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Buzz Feed
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Celebrities Who Got Normal Jobs
Lots of people go into the entertainment industry dreaming of fame and fortune, but for most, it sadly doesn't work out. Sometimes, even performers who've been successful fall on hard times or struggle to get work. Many of them make the very commendable choice to get a job outside of the industry. Here are 21 celebs who took on "normal" jobs: Amid reports that she was working at a salon, Hairspray star Nikki Blonsky tweeted, "Its true Im workin@ Superstar Salon as a makeup artist & more Im proud 2 b workin & helpin pay bills BUT ill NEVER loose sight of my dreams." Her agent, Bill Viloric, told Newsday, "She's working part-time in a salon while she continues to audition for TV and film roles. She hasn't given up on her dreams." Nikki has also continued acting, most recently appearing in the movie Bosco. She's also reportedly quite popular on Cameo. Anneliese Van Der Pol has continuously worked on stage and onscreen, but at one point after the end of That's So Raven, she "worked in New York in several restaurants." On a 2023 episode of her podcast Big Name B*tches, she said, "I was really proud of myself; you had to do a lot of multitasking." However, meeting fans or even fellow actors while on the clock wasn't always a positive experience. She said, "The disappointment, the look, the drop of faces when [people] recognized me, was truly gut-wrenching. It's almost like I had to say, 'I'm okay. I'm actually really happy that I don't have to audition and am doing something I know I'm good at.' I know when I clean a table or bring a meal that, I can do that, and there won't be any mistakes. I won't be judged. Essentially, I kind of was judged...I remember one time, I ran into Ashley Tisdale, and I had to serve Ashley Tisdale. I wanna say she was lovely, didn't do anything, but she was uncomfortable for me. She was so uncomfortable. It was like I had to [be like], 'I'm fine, girl!" At the height of his fame in the early '90s, MC Hammer was reportedly raking in $33 million a year. However, lavish purchases, such as 17 cars, a $9 million mansion, and a Boeing 727, quickly depleted his bank account, and he wound up $14 million in debt. In 1996, he declared bankruptcy. A year later, he experienced a "visitation from Jesus" and decided to become an ordained minister in the Church of God in Christ. He told the LA Times, "Whether the bankruptcy played any role in my refocusing, that's great. Hallelujah, I hope it did! But the most important part of what occurred to me was love, missing the love of God in the way that I had known it." Jamie Walters, who's most known for Beverly Hills 90210 and singing the #1 hit "How Do You Talk to an Angel," quit acting to become a firefighter in Los Angeles. He told The US Sun, "A lot of years have gone by, and I don't think people are expecting when the fire department shows up that the guy in uniform might be somebody from a TV show in the '90s. I'm thankful that I was able to switch gears and do something that I'm proud of and that my kids find interesting and cool. I still have a lot of friends that are in that business, but it's a tough business. Unless you're doing well, it's a struggle to raise a family." "I started having second thoughts about this [acting] career path, and I'd always been interested in becoming a firefighter. The more I researched, I was like, oh man, it's hard to get this job. This is really competitive. It took like three years, the process, from the time you take the written and you have medical exams, background checks, psychological, more physical agility checks. I finally got my job offer to come to the training academy in 2003," he said. He briefly returned to acting for a guest appearance on BH90210, where he played a fictionalized version of himself. As Ke Huy Quan grew up, he realized that roles for Asian actors were, unfortunately, rare and therefore very competitive. So, he decided to go to film school at USC as well. After he graduated in 1999, famous action director and choreographer Corey Yuen offered him a stunt choreographer job on X-Men. Following his role in the 2002 Hong Kong film Second Time Around, he didn't act again for almost 20 years. He continued working various positions behind the camera. He told Vulture, "I was happy working behind the camera, but this entire time, something felt missing. When those opportunities dried up, I spent a long time trying to convince myself that I didn't like acting anymore. I didn't want to step away with the feeling that it was because there were no opportunities. I was lying to myself." Then, the success