While there has been some backlash from folks who don't understand why Hollywood "elites" would need this aid, Alyssa Milano recently broke down exactly why they're necessary.
Both Van Der Beek and Dane's GoFundMe campaign have raised a ton of money, which will no doubt be a relief to their families. Some folks thought that since these late actors have iconic tenures in shows like Dawson's Creek and Grey's Anatomy (both of which are streaming with a Hulu subscription), they didn't really need the money. But Alyssa Milano took to Substack to address this discourse, with the Charmed star writing:
The word elite is thrown around as if it is a fact. It isn’t. What I’m about to tell you, may come as a shock and I may not have all the perfect words but please read on anyway. There is a mythology about actors that lingers from another era , one built on twenty-two-episode seasons, long-term network contracts, DVD sales, and syndication checks that arrived for decades. In that model, a hit show could provide steady employment for most of the year and residuals that offered real financial security between jobs. That system shaped the public’s understanding of what a 'successful' actor must earn. But that system has largely disappeared.
She's already spitting some serious facts. While years ago actors were able to make a living on residuals, that's simply not the case anymore. Now these checks are super small, especially with streaming becoming more popular than the purchase of physical media. Hollywood's financial setup is in a very different place, and when you add in the medical expenses for both Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek, it stands to reason that the late actors' families might need the support.
Milano's Substack post helps to peel back the curtain on the reality of being a TV star at this point in time. She went on to share how the industry has morphed in recent years, claiming:
Streaming replaced it with shorter seasons, often eight to ten episodes and far less compensation. Actors now work half as many weeks per season. Residuals from streaming platforms are typically fixed payments, not tied to reruns in the way network syndication once was. Shows can become global hits and still not generate the kind of long-term income for actors that network television once provided. Entire series are quietly pulled from platforms, erasing not just cultural presence but financial participation.
Milano also cites so many actors joining places like Cameo to help make more of an income, since residuals are no longer as profitable. Many also sell their gently used clothes to help make more money. She continued to defend the need for those famous GoFundMes, writing:
A recognizable face from a beloved show fifteen years ago does not guarantee permanent wealth. The entertainment industry is cyclical and unpredictable. Income arrives in bursts, followed by long stretches of waiting. Health insurance depends on meeting earnings thresholds. Read that again. Agents, managers, and lawyers take percentages. Families rely on consistency in a profession built on inconsistency. Add a serious health diagnosis into that equation and it’s impossible to stay afloat. Medical costs escalate. Earning capacity changes. Time becomes less flexible.
This certainly helps to provide some context about why both Dane and Van Der Beek's family might need assistance during this difficult time. Alyssa Milano has been a TV star a long time and she knows firsthand how the financial institution has morphed over the years. And this might help to quell the chatter of naysayers who didn't understand why the late actors' families needed GoFundMes.
Our thoughts continue to be with both Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek's loved ones during this difficult time. At the time of writing this story, both of their GoFundMe campaigns are still running.
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