Why Are US TV Stars Facing Financial Woes?

and James David Van Der Beek starred on two of the biggest and most loved shows of the nineties and noughties, racking in cash from their adored roles.

However, their tragic deaths have revealed a growing trend in Hollywood; despite both actors' work in these smash-hit and serious money-making programmes, they did not get to enjoy the wealth you would assume they would be afforded as a result.

James, who was adored for his role as Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek, died at the age of 48 with stage 3 colorectal .

He left behind wife Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4.

The family are now fundraising to help cover the cost of medical expenses and keep their family home as mounting bills threaten their financial future.

It has been laid bare the financial situation James and his family faced before his death - and how some of Hollywood's most famous are penniless as a result of 'bad contracts'.

While cast members on Dawson's Creek reportedly received a starting salary from $35,000 per episode, contracts signed at the time meant some stars would not benefit from the show's long-lasting success.

'There was no residual money,' James told Today in 2012. 'I was 20. It was a bad contract. I saw almost nothing from that.'  

It's been reported that James and his co-stars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams started out making $35,000 per episode of Dawson's Creek, and as the show's success grew they banked as much as $175,000 per episode in the final season.

Whilst their salaries have never been confirmed, James's co-star Joshua did once boast at the age of 19 how he 'would make more money doing four episodes of Dawson's Creek than most of my friends' parents made in a year'.

But a lack of residuals would have severely dented the cast's prospects of a long-term income from the show. In contrast it's been widely reported that the main cast members of another nineties show, Friends, make $20million a year from residuals and reruns.

Eric Dane, who shot to fame in Grey's Anatomy, died at the age 53 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 

Beloved for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan aka 'McSteamy,' his death last Thursday came less than a year ago that he had been diagnosed with the illness, which is known colloquially in America as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The rare, incurable degenerative condition impairs the nervous system over time and causes the muscles to increasingly suffer from paralysis. 

He is survived by his two teenage daughters, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13, and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.

Following Eric's death, a GoFundMe has also been launched in his name, as his family attempt to cover the costs of his medical expenses whilst paying the bills.

In the fundraiser's page, a bio reads: 'As his illness progressed far more quickly than anyone could have imagined, Eric's friends have come together to create this GoFundMe to support his girls and their future needs.

'Any contribution, no matter the size, will help provide stability during this incredibly difficult time and in the future for Eric's wonderful daughters.'

It was revealed shortly after his passing how his pal Johnny Depp allowed him to live rent-free in one of his mansions. A generous gesture, though an example of just how grave his financial situation was.

Any monies both men had amassed over the course of their careers was likely depleted during their medical treatments and care for their respective diseases.

Unlike the NHS in the UK, America's healthcare system is not tax-payer funded and therefore requires a large health insurance plan for citizens to be protected from the eye-watering costs a simple A&E trip would be.

Last year it was revealed how a third of US adults (about 91 million people) could not access quality healthcare if they needed it, based on the latest West Health-Gallup Healthcare Affordability Index. 

With many actors being classed as self-employed, they most likely do not have private health insurance a typical employee might have through their employers benefit system.