of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018 inspired him to try again. Within a few weeks of hiring a new agent, he booked Everything Everywhere All At Once, which he went on to win an Oscar for. "I Wanna Be Bad" singer Willa Ford left music and became an interior designer after the failure of her second single. She told Billboard, "A lot of people don't realize this, but my second single was released on September 11, 2001. Everything that happened that day froze; the world stood still, as it should have. My second single didn't do well because anything that launched that day kind of got canned. I know that sounds silly, but on radio, they slate things, but it really fell to the wayside. I didn't think it was a big deal because we were making a new album anyway. The record company I was with at the time got acquired by another record company, and the president of our record company left the company. So, I ended up in no man's land." Her new career came about unexpectedly. She said, "I'm just a creative human: if I'm not creating, I'm dying. In my first marriage, I moved to Texas, and I was pretty bored there. I started working on the house with an interior designer at the time named Amy Nolan, and we really ended up doing the house together. I found this absolute love for it. I came back out to LA after my divorce, and I was acting, but there's so much dead time. I just needed another outlet. I started doing it for friends, and everyone was loving what I was doing. It was word of mouth. I did a movie, and the producer of the movie asked me to work on their home. Before I knew it, I was doing really high-end homes. Now I have three employees and myself with the new firm. It's constantly changing and growing. I love it." After Drew Barrymore emancipated herself from her mother at 14, she "found a place in the back of a building where [her] friend Justine was living." In her memoir Wildflower, she wrote, "I needed a job. Justine worked at a coffeehouse in the Valley, but she had a car, and I was two years away from getting my driver's licence, so I went to the coffeehouse near us, the Living Room, which happened to be one of the big LA hot spots at night. It was the start of the 1990s, and coffeehouses were where everyone hung out. People poured out on to the street every night. I wasn't great at my job. I wasn't really great at anything. I had only done two things: acted and had wild life experiences." She also wrote, "I could tell my boss, who had hired me on the novel idea of having a washed-up former child actor behind the counter, was patient with all my learning curves, but was also irritated with me. He came in when I was doing dishes (which, come to think of it, probably helped me realize you actually had to 'do' dishes rather than just put everything in the sink and pray, like I did at home), but he walked in and said, very sharply and exasperatedly, 'Don't use the abrasive side of the brush! All the pastry cases are getting scratched and foggy, and you can't see what's inside!'" She, of course, got back into acting, next appearing in Motorama and Poison Ivy. In 2018, photos of The Cosby Show actor Geoffrey Owens working at Trader Joe's went viral. He told Good Morning America, "This business of my being this Cosby guy who got shamed for working at Trader Joe's, that's going to pass. But I hope what doesn't pass is this idea that people are now thinking, this rethinking of what it means to work, the honor of the working person and the dignity of work." He quit his job when the pictures starting spreading, but he also said that the support he received from both fans and his peers was "really overwhelming, in a good way." After seeing Geoffrey's interview, Tyler Perry decided to offer him a role. He told GMA, "I said, 'Hmm, I got something for you. I'll write a senator in, make you a senator in [The Haves and the Have Nots]. I called him up, and the next week I had written him into 11 shows. But when he showed up the first day, I saw him in costume, I had 20,000 more ideas running in my head for him." Then, in 2024, Geoffrey told V-103 Atlanta's The Big Tigger Morning Show, "Even today, right now, as we speak, I still struggle to make a living. I struggle every day to make my ends meet, and people can't get their heads around that because they see me in movies. People have the impression, 'You're making a lot of money. What's the problem? Why are you having financial troubles?' They don't understand the specifics of how my industry works." In support of Geoffrey, many actors shared their experiences using the hashtag #ActorsWithDayJobs. Broadway and voice actor Liz Callaway — whom you'd probably recognize as the single voice of the titular