Brett Butler Ruined Life After 'Grace Under Fire' Ended? Pals Set GoFundMe Campaign For Starlet

By Kate Hill

Brett Butler From "Grace Under Fire" Destroys Life After Sitcom Ended? [Details] — (Photo : Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Former "Grace Under Fire" starlet Brett Butler reportedly suffered from financial problems after the sitcom ended.

The television sitcom had been a popular hit during the '90s and was considered the peak of Butler's career. It had established itself in the viewers' hearts from its first episode in 1993 until the very last one in 1998.

New York Post reported the actress was making an average of $250,000 per episode when it was still airing.

Brett currently relies on the online crowd fundraising account GoFundMe that her friend specifically created for her to get by.

What Happened to Brett Butler?

"Grace Under Fire" owes all its success to Butler, as the show was based on her real-life experiences.

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The ABC series had translated its main character's real-life alcohol addiction and drug abuse into a storyline for small-screen consumers.

Brett had played the role of a single mother who struggled with alcoholism while raising three children and divorcing an abusive husband. Her role in the sitcom had triggered the star's Vicodin addiction even further as the spotlight caused her to take the painkiller for her sciatica.

"I was out of my mind. Drugs will do that to you. The show should have been pulled sooner than it was," Brett shared to The Hollywood Reporter.

After canceling the show, the star had gotten sober enough to realize she was six months behind her rent.

Grace Under Debt

The 63-year old had been reluctant to ask for help even from her friends and loved ones as she faced monetary problems. Factoring in her horrible financial decisions and instances when she got robbed by people she trusted, Butler struggled.

"I was a little bit too trusting with some people that worked for me, and I had a lot of things stolen," Brett confessed. The actress admits to feeling guilty for her wealth and justified it by loaning and giving most of it away.

She later on landed supporting roles in "Anger Management," "How to Get Away With Murder," and "The Walking Dead" thanks to her connection with "Grace Under Fire" creator Chuck Lorre.

However, due to the recent economic impact made by the pandemic, Brett Butler's financial state is on the brink once again. This pushed her friend Lon Strickler to launch "Please Help My Friend Brett Butler" GoFundME, which has collected $8,000 over its original $20,000 goal.

The celebrity admits that she currently feels nothing but shame, even saying she's "almost ashamed to death."