Alyssa Milano is speaking up in defense of the families of James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane.
Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11 following a battle with stage three colorectal cancer. Dane, on the other hand, passed away on Feb. 19 due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Since the Dawson's Creek and Grey's Anatomy actors deaths, GoFundMe campaigns have been launched to support their families. Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly shared six children while Dane had two teenage daughters with Rebecca Gayheart.
As of Wednesday, Feb. 25, Van Der Beek's GoFundMe has raised nearly $2.8 million while Dane's has amassed over $464,000. However, both have been subject to criticism, with online critics debating if the actors' families are truly in need of financial support.
In a Substack article titled "The 'Elite' Myth and the GoFundMe Outrage" published on Monday, Feb. 23, Milano defended the GoFundMes and provided some insight into Van Der Beek and Dane's financial situations.
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"When friends of Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek organized GoFundMe campaigns for their families, the backlash was swift and predictable," the Charmed actress began. "Comment sections filled with variations of the same accusation: Why are we giving money to elites? Aren’t they rich? Isn’t this absurd?"
"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," she continued. "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."
Milano went on to explain that the rise of streaming platforms, shorter television seasons and lower pay have made it increasingly difficult to earn long-term income—even for actors on some of the industry’s most successful shows.
"According to SAG-AFTRA’s own data, the majority of its members do not earn enough annually from acting to qualify for union health insurance," Milano added. Most working actors are middle class at best. Many are working class. Visibility is not wealth. Recognition is not financial stability."
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She also noted that the pandemic and the rise of AI have worsened existing challenges in the industry, with many actors turning to platforms like Cameo or paid social media partnerships to supplement their income. In Van Der Beek's case, he sold autographed memorabilia to help fund his cancer treatment.
"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," Milano wrote. "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."
The actress then told critics to direct their anger at Hollywood executives who built these systems, rather than at the talent.
"There are executives collecting multi-million-dollar bonuses while entire crews struggle to maintain healthcare eligibility," she said. "They are corporate boards consolidating media companies and cutting jobs to protect stock prices. They are billionaires whose wealth compounds regardless of economic downturns and whose influence shapes the very narratives that divide working people from one another."
She concluded her message by pointing out that it is normal for communities to come together and support those grieving the loss of a loved one or otherwise going through a difficult time before providing links to both GoFundMe campaigns.
"So when friends of Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek organized GoFundMe campaigns, what they were doing was not frivolous. Their friends were doing something ordinary. They were passing the hat," Milano said. "Communities have always done this. In small towns. In churches. In union halls. When someone is ill, when someone is grieving, when uncertainty descends, people gather resources and say: Let us help carry them."
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