’Girlfriends’ Star Reggie Hayes Reveals He’s Battling Congestive Heart Failure And Is Struggling To Find Work>
While speaking with Chicago Tribune’s Nina Metz, “Girlfriends” star Reggie Hayes spoke about the classic sitcom that recently started streaming on Netflix as well as many other things including his health and acting career.
The actor who gained fame for his role as William Jerrowme, reveals that his life has been pretty rough, 20 years after the hit show premiered. On Friday, the Chicago native was hospitalized for congestive heart failure in Los Angeles. Hayes explained to Metz, “We’re still not sure what’s going on, I gotta take more tests. But I have congestive heart failure and it was difficult to breathe. Here in L.A., the sky has been orange with smoke (because of wildfires) and it was just really terrible. So I was in the hospital overnight, they were having trouble getting my blood pressure back down. Seems like the more they look, the more problems they find.” However, Hayes noted, that “the good thing is, I don’t have the coronavirus.”
Aside from his health, he also talked about his life after “Girlfriends,” which also stars Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Jill Marie Jones, and Persia White. Hayes, who won the NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series three times said he has struggled to find substantive work on, and off, screen. “It’s not my most proud time,” Hayes reflected, adding he hasn’t gotten many opportunities.
“I had starred on this long-running show but I wasn’t Matt LeBlanc or one of the other kids from ‘Friends’ who had doors opening for them after their show ended. Pretty much, I was just another guy.”
Due to not finding work, he said he sold his house that he bought while he was on the show, and downsized for a bit, and then ended up living in his sister’s garage for six years. He said from there, he tried to work many jobs but due to his fame, it was a bit of a challenge.
“I tried being a bouncer for a while, and everyone in the club wanted their picture taken with me,” Hayes shared. “I’m 6-feet-2 but everybody knows I’m like a mouse; once you know me, you know I’m a pushover. So that didn’t work out. I also tried being a furniture mover, but I was in my 40s so that only lasted a couple of days. My back never would have survived it.”
As the NY Daily News notes, the 51-year-old now lives with “nice roommates” in the Valley and is starting to work a little more. He’s hoping that the Netflix deal may give his career a boost that is very needed.
Press Play Below To Check Out A Clip Of Reggie Hayes On “Girlfriends”:
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