character in Anastasia — tweeted, "After 3 Bway shows and a Tony nom. my unemployment ran out so I got a job at a gift shop. One a day a customer said, 'has anyone ever told you you look like Liz Callaway?' I confessed it was me. He said 'good for you!!' That was Ira Levin, who wrote Deathtrap." In a since-deleted tweet, Julie Berman said, "Got a job as a hostess when I left General Hospital. Many didn't understand why I'd leave #GH without another acting gig waiting for me. (If only we could all be so lucky). This is what dedication to your artistic happiness actually looks like." After The Traitors UK, Wilfred Webster went into full-time influencing. However, because of his career, he wasn't able to secure the kind of mortgage he wanted. So, he planned to pivot to a part-time job in teaching or the charity sector to supplement his income. He told Vice, "The thing with social media is it's always fluctuating. So it's never guaranteed income all the time. That's hard, especially with a family." Reality star and beautician Sarah Goodhart told Vice, "When I came out of Geordie Shore, I'm a working class person, so I needed to return to work. Whereas if I was able to take more time off, I probably could have tried to become an influencer – but you have to wait a few months for the money [from the show] to come in." After roles became harder to come by, American Pie actor Chris Owen took a job as a server at a Santa Monica sushi restaurant. In 2014, he told the New York Daily News, "Life doesn't always go the way you planned. I love acting, and this job lets me stay in the fight...I get recognized a lot. I walk up to the table and see the look in their get excited, and it feels good. I like connecting with people for that brief moment in time." He's continued acting, most recently appearing in the movie Money Game. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial actor Robert MacNaughton told Yahoo, "I was pursuing [acting] in Los Angeles till I was about 30, and I found I'd kind of lost the joy for acting. I was auditioning for things I didn't really want to do even if I got the part, just to keep my agent happy. I was really not happy. I was happy when I was doing theater, but it was infrequent. And so I visited Arizona during that time, and I just liked the pace, and I liked it better than where I was living in California. So I decided I wanted to move there. And then I tried still going back for auditions and everything, and that didn't work. It was too much, driving from Arizona to Los Angeles twice a week. So then I had to get a real job, and I started working for the postal service. I've worked for them since 1995. And I was able to get a transfer to the New York area when I married my wife." However, more recently, he's gotten back into acting a little bit. He continued, "So then what happened was, I didn't really plan on getting back into acting, but my wife is an actress and she had the lead in a mob movie called Laugh Killer Laugh. And the director, Kamal Ahmed, asked if I wanted to work on the movie. He had a part for me but it was working one day, just a few scenes. And it was kind of a funny part, and I said OK; he was a friend, and I did it for no money. I didn't plan on getting back into acting. In fact, it was the first time I picked up a script in 25 years. So I just did it sort of as a one-off. And then while I was doing that, this guy who was doing a horror movie asked if I wanted to do that. And I went, 'Yeah, I never was in a horror movie!' So I did that. But it wasn't any kind of planned comeback or anything." After leaving Jon and Kate Plus 8, former reality star Jon Gosselin reportedly began working as a sales marketer for Global Green Property Service. Life & Style reported that it was a "modest job" without a huge salary, but he wanted to make money to help support his kids. An alleged insider told the outlet, "Jon doesn't long for fame at all. He's much more content blending in and being able to live his life without the world watching." Jon eventually moved on from the sales job. In 2016, he was a full-time DJ and part-time cook at TGI Friday's. He told Entertainment Tonight, "I only work there eight hours a week, because I like to do it. Why can't I work at a restaurant? I like to cook. My buddy needed help, so I said, 'OK, why not?'" However, he left the job after a picture of him at work was leaked. Then, in 2020, he told Entertainment Tonight that he was a healthcare facility's IT director. He said, "We see the undocumented and uninsured. We're doing telemedicine and telephonic, and we're using Ring Sensual for Zoom to see patients. So we're not physically seeing patients right now. My job was to set up and teach providers, which are doctors, on how to use telemedicine. So I developed a procedure rather quickly, and my boss, the CIO, bought software that we never used before. I had to learn it in five, six hours." Devon Werkheiser tried to find his next "big thing" after Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. He "pushed and pushed at ages 16 to around 24." He told Business Insider, "My savings, which I'd been living pretty modestly on, inevitably ran out when I was around 25. I just wasn't paying attention, and suddenly it was like, 'Oh shit, I need to start making a living.'" "I was never ridiculous with my money, but I would eat out or go on trips when I wanted to. I'd always be living on my savings until the next job came and refilled it, then I'd live on my savings some more. Over the years, supporting-role jobs started paying less in the industry, and at the same time, I was booking less and less. The only thing I knew to do was to go get some hourly job and start working my way out of my situation. I got a 9-to-5 for the first time in my life. It was a real wake-up call for me," he said. The experience partially inspired him to start his first podcast, Growing Up with Devon. Former Looking Glass singer and guitarist Elliot Lurie wasn't able to find commercial success as a solo artist after his band disbanded in 1974. Ten years later, he relocated to LA and began working a a music supervisor for movies and TV. Eventually, he became an executive at Twentieth Century Fox, where he was in charge of music. However, in more recent years, he's gotten back into playing shows. On his official website, he said, "I started playing out again, beginning with occasional oldies shows, sitting in as a 'special guest.' Although I've constantly remained involved with music over the years, I was reminded that the most direct connection is still performing live to an audience." The Goonies actor Jeff Cohen grew up to be an entertainment attorney thanks to the support of director Richard Donner. He told Variety, "Dick Donner and Lauren Shuler Donner, because they were kind, paid for my college when I went to Berkeley. The story is when my acting career started to peter out, I still loved show business, and Dick let me be a production assistant for him." He continued, "I worked for him at Warner Bros. When I was applying to college, I said, 'Hey Dick, can you write me a letter of recommendation for college?' And he said, 'Sure kid.'...He asked me to put some notes together to give him an indication of what he should say. In the note to him, I told him about my life and some of the struggles that I went through as a kid — my father not being there and other issues that I dealt with. And he called me on the phone, and instead of merely writing a letter of recommendation to college, he told me that he and Lauren had read my letter, and they were going to pay for my college. I was absolutely flabbergasted. I was shocked. I had to sit down, because, for me, paying for college was going to be a problem. That changed my life. Not only economically, but it showed that Dick and Lauren believed in me." Maggie Yu Miao, who was a TV star in Hong Kong, reportedly left acting and became a server in Dongguan, China. In a social media video, she said, "Life in Dongguan is fulfilling! Working here today, somewhere else tomorrow — there's always income. Acting, on the other hand, feels uncertain. Sometimes you wait six months or a year just for a single role. In Dongguan, I feel like hard work pays off, so I'll keep going." Similarly, Kiko Leung reportedly left her acting career in Hong Kong and took a job at a friend's restaurant, where she cleans, takes orders, and prepares food. When fans recognize her, she takes pictures with them. She told QQ, "Whether acting or waiting tables, both are jobs. There is no distinction in terms of prestige, only different in nature. Now, I need to change my mindset and expand my horizons to learn new knowledge." She also said she wants to open her own food store. And finally, after appearing on Love Island, Paige Thorne "just felt under this enormous pressure all of a sudden to 'become' an influencer." However, that career path made her feel "constantly filled with anxiety," and she drank "all the time" at events. So, she quit influencing and went back to being a paramedic. She told Vice, "This whole influencer world isn't forever. It's such a volatile situation, so it's important to have a backup." She also told Cosmopolitan that, after being dropped from the show, she struggled with getting a serious job offer. She said that, in one interview, "I really felt like they'd only asked me in so they could laugh at me; I don't think they had any intention of hiring me."
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'That's So Raven' Alum Rondell Sheridan Lost 30 Lbs. Due to Severe Pancreatitis, Admits ‘Contemplating My Own Mortality'
Rondell Sheridan revealed that he's still hospitalized with severe pancreatitis after 32 days The That's So Raven alum said he's undergoing a procedure to drain fluid from his pancreas and is optimistic he'll get better He created a GoFundMe account to cover medical expenses while he's unable to work, thanking fans for their prayers and donationsRondell Sheridan, the actor best known for his role as the Baxter family patriarch on Disney Channel's That's So Raven, is still hospitalized due to severe pancreatitis. On May 11, the 66-year-old comedian posted a video on Instagram, sharing an update on his health from a hospital bed. 'It's been over 30 days since I started this journey and tomorrow I have a procedure that will help move me along,' he said, explaining that the procedure involves draining fluids from his pancreas. 'I'm doing well and hopefully tomorrow I'll be doing even better.' Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It can cause symptoms like pain in the upper belly that radiates to the back, fever, rapid pulse, upset stomach, vomiting and more. According to the Cleveland Clinic, acute pancreatitis leads to 275,000 hospital stays in the United States per year. About 20% of those cases are considered severe. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Sheridan admitted in the caption that the illness has 'been a journey' for him. 'I've lost over 30 pounds. Who needs Ozempic when you can get pancreatitis??' he joked, referring to the trendy weight-loss medication. 'Of the last 32 days I've spent 23 days in a hospital bed. I've been attached to at least one IV each day. Some days as many as 3. I've had more than 7 days in a row of my blood being drawn twice a day.' 'I've spent more time alone with my thoughts contemplating my own mortality than I would have liked,' he continued. 'But perhaps the hardest thing I've experienced is learning that I am loved on a scale so large that some mornings I am overwhelmed with imposter's syndrome. With that said… thank you. Thank you. Thank you. For allowing me to exist in your hearts and minds and prayers.' Sheridan has not yet given an update on how the procedure went. However, in a previous post, he said he was keeping his spirits high. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'While I'm told the road ahead remains lengthy, I remain optimistic that I will, someday, be able to return to full health and get back up on stage.' Sheridan first revealed he was hospitalized with pancreatitis in an Instagram video last week, noting that he's been sick since April 10. In the clip, he said he hasn't been able to work due to his hospitalization. The actor created a GoFundMe account to help with medical expenses as he recovers. The page has already garnered over $83K, with donations from notable stars like Kenan Thompson and Octavia Spencer. Read the original article on People
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
‘That's So Raven' Star Rondell Sheridan Seeks Donations After Being Hospitalized for Pancreatitis
Actor Rondell Sheridan, best known for playing Victor Baxter on the Raven-Symoné-led Disney Channel sitcom 'That's So Raven,' has asked his fans and followers for donations after being hospitalized for pancreatitis last month. The 66-year-old comedian issued his plea in an Instagram 'I went to the hospital, and they thought it was gastric,' he said in the clip while lying in a hospital bed. Sheridan was released two days later. However, he said he was immediately forced to seek medical attention again at a nearby hospital in Northridge, a suburb in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. After undergoing 'tons of tests,' he said, doctors informed the actor that he had pancreatitis. 'I was in the hospital for nine days,' he said. 'I got released and I thought I was on the road to recovery, but it was just for observation.' Related Stories 5/3/2025 4/26/2025 According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, pancreatitis is characterized by the inflammation of the pancreas, a gland in the abdomen that plays an important role in digesting food and regulating blood sugar levels. The condition can be acute, arising suddenly and lasting over a short amount of time. However, chronic cases of pancreatitis develop gradually, worsening over time, and can result in permanent damage to the pancreas. The most common causes of pancreatitis are alcohol abuse and gallstones, which are small, hard masses that form in the gallbladder. Other causes may include injuries or surgery to the abdomen, certain medications, tumors, and infections, such as mumps or salmonella. 'My pancreas is inflamed, and there's not much you can do about it but just wait for the inflammation to go down,' Sheridan said. The actor, who also starred in the 'That's So Raven' spinoffs 'Corey in the House' and 'Raven's Home,' added that he had set up a GoFundMe account to help with mounting medical bills. The 'I didn't realize I was going to be and will be out of work for quite some time,' Sheridan said in his video message. 'If you have anything that you could donate, I would gladly appreciate it. Thank you so much.'
New York Post
10-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Beware these signs of pancreatitis as former Disney Channel star hospitalized
Actor and comedian Rondell Sheridan, best known for his role as Victor Baxter on Disney Channel's 'That's So Raven,' revealed this week that he was recently hospitalized due to a severe case of pancreatitis. 'I got released and I thought I was on the road to recovery, but it was just for observation,' Sheridan shared in an Instagram video, explaining that there's little to be done now but wait for his condition to improve. Mostly bedridden for the foreseeable future, the beloved TV dad is asking fans for help with medical bills and monthly expenses as he recovers. Here's what you need to know about the painful condition that landed him in the hospital and sidelined him from work. 4 Actor Rondell Sheridan spent nine days in the hospital after being diagnosed with pancreatitis. WireImage What is the pancreas? It's a long, flat glandular organ, often compared to the shape of a tadpole, nestled behind your stomach and in front of your spine. The pancreas plays an important role in both your digestive and endocrine systems, producing enzymes to break down food and hormones to regulate your blood sugar levels. What is pancreatitis? It's a condition where your pancreas becomes inflamed and damaged, usually because its own digestive juices or enzymes start attacking the organ, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There are two types. Acute pancreatitis is a temporary yet painful condition that occurs when the pancreas is recovering from a minor injury. Most people recover within a few days, either on their own or with treatment. 4 The pancreas plays a vital role in both digestion and regulating blood sugar. manassanant – Chronic pancreatitis, however, is a different story. It doesn't heal or improve. Instead, the condition worsens over time, leading to permanent damage, like scarring of the pancreatic tissue, which can prevent the organ from producing critical enzymes and hormones. In the US, acute pancreatitis sends 275,000 people to the hospital each year, with about 20% of cases considered severe. Chronic pancreatitis is less common but still results in at least 86,000 hospitalizations annually. What causes pancreatitis? Heavy alcohol use is one of the leading causes of pancreatitis, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. After Sheridan's announcement, rumors began circulating online suggesting his condition might be linked to drugs and alcohol. But the 'Cory in the House' alum quickly shut down those claims. 4 Sheridan reprised his role as Victor Baxter in 'That's So Raven's' two spinoffs. ©Disney Channel/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection 'This could not be farther from the truth as Rondell shies away from drugs and alcohol,' the actor's spokesperson said in a statement to The other leading cause of pancreatitis is gallstones, which can block the bile duct opening, causing a build-up of digestive juices in the pancreas that may lead to the organ essentially 'digesting' itself. Other potential causes include abdominal injury or surgery, high levels of fat or calcium in the blood, certain medications, infections, cystic fibrosis, tumors, genetic defects and cigarette smoking. What are the symptoms of pancreatitis? Symptoms can vary from person to person, but the Mayo Clinic outlines some common signs. For acute pancreatitis, you might experience: Pain in the upper belly Abdominal pain that radiates to the back Tenderness when touching the belly Fever Rapid pulse Upset stomach Vomiting 4 Naseua and vomiting is a common symptom of both acute and chronic pancreatitis. – As for chronic pancreatitis, potential signs include: Pain in the upper belly Stomach pain that feels worse after eating Unexplained weight loss Oily, foul-smelling stools Notably, some people with chronic pancreatitis may not develop symptoms until complications of the disease arise, which can take years. How do you treat pancreatitis? Unfortunately, there's no magic pill. Sheridan spent nine days in the hospital after being diagnosed with pancreatitis and is now playing a painful waiting game. 'The doctors have said he just has to wait for his pancreas to do what it's going to do before any further treatment can be considered,' Sheridan's friend, Isabel Beyoso, wrote on the GoFundMe page she set up to support the struggling comedian. Treatment for pancreatitis typically starts with a hospital stay, where doctors administer pain relief, IV fluids to combat dehydration, and possibly a low-fat diet—or even nutrition via feeding tube or IV if eating is too difficult. Mild acute pancreatitis often resolves itself in a few days with rest and basic treatment. But for more severe cases, doctors will target the underlying causes. If gallstones are to blame, a procedure may be performed to clear the bile ducts by removing the stones. In some cases, doctors may opt to remove the entire gallbladder. Other treatments may include draining fluid from the pancreas or removing damaged tissue. For pancreatitis caused by excessive alcohol use, doctors sometimes recommend a treatment program for alcohol addiction, as continued drinking can worsen the condition and lead to more serious complications. Your doctor may also suggest changes to your medications or diet. In chronic cases, if pancreatitis causes diarrhea or weight loss, a pancreatic enzyme supplement may be recommended to help the body absorb nutrients.
Wales Online
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Disney That's So Raven star in hospital with 'extremely severe' illness as fans asked to help
Disney That's So Raven star in hospital with 'extremely severe' illness as fans asked to help 'Favourite Disney dad' Rondell Sheridan took ill in April and fans have been asked to help pay his medical bills raising more than $76,000 Rondell Sheridan is seeking help (Image: Getty ) Disney dad Rondell Sheridan is in hospital with an "extremely severe" illness. The actor, who played Victor Baxter opposite Raven-Symoné on That's So Raven, took ill in April with what has since been said to be an "extremely severe case of pancreatitis". A friend has set up a GoFundMe to pay the medical bills as the star, who was also in Cory in the House and Raven's Home, recovers. So far it has raised more than $76,000 with fans wishing him well. The former Disney Channel star posted on Instagram this week to say he was in hospital. In the emotional post in which is was clear he was struggling he spoke to "friends" saying: "On April the 10th I was on the road and got sick. I went to the hospital and they thought it was gastric. I got home on the 12th, immediately went to the hospital at North Ridge and was told it's pancreatitis. "Tons of tests. I was in hospital for nine days. I got released and I thought I was on the road to recovery but it was just for observation. My pancreas is inflamed. There's not much you can do about it but you can just wait for the inflammation to go down. "I didn't realise that I was gonna be and will be out of work for quite some time. I'm setting up this GoFundMe to help with some of my medical bills and expenses. If you have anything that you could donate I would gladly appreciate it. Thank you so much." He starred in That's So Raven as Victor Baxter (Image: Getty ) Article continues below His friend Isabel Beyoso set up the fundraising page on his behalf. Posting on GoFundMe she said: "I am creating this page on behalf of my very dear friend Rondell Sheridan because he has been admitted to the hospital twice in the last month due to an extremely severe case of pancreatitis. "He has not been able to work since April 12, 2025 and will not be able to return to work for the unforeseable future. The doctors have said he just has to wait for his pancreas to do what it's going to do before any further treatment can be considered, and in the meantime, he will be mostly bedridden, while in recovery. "If we can all come together to help him financially for his medical and monthly bills while his body heals, I know this will be one giant stress we can collectively take off his shoulders, so that he can focus on resting, recovering, and healing. Every little bit helps and he appreciates you immensely." He also appeared in Raven's Home (Image: 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. ) Rondell is best known for his role of Victor Baxter, a chef and the father of Raven Baxter, on the Disney Channel series That's So Raven, followed by spin-offs Cory in the House and Raven's Home. Other roles include parts in The Jamie Foxx Show, Kenan & Kel, Cousin Skeeter and A Different World. Posting on the GoFundMe one fan told him they had grown up watching That's So Raven and he was her "favourite Disney dad". They added: I wanted to take a moment and let you know that you are in my thoughts as you navigate through your journey with pancreatitis. I can only imagine the challenges you are facing, but I want to remind you of your incredible strength and resilience. It's okay to have tough days, but remember that each day is a step towards recovery." Article continues below Acute pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed (swollen) over a short period of time. The NHS explains: "The pancreas is a small organ, located behind the stomach, that helps with digestion. "Most people with acute pancreatitis start to feel better within about a week and have no further problems. But some people with severe acute pancreatitis can go on to develop serious complications."
